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 at the Evergreen State Fair for visitors include free entertainment on the courtyard stage as well as roving entertainers, 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 car racing events.
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 with 13 active Granges in Snohomish County. Read more about national Grange history below.
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Skagit Valley farm iStock by Getty Images photo by 4nadia
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.
More info: Local Granges | WA State Grange (wa-grange.com)
About Evergreen State Fair
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.
Ferris wheel at sunset – depositphotos.com
2023 Evergreen State Fair
The Evergreen State Fair is held every year for 11 days with the final day of fair ending on Labor Day. Listed below are the basics on fair dates, hours, admission, discounts, and parking with links to more information.
When: August 24-29 and August 31–September 4, 2023; CLOSED Wednesday, August 30. Hours: 10:30am to 10pm every day (closes at 7pm on the last day). Carnival Hours: 11am to 11pm daily (closes at 7pm on the last day).
Where: Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th AVE SE Monroe, WA 98272 (About 30 miles northeast of Seattle)
Regular gate admission (Weekday/Weekend/Labor Day): Adults (13-61) $16/$18/$14. Seniors (62-89), Kids (6-12), and Active Military with ID $12/$12/$10. Children Under 5 and Seniors 90+ are FREE.
Discount tickets: Save on advance weekday/weekend admission, parking tickets, and carnival ride wristbands before opening day.
- Note: We found no Special Admission Days in 2023.
- Free fair admission when you buy a concert ticket or speedway ticket.
More info: Ticket Information (evergreenfair.org)
Parking: Weekday $10. Weekend $15. Disabled parking is available in all Fairgrounds parking lots. These spaces are located closest to the entrances in all the official parking lots.
Food: To keep you going, there are plenty of fair food choices at a range of prices.
Carnival rides: Unlimited Ride Wristbands $37 (2022 price) Be sure to read the important ride information, including ride restrictions, rules, and carnival hours.
Concerts and more. All paid Grandstand Events include Fair Gate Admission. More info: Grandstand Events (evergreenfair.org)
Evergreen Speedway historic NASCAR racetrack is a located within Evergreen State Fair Park. The stadium accommodates 7,000 spectators in the covered grandstand. More info: Evergreen Speedway (evergreenfair.org)
Rodeo: September 2-4, 2023. Rodeo tickets: $10 do not include fair admission. More info: Equestrian Events (evergreenfair.org)
More info: The Evergreen State Fair | Official Website (evergreenfair.org)
Young pigs on a farm – Depositphotos.com
Upcoming state and county fairs
Most state and county fairs happen June to September. The two biggest are Evergreen State Fair in Monroe and Washington State Fair in Puyallup. But there are many, many other farm fairs around the state. Smaller fairs can get you up close to animals, and of course offer fair food, carnival rides, and plenty of family fun.
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