No cow? Don’t let that keep you from entering in the fair

Published 11:13 pm Saturday, September 5, 2009

MONROE — A few years ago, Jennifer Brown wanted to get involved in 4-H animal programs at the state fair, but sadly, she didn’t own any barnyard critters.

In a different age, that would have slowed her down.

The Evergreen State Fair has a dog barn for teenagers like her, however.

“I had a dog,” Brown, 17 of Arlington, said, “and I didn’t have any of the other animals they show here.”

Brown’s pet, an Alaskan malamute named Miss Mollie, was one of the many reminders at the fair that few people wake up to a rooster’s call anymore.

Nationwide, fairs largely have avoided an economic downturn, according to groups tracking attendance. In part, that’s because of the low-cost options they offer, which extend far beyond quilting displays and pony shows.

The 101st Evergreen State Fair itself was on pace Friday for about a 10 percent increase in attendance over the rain-soaked 2008 fair, which drew 761,000 people through the gates.

The state fair, which ends its 12-day run Monday, is a leader in the country thanks in part to its innovations.

The International Association of Fairs and Expositions, a Missouri-based organization representing 1,300 fairs nationwide, turns to Monroe and fairgrounds manager Mark Campbell for advice.

“He’s just very, very good,” said Marla Calico, the group’s spokeswoman.

Fairs that are mindful of contemporary concerns such as low-impact environmental design and technologically savvy contests are still spreading in the Midwest.

Here, they’ve been in place for a few years.

Campbell said adapting to the times comes with the job.

“We’re not going to be hesitant to do that,” he said. “We’re not going to be resistant to that just because it’s different.”

Admittedly, not everything is new. Dog competitions have been offered in one form or another since the 1960s, but they, too, were an adaptation.

The fair’s twice-daily text-messaging contests, however, were added three years ago once it was clear that just about everyone would have a cell phone.

Participants don’t gather in a central location. Instead, a voice booms over the public address speakers, announcing a long phrase. The first person who texts it in gets called back, letting him or her know about a small prize.

“(Text messaging’s) something everybody does every day, and we can have a little fun with it,” Campbell said.

Campbell gives his staff the credit for forward-thinking changes. They are encouraged to champion their ideas, be it the biodiesel fuel used to help haul trash or the rain garden displays with details on their design.

The 4-H competitions also offer a sign of the times: The state fair gave ribbons to teens in the Byte by Byte club, a computer group.

“We’re trying to give them a better opportunity to get into the technology stuff if they’re not into all the animals,” said David Willard, a Microsoft network engineer who advises the club.

Willard was looking for an activity he could enjoy with his 15-year-old son, Ben, when he found the club. He became the leader two years ago.

Now, he and Ben bond over circuit boards.

Ben said he enjoys the different competitions, which include rebooting a crashed computer.

“That’s very difficult, because a computer’s very complicated, very complex,” he said. “I don’t think a fruit’s very complex.”

Admittedly, that’s a matter of opinion.

Agricultural clubs also have developed new focuses, however. Campbell said that’s a necessity.

“Farmland has become thin,” Campbell said. “Those kids that wish to pursue interests or careers in agriculture are really turning to horticulture or golf course maintenance.”

Tradition still guides much of the fair, of course. The place still smells of popcorn and horse poop.

Ultimately, new additions don’t mean dropping classic elements, which are equally vital in attracting families, Campbell said. He trumpeted the virtue of the classics: pie-eating contests, Grange displays and egg tosses.

“Those are traditions of this Evergreen State Fair that we’re just not going to let go of,” he said.

Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com