Evergreen State Fair agricultural displays offering something fun for every age!
The Evergreen State Fair is a family-friendly celebration of all things Washington, showcasing the state’s rich livestock and agriculture heritage. Held in Snohomish County north of Seattle, it the county’s largest event.
Activities for visitors include free entertainment on the courtyard stage as well as roving entertainers, daily Aztec Indian Dancers and Lumberjack shows, petting zoo, Grange and agricultural displays; and fun contests like pie eating, balloon tossing, and belching (we’re not kidding). There is also plenty of fair food choices, carnival rides, headliner concerts, a rodeo, and speedway events.
Each day has special events, contests, and ceremonies. Look over the daily schedules before you go to make the most of your day: https://www.evergreenfair.org/162/Daily-Schedules.
Grange Displays are a “must-see” highlight for many fair visitors each year in the Display Hall. Originally an organization of farming families, the Grange now embraces both rural and urban members and still retains a strong rural and agriculture interest.
Washington State has the largest number of Grange members in the nation. Snohomish County hosts 15 active Granges. Read more about national Grange history below.
How Granges got started
The term “grange” comes from the Latin word for “grain” and was used in England to describe a farm and its buildings.
In 1867, Oliver Hudson Kelley (1826-1913), a Minnesota farmer, who was also a Mason and occasional journalist, founded the National Grange along with six associates. The organization established the importance of a viable agriculture and strong family units as the cornerstones of the organization.
The first local Grange was started in Washington, D.C., in 1868, and the organization spread rapidly from there. Within five years there were approximately 9,000 local chapters across the country and almost 700,000 Grangers, as members came to be called.
From the beginning, women had equal representation which has proven to be of great benefit to the Grange’s success. It was the first organization to give women an equal vote with men in 1867, as well as full and equal recognition.
About Evergreen State Fair
Evergreen State Fair features lots of fun local entertainment
In 1874, Monroe pioneer Salem Woods, then vice-president of the Snohomish Agricultural Society, held the first agriculture display in Snohomish County, which makes the Snohomish Country fair one of the oldest in Washington State.
Over the next 75 years, the Snohomish County Fair was held alternately in Monroe and Granite Falls. Activities included exhibitions of livestock, farm and dairy produce, ladies “useful and fancy work”, arts, and sciences. There was also horse racing, baseball, and a Grand Ball with a queen and her six maids of honor presiding.
In September 1949, the Snohomish County Fair became the Evergreen State Fair. During its run that year, US highway route 2 opened to link Monroe and Snohomish.
The Evergreen State Fair now runs for twelve days ending on Labor Day and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the Pacific Northwest.
In 2008, The Evergreen Fair Foundation was established to sustain the Fairgrounds as a valuable community asset. The Fairgrounds are active year-round with events such as horse shows, motorcycle races, and quilt shows.
2018 Evergreen State Fair
When: August 23 – September 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day (closes at 9 p.m. on the last day).
Where: Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th AVE SE Monroe, WA 98272 (About 30 miles northeast of Seattle)
How to save on tickets to Evergreen State Fair in Monroe
Here are the regular prices and ways to save money with discount admission tickets, parking, carnival rides, and other fun.
Regular gate admission: Adults $14. Seniors (62+), Kids (6-15), and Active Military with ID $10. Children Under 5 and Seniors 90+are FREE. Discount admission: Get free or reduced admission when you buy tickets online before opening day, when you buy a concert ticket, or on Special Admission Days:
- Thursday, Aug. 23. Opening Day Canned Food Drive. FREE admission with a donation of 3 non-perishable food items per person before 3 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 24. Blue Friday. Show your Seahawk pride at the gates for $2 off admission before 2 p.m.!
- Monday, Aug. 27. Senior Citizen’s Day. Anyone age 62+ receives FREE admission at the gate. Make sure to stop by the Courtyard Stage to enjoy a special day of acts scheduled just for you.
- Tuesday, Aug. 28. 2 for 1 day. Bring a sibling, child, parent or neighbor. Whatever you do, come in twos for buy one admission, get another admission of equal value for free until 2 p.m.!
- Wednesday, Aug. 29. Family Day. Grab the kids and head to the Fair for Family Day where admission is $6 for everyone! Check out the Courtyard Stage schedule for special family friendly acts all day long.
- Thursday, Aug. 30. Kid’s Day. FREE admission for kiddos 15 and younger all day long. Be sure to get the unlimited ride wristband before opening day.
- Friday, Aug. 31. Heroes Day. U.S. Military Veterans and First Responders get FREE admission for them and their dependents when showing valid ID at the gates. Military includes all active duty, reserve, disabled, retired and veterans.
- Monday, Sept. 3. Labor Day. Celebrate the last day of the Fair where admission is $2 off for everyone.
Parking: $10 cash only, paid upon entering parking lot. Save $1 with advance purchase at the fairgrounds parking pass booth before opening day.
Carnival rides: Be sure to read the important ride information, including ride restrictions, rules, and carnival hours. Rides cost $3-$5 each using $1 tickets. Save $2 on a sheet of 27 tickets, save $10 on a sheet of 80, or save $20 on a sheet of 120. Or, buy a wristband at $35 for unlimited rides; save $5 when you buy a wristband online before opening day.
Rodeo (Aug 31-Sept 2): $7 per person (age 16-61). $5 for kids age 2-15 or seniors 62+.
Speedway: ticket prices vary by event and date; adults $23-$33 with reduced prices for seniors 62+ and children. Free admission on Aug 23 (Motocross practice) and Aug 26 (Autocross).
Food: To keep you going, there are plenty of fair food choices at a range of prices.
Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th Ave SE, Monroe, WA 98272
