MONROE, Wash. — Despite COVID-19 fears and the recent delta variant swell in cases, the Evergreen State Fair begins Thursday for anyone looking for some fun.
The 11-day fair, taking place at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th Avenue SE, in Monroe, is set to run through Tuesday, Aug. 31, for its first stint. The fair will then open again from Sept. 2-6 after closing for one day.
The theme this year is “Back in the Saddle Again” after the fair was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. Organizers hope the theme is a “cheerful metaphor of dusting oneself off after the challenging ride that was 2020, and the anticipation of reuniting members of the community and fans of the Fair after making it through 2020 together.”
Snohomish County announced its plan to bring the fair back in May, but updates were being announced as late as last week. On Aug. 20, the fair confirmed its plans to move forward with the event, writing on its website, “After thoughtful consideration and guidance from state and local health officials, we have determined that our event can safely take place this year for those who choose to attend.”
Some measures the park is taking include offering 300 hand sanitizer stations around the fair, increased cleaning procedures, lower daily capacity, free N95 masks available for all guests on request and adherence to the state’s indoor mask mandate.
All attendees are also urged to wear masks in crowded outdoor settings at the fair as recommended by the Washington State Department of Health.
Those looking to enjoy the fair can expect plenty of local food vendors, speedway events like monster trucks and a carnival with various rides.
Advance tickets are available on the website.
Other fairs around the state were also able to come back for the 2021 season, including the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, which is set to take place through September.