Fall is fair season, and Washington has no shortage of great county and state fairs. In fact, by some counts, there are more than 50 held across the state each year. But if you can only afford to spare one or two weekends to eat elephant ears, ride rickety coasters, and wander livestock barns, it’s important to know which fairs are actually worth your time. In this guide, we’ll dive into the fairs and farm experiences genuinely worth a visit this autumn.
Central Washington State Fair
We’ll kick things off with a trip out east to Yakima! Because if you’re looking for the quinte-central fall fair experience, it’s hard to beat the Central Washington State Fair. The yearly tradition has been going strong since 1892 and offers pretty much everything you’d expect from a century-old fair: livestock barns, carnival rides, games, and enough corn dogs, elephant ears, and other fried goodness to make your doctor nervous. But that’s not all in the big 2026. This year brings an Aces Wild Rough Stock Rodeo, the return of the demolition derby, glassblowing workshops with Ikonic Glass, the acrobatic Off Axis High Dive Show, hypnotist Michael Mezmer, and even a day with cooking icon Sandra Lee. And before Seattleites dismiss this one as too far, consider that the drive is comparable to your annual winter pilgrimage to Leavenworth.
Yakima Valley SunDome, Yakima (Sept 25–Oct 4)