Home Care In Puyallup, WA

The Washington State Fair in Puyallup is almost here. It will run from Sept. 1-24. Before you go, here’s a guide on the fair’s hours, tickets, parking, as well as new things to eat and do. Don’t miss our TikTok recap.

Labor Day weekend

After Labor Day weekend

The fair is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesday, Sept. 6.

Weekday tickets at thefair.com cost $14 for adults, and $12 for seniors and students ages 6-18. Weekend tickets online cost $17 for adults, and $14 for seniors and students ages 6-18. Both weekday and weekend tickets at the gate cost $1 more.

Children five and under get in free. All kids 18 and under get in free opening weekend, Sept. 1-4.

It costs $15 to park on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It costs $20 on Saturday and Sunday. Visitors can save $3 on weekday parking if they buy a voucher ahead of time at a local O’Reilly Auto Parts store.

Premium parking can only be purchased onsite for $35. VIP parking is $50 and must be purchased online.

There’s street parking in the area.

The Big Cheese will serve savory and sweet treats. Visitors can get Nashville hot cheese curds with cheddar ranch for $10.91 or cheddar cheese soft-serve ice cream in a cone for $8.41. They also have macaroni and cheese crispy tacos with lettuce, tomato and chipotle sour cream, according to a news release from the fair.

Some vendors who debuted at The Taste Northwest in July will also be at the fair. The vendors are Flaco’s Tacos, Churreria and Starvin’ Marvin.

Flaco’s Tacos specializes in Mexican cuisine. Churreria serves churros. Starvin’ Marvin has hot dogs, nachos and macaroni and cheese.

Extreme Carnival Eats, which joined the fair in 2022, will have new items such as Fruity Pebbles Korean corn dogs and dill pickle soft-serve ice cream.

Revolution 360 is a new ride that swings riders on a pendulum. The ride can tilt 120 degrees and rotate 360 degrees. The ride is near the Wildcat roller coaster. We haven’t been on the new ride yet, but we did send a reporter on the Extreme Scream ride. The video is great.

The Farm at SillyVille, a hands-on exhibit about agriculture, has a new section that showcases the world of bees and their role in farming. The exhibit is open 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day.

Survival: The Exhibition is a new interactive space that involves science, technology, engineering and math. The exhibit gives visitors a chance to put their survival skills to the test. The exhibit costs $9 for children ages 3 and up. It’s in the Centennial Tent. Tickets can be purchased online or at the fair.

The Biggest Little Livestock show is returning Sept. 1-4. It’ll showcase miniature animals. There will be a costume contest and an obstacle course. The show can be found in Barn N.

The Zac Brown Band, Kane Brown, Third Eye Blind, Styx, Kehlani, Dan + Shay and Chicago are some of the bands performing at the Washington State Fair this year. Tickets include admission to the fair.

There are also free concerts, including a Taylor Swift tribute band, at the Outpost 47 Stage.

Accessible restrooms can be found throughout the fairgrounds. Accessible parking spaces are in all lots. They are available on a first-come basis. Accessible seating at concerts is also available on a first-come basis.

A sign language interpreter is available from 2-8 p.m. every day. Visitors can request this service at the main information booth by the Extreme Scream ride.

More information about the fair can be found at thefair.com.

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This story was originally published August 24, 2023, 5:00 AM.

The Washington State Fair runs Friday, Sept. 1 through Sunday, Sept. 24. Here are the best performances, eats and parking options.

PUYALLUP, Wash. — Get ready for stomach-flipping rides, deep fried foods and family fun – the Washington State Fair returns Friday, Sept. 1. Here is a complete guide on what’s new, what to eat and who to see at the 2023 Washington State Fair.

The fair opens Friday, Sept. 1 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 24. The fair is closed every Tuesday, and also closed on Wednesday, Sept. 6.

How to score discounted tickets

All tickets are $1 off when purchased online instead of at the gate. Kids ages 5 and under are free.

Weekday ticket prices at the gate are $15 for adults, $13 for children (ages 6-18) and seniors. Weekend prices are $18 for adults and $15 for children and seniors.

Free entrance days are held on:

New this year

Thrill seekers are rewarded with the new ride Revolution 360, a swinging pendulum ride tilting 120 degrees and offering 360-degree rotation.

Telling the story of Washington’s rich food and farming history is the Bee Box Activity at The Farm at SillyVille. This free and hands-on exhibit connects kids with the state’s agriculture industry, the farmers who produce the food Washingtonians eat, and healthy eating choices. This year focuses on the world of bees and the role they play in Washington’s agriculture.

