Dairy Goats and Costumed Poultry at Thurston County Fair

By Nikki Talotta on July 30, 2012

Want to participate in a dairy goat milk tasting? Or maybe enter your kid in a youth tractor pull? How about witnessing a poultry costume contest?

You can find it all at the Thurston County Fair. The fair starts Wednesday and provides five days of activities including musical entertainment, home arts demonstrations, 4-H and FFA events, rides for kids of all ages, and the always fabulous fair food.

A little history: The first Thurston County Fair was in 1871 and was located where the present day 4th Ave Tavern is. The event was a way to support agriculture and immigration in Thurston County. The fair has grown over the past 130 years and has jumped from location to location, including the now Tumwater Safeway and Lacey Post Office, before settling in to the present day fairgrounds in 1958.

The fair remains a strong tradition for families and farmers in Thurston County.

Admission hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Thurston County Fair, 3054 Carpenter Road Lacey, 360.786.5453.