Come Hungry: Your Guide to The Taste NW
The Taste NW celebrates 5 years at the Washington State Fair Event Center, June 26-28!
Some festivals are an “in and out” situation. The Taste NW is NOT one of them.
You show up planning to grab a few things to eat and suddenly your whole day fills up: live music, food runs, craft drinks, games, shopping and crowds gathering around whatever fun thing is happening next. That’s kind of the magic of The Taste NW.
There’s always another vendor to try, another drink to grab, another reason to stay just a little longer.
This year brings 70 food vendors, live music, comedy, chef battles, pickleball, giant slides, VR racing, local beer and cider, rooftop drinks and, for the first time ever, Corgi Racing.
Honestly, it’s one of the best ways to kick off summer in the South Sound.
The Secret to Doing The Taste NW Right
The beauty of The Taste NW is that you don’t have to fill up at the first stop. Every vendor offers a signature $6 Taste. It’s the perfect excuse to keep saying, “Okay, one more.”
A taco here. A pork bun there. Something fried. Something spicy. Something you immediately recommend to the rest of your group. A sweet treat you swore you didn’t have room for.
That’s what makes The Taste NW different: you can try everything. And with so many food vendors this year, “everything” is a pretty ambitious goal.
The New Food Vendors Are Worth Showing Up Hungry For
Veterans of The Taste NW know the strategy: You come for your favorites. You stumble upon your new obsession. And this year’s newcomers are bringing a lot to the table.
We’re talking:
- Beamae's Seafood Gumbo
- Benji's Diner
- Big Mouth Sandos
- Blue Bayou
- Bobaholic Café
- Cajun Bucket
- DOH! Sweets & Treats
- Fat Panda
- Impeckable Chicken
- Little India Puyallup
- Lulu's Dairy Bar
- Seattle Fudge
- Señor Pepper
- The Man BBQ
- The Pier
- Upper Crust
…and that’s before you even get to the returning favorites. The hardest part is narrowing down what to try first. Trust us, it’s worth looking at the lineup ahead of time.
Let’s Talk Drinks
Yes, this is a food festival. But the drink lineup deserves attention too.
This year’s lineup includes:
- Brew Park
- The Mainstage Bar
- Craft Beer & Cider Tastings in the Pavilion
- Margarita Bar
- The 1900 Rooftop Bar
Grab a drink, catch a music set and suddenly there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.
Here’s Where the Packages Come In
Look, you can show up empty-handed.
But there’s something very satisfying about showing up to The Taste NW already set for the day. Tastes ready to go. Games covered. Parking figured out. No second-guessing that extra Taste or game.
You just get to settle in and enjoy the festival.
Free Admission Means You Can Go All-In on the Fun Stuff
One of the best things about The Taste NW is that admission is completely FREE.
Which means more room in the budget for the good stuff: games, extra Tastes and browsing local vendors between food stops.
The Fun & Games Zone is back and fully loaded with:
- Giant Slide
- Axe Throwing
- 9-hole Mini Putt Golf
- Bounce Houses
- Face Painting
- VR Racing
- NEW Pin High Golf Simulator
Three Days of Can’t-Miss Moments
Friday, June 26 - Opening Day Food Drive
Bring non-perishable food donations to the Blue or Gold Gates and you’ll receive a FREE $6 Taste coupon valid that day. It’s a great way to support the Puyallup Food Bank and kick off the weekend with your first Taste on us!
Saturday, June 27 - Puyallup Pickle Throwdown
Contestants will battle it out for pickle-eating glory while the crowd gets louder by the minute.
Sunday, June 28 - Best Eats + Corgi Racing
Vote for your favorite food vendors in the Best Eats & Best Sweets & Treats competition, then stick around for one of the most anticipated new events of the weekend: Corgi Racing.
Picture tiny legs, flying ears and one of the most unexpectedly fun moments of the weekend. It’s the kind of festival moment people end up talking about all week.
The Puyallup Paddle Battle Is Back
The Puyallup Paddle Battle returns all weekend long with women’s doubles, men’s singles, mixed doubles and more.
Even if you’re not playing, it’s worth stopping by for the atmosphere alone. The matches get competitive, the crowds get into it and it adds a whole other layer of energy to the weekend.
More Than Just Food
Between the music, comedy, games, bars, chef battles, pickleball and nonstop food runs, there’s always something happening at The Taste NW.
Before You Go
A few things seasoned Taste NW people know:
- Arrive hungry.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
- Say yes to trying something weird.
- Don’t skip dessert.
- Grab a drink and stay for a music set.
- Leave room for “just one more Taste.”
- Make time for games, shopping and people-watching.
- Get the package.
- Give yourself more time than you think you need.
Because three days. Free admission. Endless flavor combinations. That’s not just a tagline; that’s your entire weekend plan. Your summer starts here.