Tag Archives: fairs

Fair and Festival Season

A train that took people around the outskirts of Meeker Days

We just started fair and festival season in Washington and last week my husband and I attended Meeker Days in Puyallup. Billed as the largest festival in Pierce County, it certainly lived up to its name. You’d walk down a main street lined with booths only to find all the cross streets also full of vendors just about as far as the eye can see. They had a building full of exhibits, also. And live entertainment, lots of food, a beer garden and a car show. There could have been more, but my feet started talking to me and telling me to sit down so I didn’t cover all the territory.

One of the vendors sold bird houses with swimming pools. Lucky birds.

I love the fairs and festivals we have around here. For some reason all the best ones usually fall on the same weekend and I’m not sure why that is. They are just good old-fashioned fun.

Here are some of my favorites and when they take place this year:

Kent Cornucopia Days, Kent. July 7-10:  Dragon boat races, a run, crafts and more.

Capital Lakefair, Olympia. July 13-17:  Carnival, entertainment and food with a Candyland theme this year.  

Sequim Lavender Festival, Sequim. July 15-17. Self-guided tours of farms, a street fair and all things lavender.  

Bellevue Arts Museum Arts and Fair, Bellevue. July 29-31. Live entertainment, hands-on kid’s activities and lots of outdoor art.  

Morton Loggers’ Jubilee, Morton. August 11-14. We celebrate everything here including lawn mower racing and lumberjack skills.  

Auburn Good Ol’ Days, Auburn. August 12-14. School reunions, a fun run, car show and a honey bucket building contest.  

Tacoma Maritime Fest, Tacoma. August 27-28. Boat building, awesome harbor boat tours, live music and Almond Roca.

What is your favorite fair or festival and why?

Dog-Centered Events

This "stay" was a bit long for a dalmation.

We are all about dogs here in Washington State -lots of super-dog friendly hotels, off-leash parks galore and lots of places that let dogs inside. In addition, we celebrate dogs with fairs and festivals just for them.

Over the weekend I went to Dog Daze & Feline Fantasies in Kent Station shopping center in Kent. Way more canines than felines attended the event. Trainers, dog food companies and even the Missing Pet Partnership had booths and handed out information, treats or just let you get a dog fix by petting theirs if you didn’t bring one with you.

This dog was looking for the toy that his owner had touched.

 

Dogs paraded in costume and showed off their obedience, agility and scent-detection skills. Fun was had by all and visiting dogs went home tired, which is the best way to keep them well-behaved, by the way.

Even though Dog Daze has past, there are plenty more dog-centered events coming up in Western Washington. Perhaps you and your dog will find one here that’s perfect for you.

All events are subject to change or cancellation. I recommend calling first to confirm and making advance reservations whenever possible.

October 3:  Walk for Hope in Magnuson Park, Seattle.      http://tiny.cc/s7b7o

October 10:  Northwest Wiener Races, Puyallup. www.wienerraces.com

Volunteer Orientation for Missing Pet Partnership; find out how you can help find lost pets, Kent Senior Center. www.missingpetpartnership.org/seattle-events.php

October 23:  Woof Woof Walk in Spanaway Park, Spanaway. http://tiny.cc/8c3je

October 24:  Pug-o-War, Pugs in costume, Seattle. http://seattlepugs.com/events.html

Dawg Dash, Husky Stadium in Seattle. http://www.promotionevents.com/dawgdash/

November 13:  Toasts for Tales, Thurston County Fairgrounds.  www.concernforanimals.com

November 14:  Barksgiving at Dining Dog Café & Bakery in Edmonds. http://tiny.cc/9p9le