For anyone with a strong sense of adventure, another new exhibit is Survival: The Exhibition. This experience with a ropes course and zip line showcases the wonders of nature and asks guests to ponder: how can humans survive here? Survival: The Exhibition combines STEM concepts with interactive challenges to empower people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to survive any scenario. The experience is $9 for ages 3 and older.

Wear your dancing shoes to the new Shots & Spurs Line Dancing Party at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9. Between rodeo performances, learn how to line dance, enjoy a cowboy-themed charcuterie treat, a private bar, photo station and more. Tickets must be purchased online in advance.

Fair foods

Did someone say cheddar cheese soft serve in a cone? New this year, The Big Cheese is serving up cheesy delights to cover every meal of the day from breakfast to dessert. Nashville Hot cheese curds with cheddar ranch, jumbo cheddar-stuffed tater tots with nacho cheese and more await.

Some vendors who debuted at The Taste NW in July are returning for the full fair experience. Flaco’s Tacos is dishing up Mexican fare, Churreria will satisfy your sweet tooth with Spanish churros and Starvin’ Marvin has all your food truck needs. Joe’s Pretzels also have doughy delights on deck to satisfy your taste buds.

This year also marks the 100th anniversary of Krusty Pup serving burgers, fries and the iconic Krusty Pups to fair guests.

Concerts and special events

The 2023 concert star-studded lineup includes:

Every Friday night the fair offers a firework show, lighting up the skies at 10 p.m. Sept. 1, 8, 15 and 22.

Rodeo information

The Puyallup Rodeo is from Sept. 7-10. It features events such as bull riding, bareback riding, tie down roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, a rodeo breakfast with the Wranglers and more.

The Western Rodeo Parade and Cattle Drive is at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8. This non-motorized parade along Meridian Street into downtown Puyallup includes a cattle drive down Meridian Street, equestrian drill teams, marching bands, characters in costume and more.

All rodeo events are held at the Grandstand at the north end of the fairgrounds. All rodeo tickets also include same-day fair admission.

Map of the fairgrounds

Credit: Washington State Fair

Parking

Parking is available in any official fair lot. Weekday parking is $15 and weekend parking is $20. Premium parking is available daily in Lot B between the Red and Gold gates for $35. VIP parking to reserve your spot is $50 and must be reserved online in advance.

Credit: Washington State Fair

Fair-y important basics

During Labor Day Weekend, the fair is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday; from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday.

After Labor Day, the fair is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays; from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays.

The fair is located at 110 9th Avenue SW in Puyallup.

It’s many fairgoers’ nightmare: A roller coaster you’re riding malfunctions and suddenly, you’re stuck.

Video circulating on social media shows three harnessed ride operators working together to rescue passengers stuck on the Wildcat roller coaster Friday, Sept. 1, at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup. They pushed a car stuck on a slope so that it could glide to the finish.

All passengers were safely taken down and evaluated by medics from Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, fair spokesperson Stacy Van Horne said Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Van Horne confirmed that two cars made contact at one point.

The ride opened back up again Sunday morning, Sept. 3, after going through multiple tests to ensure its safety, Van Horne said. She said crews were still investigating what happened.

“All our rides go through rigorous and multiple testing before we open each day,” Van Horn said. “This is one ride that also gets shut down during rain. So it might appear broke down, but it is not.”

One of the fair’s social media posts from 2020 says the Wildcat was installed in 1985.

“[The Wildcat has] been there a long time, it’s a fan favorite,” Van Horn said. “It’s one of our permanent rides.”

Bystander Diana Johnson took the video of the rescue that’s been circulating on social media.

Johnson, from Auburn, was walking with two of her kids toward the Wildcat to get in line when she noticed operators, high up, pushing the cart. After the passengers came down, Johnson asked them about what happened.

“They told me it had crashed into the car in front of them,” Johnson said. “It looked like they were in shock.”

Johnson said passengers she spoke to were worried about a girl and her father in the front of the car that was rescued.

“She was crying that her neck hurt and was really scared,” Johnson said.

Her father consoled the girl after they got down, hugging and reassuring her.

The fair is an important event for Johnson and her family. Her first date with her husband was at the fair and she takes her kids to opening day every year.

Johnson experienced a ride malfunction firsthand at the fair in 2019, she said, when she and her son got stuck on a pirate ride. Johnson said she got her tickets refunded, but never learned what happened.

This story was originally published September 5, 2023, 5:38 PM.

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2024 Puyallup (Wash.) ATH Kai Richardson is a heart and soul presence for a Puyallup program looking to return to the State Playoff picture.

