When you think of the Fair, perhaps you think of scones or the Midway. Maybe you see livestock lining the barns or hear the laughter of children. Maybe your mind wanders to grange displays and the Hobby Hall collections. The Washington State Fair has been the place for family, fun and education for over a century and nothing evokes such strong or fond family memories like The Grand Ol' Fair.
In the fast-paced world we live in, it is important to hold on to the tradition of days gone by so that we may tell our stories to future generations. With your help, we can ensure that the Fair holds a tender place in your great-great-great grandchildrens' hearts too.
Gifts made to the Foundation support the growth of The Fair’s educational programs, ensure that the Fair’s founding legacy lives on through preservation projects and facilitates enhancements to the fairgrounds. Donations help create and continue to sustain operation of the Traveling Farm, as well as provide scholarships each year for our community’s youth. Gifts have been used to improve the fairgrounds, including the creation of the Farm at SillyVille and the History Experience. The community’s generosity has helped to fund many other projects on the fairgrounds as well.
The Washington State Fair has been part of the fabric of our community for more than 120 years. The Fair evokes fond memories of values we hold dear and of times that have gone by. In these fast-paced times, we need to hold on to the best things from our past in order to help tell our stories to future generations. That is where you come in… your gift, large or small, will help secure the future of The Fair for generations to come.
For more information about giving opportunities, contact the Foundation office at (253) 841-5120 or foundation@thefair.com.
In celebration of the Fair's 125th Anniversary, now is your chance to purchase a paver at a new location inside the Washington State Fair. These pavers will be placed in 2025 in front of the new water feature inside the grounds and have several size options.
Paver Sizing:
Join us as we celebrate 125 years of the Washington State Fair in 2025!
By sponsoring a limited-edition Gold Bench you can help celebrate 125 years of Fair memories while supporting our mission to educate, preserve and improve for years to come. These special benches will be placed on the fairgrounds for the Washington State Fair in 2025.
Each bench includes a bronze plaque for your custom inscription. Your message can include up to 3 lines of text with 25 characters on each line. Benches take about 12 weeks to be produced after order is submitted and orders must be placed by May 1, 2025 when sales will conclude. (Bench image subject to change).
FRED MEYER REWARDS
Link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to the Washington State Fair Foundation. You will still get special deals, gas rewards and perks from Fred Meyer, but by linking your card to us, you'll cast a vote for us to receive some of Fred Meyer's $2M annual charitable budget. With each household that links to the Foundation, our quarterly donation increases. It's a great way to give just by filling your grocery cart!
NEW MEMBER BENEFITS IN 2024
Members of the Washington State Fair Foundation’s White Hat Club are those generous donors who have committed $1,000 per year for a 5-year-term in support of the Fair’s programs. And yep, you really do get a white cowboy hat to celebrate your investment into our mission of preserving and educating future generations.
JOIN THE CLUB AND RECEIVE THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS:
White Hat - New Member
All benefits listed above are good for the year you join or renew only.
YOUR MEMBERSHIP CAN BE PAID IN MANY WAYS
For those members that would like to renew their White Hat Club membership, we are offering a brand new LIMITED EDITION belt buckle.
For White Hat Club membership information, contact the Foundation office at (253) 841-5065 or email hollyb@thefair.com.
2023 Members
2022 Members
2021 Members
2020 Members
2019 Members
Sponsoring a bench is a meaningful way to put down roots at one of your favorite places, to celebrate milestones, and/or to honor loved ones. Your family will enjoy seeing your bench on the grounds year after year and your bench will provide much-appreciated seating for fair guests – compliments of you.
With your $2,700 donation, a red 6’ transit-style bench will be produced. Each bench includes a 3”x10” bronze dedication plaque for your custom inscription. Your message can include up to 3 lines of text with 25 characters on each line. Benches will be placed on the grounds once production is complete, usually within 12 weeks. If you’d like to see your bench at the Washington State Fair in September, your order must be received no later than May 1.
SillyVille pavers are located at the grand entrance to the Farm at SillyVille.
By purchasing a paver you leave a bit of yourself on the Fairgrounds - in celebration of a milestone, in honor of a loved one, or just stamping your name on one of your favorite places. Your purchase will also help the Washington State Fair Foundation support the growth of The Fair’s educational programs at the Farm at SillyVille and ensure that agricultural education continues to be a part of this state-of-the-art project.
Pavers are ordered in batches and installed in August. Bricks ordered by June 30 will be installed before the Washington State Fair each year.
PAVER PRICING
The Fine Print
Pavers may be ordered anytime, but the deadline to order your brick for the Washington State Fair is June 30. We will make every effort to have your brick installed so you can show it to your family and friends when you visit The Fair. Once your brick is installed, you will receive an email informing you of its completion status. We do not guarantee placement before Spring Fair, only if weather is permitting.
Inscriptions must be in good taste, keeping in mind that the Washington State Fair is a family-friendly entertainment venue. The Foundation reserves the right to refuse inscriptions that include salacious, lewd, or foul language and/or that evoke negativity, bigotry or incite political controversy.
Exact placement of each paver is at the discretion of the Washington State Fair. At your request, Foundation staff will also notify an honoree of your donation.
These pavers are not tax deductible items.
Leave a Legacy at The Fair
Legacy giving, sometimes generally referred to as “planned giving,” is a donation made by an individual through a will or other formal designation. Legacy gifts are typically prepared with a financial planner and are meant to reflect the values and desires of the donor. As the name suggests, most donors want to leave a legacy or memory of their life through their posthumous giving. In most cases, a legacy gift is made upon someone’s death, but not always. Legacy giving can take a number of forms, including recurring donations that begin while the donor is alive and continue after they’re deceased. Additionally, legacy gifts don’t have to be monetary, they can include material goods, property, stocks or anything that is of value to the beneficiary.
For more information and to leave your legacy at The Fair, please contact Holly Ball at hollyb@thefair.com or (253) 841-5065.
We honor the following members that are giving part of their legacy: