Projects & Programs

The Washington State Fair Foundation is proud to offer more than $250,000 in scholarship opportunities to students across Washington State this year. The Blue Ribbon Scholarship Program is made possible through the generosity and commitment of our dedicated donors.

Since the program’s inception, the Foundation has awarded over $2.5 million to support students in pursuing their educational goals. In addition to endowed scholarships established by donor families, the program is primarily funded through our annual Round Up Auction. Held each August, the Round Up Auction is an exciting evening dedicated to raising critical funds and expanding opportunities for the next generation of leaders.

Thanks to the generous support of our community, we’ve packaged the magic of the Fair Farm into a hands-on field trip experience that comes directly to schools. In the past, students may have explored farming and agriculture through visits to a farm or The Fair, but many schools today no longer have the resources to provide those enriching opportunities. The Traveling Farm is a fun, interactive program that brings agriculture education to schools throughout the Puget Sound — at no cost to students, schools, or districts.

ENGAGING CHILDREN IN AGRICULTURE THROUGH PLAY

Thank you to all of our generous donors that helped make The Farm at SillyVille a reality! The Washington State Fair Foundation was able to fund this amazing $3 million dollar project and open it to the public in September 2018!

The Farm at SillyVille is Washington’s food and farming story: a free, exciting, hands-on exhibit at the Washington State Fair that connects kids and families to our state’s agriculture industry, the farmers that produce the food we eat and the connection to healthy eating choices.

The History Experience includes large-scale dimensional displays, interactive technology, and sculptural elements that will pull each visitor into the unique, playful, and important history of the Washington State Fair. Although, we don’t have a time machine, this experience will grant fairgoers young and old with the opportunity to reminisce and revisit their own Fair moments and be transported through the rich history of our fairgrounds. This project was funded by the Foundation and brought to life in 2022.

The Fair has showcased sows and piglets for decades, and the popularity of the feature continues to grow. In the spring of 2013, the Foundation launched a mini-campaign to fund a new home for the piglets and sows. Thanks to donors from our Rock the Roller Coaster event, guests of the Washington State Fair can see live births and newborn piglets in a brand new barn at the south end of the grounds. With four video monitors, the adorable squeals and pig faces are more accessible than ever before - even on the busiest of days. We look forward to seeing you at Piglet Palace!