A Rambling Writer Rerun: The Northwest Washington Fair
- Sara Stamey
- August 12, 2023
Join Thor and me as we enjoy the annual fair that celebrates early harvest and farming traditions in our “far corner” of the country.
(Too much “life” going on this year to attend, but it’s the season for county fairs, so here’s last year’s visit. Do you have a fair that you visit?) I hadn’t been to what we always called “the Lynden Fair” in a few years, so when it rolled around again, I told Thor we needed to go see the baby goats and watch my favorite event — the draft horse hitch. Growing up 4th-generation in Whatcom County, I always looked forward to the fair, and as a teenager took part with my horse Star in 4-H competitions. Here’s an old photo of me with Star (on right) and my sister Gail with Taffy, as we were getting ready to practice barrel-racing and other skills. (Usually we rode bareback and galloped like “wild banshees” around the fields and forest trails where we grew up.)
First priority when arriving was to check the schedule for the horse events, then hit the animal barn to see the baby goats and other critters.
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You will find The Rambling Writer’s blog posts here every Saturday. Sara’s latest novel from Book View Café is Pause, partly a love story to beloved wild places of her native Pacific Northwest. It is a First Place winner of the Chanticleer Somerset Award and an International Pulpwood Queens Book Club selection. “A must-read novel about friendship, love, and killer hot flashes.” (Mindy Klasky). Sign up for her quarterly email newsletter at www.sarastamey.com
4 thoughts on “A Rambling Writer Rerun: The Northwest Washington Fair”
We used to do the Clackamas County Fair in Canby, Oregon because my lacemaking guild would demonstrate in the craft barn. I won a few blue ribbons there. Hubby fell in love with tractor pulls there and we followed steam tractor shows around the Pac NW for a while.
Oregon State Fair in Salem, Oregon also had special categories for lacemakers. Won a few more blues!
Last 2 times we went, we saw the double horned Joshua goats and stumbled on the draft horse show and their bright and shiny wagons decorated to match the horse ribbons and braids. Really special experience. Those horses are HUGE and so gentle and loving with their handlers. More like pets than working animals. Alas, our aging bodies do not handle the heat, noise, fried food, and uneven footing very well anymore.
Hi, Phyl, and thanks for your angle on the fairs. There is always something for everyone — though I’m starting to agree about dealing with the heat, crowds, and noise. I do love the animals.
Baby goats! So adorable!
I love the textile art.
Thanks, Sherwood!