So far in the young season, the Vikings are off to a 1-3 start, but they picked up a signature shutout victory two weeks ago, and pushed top-ranked Sumner to their limit this past Thursday in a 35-30 loss.

Coming off an All League junior campaign, the now senior captain Kai Richardson is highly optimistic they can get back to making deep playoff runs.

“We’ve got some good momentum from our win [a couple weeks ago],” the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Richardson said. “We’re all really close as a team, and we’ve come together after those losses. We trust in our coaching, so we can take the next step.”

Richardson fills two ultra-important positions on this year's Puyallup team; he's an uber-athletic EDGE rusher and red zone threat tight end.

The rare combination of size (every bit of 6-foot-5, 215-pounds) and explosiveness is what makes Richardson a mismatch against the vast majority of opponent’s he lines up against. So far he’s on pace for a head-turning 85 tackles and 11 sacks.

His testing numbers truly jump off the page, as Richardson checks in with a spectacular 38-inch vertical leap, 10-foot broad jump, and an unofficial 4.7 40.

“I take a lot of pride in my athleticism and explosiveness,” Richardson said.

AS FAR AS HIS RECRUITING, Richardson is getting looks primarily as a defensive end. HIs first next level opportunity came during the summer, when he reeled in a Preferred Walk-on Offer from Washington State. Richardson won tight end MVP honors at WSU’s camp.

“My defensive line coach actually played for Wazzu edge coach [Frank Maile] in college,” Richardson said.

Other school’s he’s hearing increased interest from include Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Montana State. These schools are keenly monitoring Richardon’s senior film.

Richardson holds a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and he continues to work to elevate that.

A fun fact about Kai Richardson is his father, Spencer Richardson, is a former Eastern Washington football player and finished his career at Washington State. Spencer Richardson was actually a member of the 1998 WSU Rose Bowl team. Although you won’t see much on-field resemblance between father and son; Spencer Richardson was a 5-foot-11 defensive back.

Puyallup has seen a mass exodus of talent as of late, and as a senior captain, Richardson is taking it upon himself to help lead Puyallup.

“I love it here, and I want to keep it as a good program,” Richardson said. “I feel I'm really good at keeping everyone encouraged, and I’m good at talking to the younger guys.”

The Puyallup program has an illustrious history of sending players to the next level, and Kai Richardson is on track to be the latest. There’s every reason to believe Kai Richardson and the Puyallup Vikings will start racking up wins going forward.

PUYALLUP, STATE — Independence Day is quickly approaching, which means it's time to fire up that barbecue and find out what Fourth of July fireworks and festivities are going on in and around Puyallup for 2023.

We gathered up all the fireworks shows, parades and festivals happening in and around Puyallup so you can start planning now.

Here's what's in store this July 4 in and around Puyallup. Click on each event for more details:

July 4 Festivities

What: Firecracker 4 Miler & Sparkler Dash in PuyallupWhere: Teal lot at the Washington Fair, Washington State Fairgrounds, 110 9th Ave SW, PuyallupWhen: 6:30 p.m. on July 3

Find out what's happening in Puyallupwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What: Red, White & Kaboom Day 1 in PuyallupWhere: Gold and Teal Lots of the Washington State Fairgrounds, 110 9th Ave SW, PuyallupWhen: 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on July 3

What: July 3 Extravaganza at Tacoma Rainiers gameWhere: Cheney Stadium, 2502 S Tyler St., TacomaWhen: Game at 6:05 p.m., fireworks at approximately 9:45 p.m., on July 3

What: Independence Day 5K Run in TacomaWhere: Start is south of Vassault Park, 3213-3299 N Narrows Dr., and the finish is at Owen Beach, TacomaWhen: 8 a.m. on July 4

What: Tacoma Summer BlastWhere: Ruston Way Waterfront and Dune Peninsula, TacomaWhen: noon to 10:30 p.m. on July 4

What: JBLM's Food Trucks & Fireworks (open to DOD ID cardholders only)Where: Cowan Stadium, 2170 S 12th St. in Joint Base Lewis-McChordWhen: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4

What: Red, White, Blues Festival in Federal WayWhere: Celebration Park, 1095 South 324th St., Federal WayWhen: 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on July 4

What: Red, White & Kaboom Day 2 in PuyallupWhere: Pioneer Park, 330 S Meridian, PuyallupWhen: Noon to 6 p.m. on July 4

What: 4th of July Festival in AuburnWhere: Les Gove Park, 910 9th St. SE, AuburnWhen: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 4

What: Amazon Seafair Summer Fourth in SeattleWhere: Gas Works Park, 2101 N Northlake Way, and South Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave N, and from Lake Union, SeattleWhen: 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4