Glazed doughnut hamburgers, dinosaur digs. Here’s what’s new at the 2022 State Fair
If you’ve been dreaming of a bacon cheeseburger sandwiched between two glazed doughnuts, the Washington State Fair might have you covered.
The fair at 110 Ninth Ave. SW has new food and attractions this year. Doors open Friday, Sept. 2. The fair runs through Sunday, Sept. 25. It’ll be closed Tuesdays and Sept. 7.
Tickets can be purchased online at thefair.com/tickets-and-deals and at the gate, ranging from $12 to $18. Children five and under are free. Parking fees range from $12 to $30.
The fair’s parking lots, restrooms and other facilities are ADA accessible. A sign language interpreter is available from 2-8 p.m. every day for hearing-impaired attendees.
The fair’s entrance gates changed this year. The waist-high turnstile gates that filtered attendees into the fairgrounds are gone. Instead, they have walk-through security scanners (metal detectors).
“We’ve done this to enhance security but also to speed up the line so people aren’t having to wait out in line too much,” fair spokesperson Stacy Van Horne said.
Washington State Fair food
Visitors can get the doughnut hamburgers at Extreme Carnival Eats. The new vendor also has Korean, American and Italian cheese sticks — cheese rolled in ramen noodles, corndog batter or bread crumbs, and then deep fried.
Owner Mary Anderson suggests people try their Nashville hot chicken & waffle sandwich.
“The waffle and the great, crispy chicken sandwich are drizzled with that Nashville hot and maple syrup,” Anderson said. “You just get to mesh all the flavors in one bite. It’s wonderful.”
Visitors can also find a bucket of fries, cotton candy lemonade and a cotton candy ice cream sandwich on Extreme Carnival Eats’ menu. Food prices range from $7 to $15.
Other new food vendors include Lumberjack Popcorn, Glow Tea (which serves bubble tea), Raspados Del Sur (which has fresh fruit cups and desserts), Joe Roaster coffee, and North Pole Snow Cones.
Washington State Fair exhibits
One of the new attractions this year is the Fair History Experience, which showcases the fair’s history through artifacts and presentations. The exhibit “will not only showcase the stories of the past, but will also connect with current guests,” according to the fair’s website.
Another new attraction includes large animatronic dinosaurs. Expedition: Dinosaur, $9 for kids age 3 and up, will have interactive displays such as a dinosaur research lab with video stations and two dinosaur fossils and excavation digs.
More information on the fair’s exhibits, vendors, concerts list and more can be found at thefair.com.
Washington State Fair hours
The fair’s hours of operation Labor Day weekend are:
- Friday, Sept. 2 | 10:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 3 and Sunday, Sept. 4 | 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
- Monday, Sept. 5 | 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
After that, it’ll be open:
- Sundays | 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
- Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays | 10:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
- Fridays | 10:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
- Saturdays | 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
This story was originally published September 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
