Do Puyallup’s State Spring Fair for a taste of the bigger fall fair

Racing pigs. Leaping dogs. Rides. Games. Buttery ears of corn the size of bowling pins.

Seriously. Do you need more reasons to go to the Washington State Spring Fair in Puyallup?

“You can learn about farming as well,” said fair spokeswoman Karen LaFlamme.

The four-day fair is April 10 through 13 at the fairgrounds about 60 miles south of Everett.

The grounds are the site of the big Washington State Fair, formerly known as the Puyallup Fair, held in September. The spring fair is less of the same.

“It’s a smaller footprint and it has more of a country fair feel to it,” LaFlamme said. “It is a family-friendly fair. There are lots of hands-on activities for kids to enjoy. MindWorks is brand new.”

Gardeners can admire displays and get tips from gardening expert Ciscoe Morris.

Vendors will offer up everything from crafts to food.

“The classics — scones and onion burgers, caramel apples and all that good stuff,” LaFlamme said.

There are rides for little kids to “6-feet-tall kids,” she said.

Of course, there are monster trucks and demolition derbies.

There are also some daredevil dogs. DockDogs features local and national dogs leaping off a dock doing long jumps, high jumps, swan dives and belly flops.

Andrea Brown; 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com.

If you go

The Spring Fair is at the Washington State Fair Events Center, 110 Ninth Ave. SW, Puyallup.

Hours are 2 to 10 p.m. April 10; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. April 11 and April 12; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 13.

Tickets are $7.50 advance or $10 at the gate for adults and $5.50 advance or $8 at gate for ages 6 to 18. Kids 5 and under are free.

Parking is free in designated fair lots.

For tickets and more information, call the fair hotline at 253-841-5045 or go to www.thefair.com.

Special free days

Free Kids’ Day, April 10, for ages 18 and under: Bring a non-perishable item for the Puyallup Food Bank.

Military Appreciation Day, April 11: All active, retired and reserve military and their dependents, plus disabled vets, get in free with valid military ID.

Highlights

(free with fair admission unless otherwise specified)

Fireworks spectacular, choreographed to music, 9 p.m. April 11 and 12. Can be seen throughout the grounds.

MindWorks! Interactive Exhibit, with 36 interactive games for minds of all ages, daily. KidZone pavilion, first floor.

Puyallup School District’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Showcase, daily.

Pavilion, second floor.

AG-Ventureland, with activities including goat milking, bean play boxes and pony saddling. Inside Red Gate.

Livestock Show and Sale: Showing and judging April 10, 11 and 12. Sale 10 a.m. April 13. Barns N and P.

Monster truck show, 7:30 p.m. April 11, with pit party for truck show ticket holders to see the trucks up close and meet the drivers, 4 to 6 p.m. Grandstand infield. Tickets $9 to $31.

Monster truck rides, 2 to 6 p.m. April 11 and noon to 4 p.m. April 12, for $7 at grandstand infield.

Slamfest demolition derby, 7:30 p.m. April 12 and 4 p.m. April 13. Pit party for Slamfest ticket holders to see what’s left of the smashed up cars and meet the drivers, after the 4 p.m. April 13 show. Grandstand infield. Tickets $9 to $31.

DockDogs, local and national dogs leap off a dock. Multiple shows daily. Centennial building.

Northwest Living &Garden, with outdoor living areas and 40 vendors. Ciscoe Morris will speak at 10 a.m. April 12 and 11 a.m. April 13, Sleep Country ShowPlex.

2013 Spring Fair trivia

102,090 guests.

110,213 warm scones, dripping with butter and raspberry jam.

106,138 rides on carnival rides.

6,000 caramel apples consumed.

2,400 kids had their faces painted.

1,765 children planted a seed in KidZone.

185 pygmy goats were shown.

1,688 pounds of aluminum cans were recycled.

684 pounds of plastic bottles were recycled.

427,000 feet of toilet paper flushed.

311,000 feet of paper towels were used to dry wet hands.

Source: Washington State Spring Fair

Hungry for more fair?

Evergreen State Spring Festival, with rides, games, beer, barbecue, music, reptiles and more, is April 25, 26 and 27 at Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th Ave. SE, Monroe.

Events are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 26 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 27.

Carnival hours are 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. April 25; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. April 26; and 11 a.m. to closing April 27.

Beer garden is 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 26 and 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 27.

Root beer garden is 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 26 and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 27.

For more information, go to www.evergreenfair.org.