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Thrills & Chills at the Washington State Fair

Do the Washington State Fair this September

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This article originally appeared in the September 2013 issue of Seattle magazine.

People have been “doing the Puyallup” since 1900, and though this year the name has been changed to the more staid Washington State Fair (thefair.com), more than 1 million visitors are expected to attend the rural extravaganza of blue-ribbon food, breathtaking rides and rodeo broncs. But it’s not all fun and games at this treasured state ritual. Here we’ve assembled our picks for the most titillating and terrifying facts about the big event.

 

THRILLING

Dozens of Recipes Using Almond Roca
We hereby volunteer to taste-test all of them,
for the good of the state of Washington.

CHILLING

The Rainier Rush
The brand-new inverted-loop roller coaster
has us thinking the dozens of Almond
Roca samples weren’t such a great idea….

570 Rabbits
Expect that number to increase
exponentially by the end of the first day.

An Evening with Kid Rock
What exactly takes place during an “evening” with
Kid Rock? A moonlit stroll around the fairgrounds?
Never mind, we’re pretty sure we don’t want to know

Giant Pumpkin Competition
Last year’s winning gourd weighed in at
1,246 pounds. Did somebody say pie?

“2,590 wieners served as hot dogs”

This stat from last year’s fair makes us worry:
How many were served as something else?

Deep-fried Lemonade

Surely this culinary feat represents
a giant step for humankind!


5,600,000 Linear Feet of Toilet Paper

The amount plied at the 2012 fair—and it
wasn’t used to TP the Pig Palace.

 

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way. 

What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common?  According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot.  “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.

The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture.  This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.

Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).

WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…