Downtown Puyallup road closures start tonight for Meeker Days. Expect detours
Steeped in community and tradition, the annual Meeker Days festival is back this weekend in downtown Puyallup.
This year marks 87 years since the festival began, according to the Puyallup Main Street Association’s website. The event, which is free to attend, is happening from Friday to Sunday. Friday’s events occur from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday the festival begins 10 a.m to 7 p.m., and on Sunday it is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The beer garden is open until 10 p.m., the website said.
The festival will have activities attendees are familiar with such as concerts that take place on three stages: The Meridian Stage, Main Stage and Meeker Stage.
Stacy Ringer, who is organizing the festival, said there will be about 20 vendors from the Puyallup Farmers’ Market. The festival will have 250 vendors in total.
“We’ve got food from all over the world. From Korean corn dogs to Hawaiian poke bowls to pizza,” Ringer said.
Ringer said this year, the kid’s fun zone has been expanded and the Puyallup Tribe is sponsoring it. With the World Cup arriving, there are soccer inflatables children can play with. There will also be giant inflatable hamster balls that let people walk or run across water. People of every age can do this for $10, Ringer said.
Attendees can also participate in the festival’s corn hole tournament, which began last year. She said the tournament was popular, and happens in the Pioneer Park Pavilion.
The tournament takes place Friday to Sunday, and there is a $20 entry fee. Those interested in participating can sign up in advance online or the day of on site. The festival will also have corn hole boards for attendees to play at their leisure with no fee, according to Ringer.
The festival will also have its usual classic car show.
Parking tips
The entire downtown area will be shut down for the festival, according to Ringer. Meridian and Pioneer will be closed as well as side streets, Ringer said.
“Meridian from Stewart to 4th will be closed starting Thursday night for the event. Various side streets downtown such as Meeker, Main, and Pioneer will also be closed,” city spokesperson Eric Johnson told The News Tribune via email.
Johnson wrote that drivers will need to use alternate routes and watch for pedestrians downtown this weekend. Roads will reopen Sunday night after the festival is over.
Parking for the festival is available at the:
- Puyallup City Hall parking lot. Drivers should enter at Fourth Avenue Southeast from Second Street Southeast
- Puyallup Station Parking Garage at 500 Second Ave. NW
- Cornforth-Campbell Parking Lot at 116 E. Main
- AOB parking lot at 330 Third St. SW
Attendees are also advised to consider alternatives like ride shares, carpooling or taking Pierce Transit.
More information on Meeker Days can be found on the association’s website, or through the festival’s Facebook page.
