The 2023 Washington State Spring Fair is here. What to know about parking, food

The 2023 Spring Fair is April 13-16 and 20-23 in Puyallup. Here’s a rundown of what to know about tickets, parking, food and things to do.

Spring Fair tickets

Weekend tickets are $14 online, $11 for kids ages 6-12. Weekday tickets are $12 online, $10 for kids ages 6-12. Buying tickets at the gate is $1 more.

Admission April 13 is free from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. A donation of non-perishable food is suggested for the Puyallup Food Bank.

Kids ages 6-18 get free admission on Thursdays. Kids 5 and under are free each day.

Those with a military ID get free admission April 14.

The Spring Fair is open 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursdays.

Fridays and Saturdays it runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays it goes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Spring Fair parking

Parking Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays is $15. Thursdays it’s free. Visitors can get a $3 discount if they visit an O’Reilly Auto Parts store beforehand.

Premium and VIP parking reservations cost more, and are available at thefair.com.

Spring Fair traffic

Puyallup Police Capt. Don Bourbon said that Spring Fair congestion on a weekend with good weather is similar to the middle weekends of the Washington State Fair in September.

“Be patient, especially if it’s a nice weekend,” he said.

Drivers can expect typical fair road and turn lane closures, Bourbon said.

At least part of Ninth Avenue Southwest behind the fairgrounds at 110 9th Ave. SW will be closed to traffic.

Those on southbound Meridian will find the Ninth Avenue Southeast turn lane closed.

Drivers from Ninth Avenue Southeast won’t be able to turn left onto Meridian.

Drivers on northbound Meridian won’t be able to turn onto Ninth Avenue Southwest.

Bourbon said the vast majority of visitors come off state Route 512, down Meridian, and park in the blue and gold lots. His advice: Consider parking on the backside of the fairgrounds, in the lots along Fairview Drive. Those gates are open.

Spring Fair food

Big Island Poke, Chicken & Waffles, Extreme Carnival Eats, Glow Tea, Hattie Mae’s, Lumberjack Popcorn, and Raspados Del Sur are some of the food vendors this year.

There will also be samples from the BBQ Playoffs competition to purchase April 22 and 23.

Things to do at the Spring Fair

One of the attractions that’s free with admission is the World of Animals exhibit near the Blue Gate, which the fair’s website says features “exotic animals that call the jungle their home.” There’s also a free “Wheels on the Farm” exhibit in Barn J, with toy farm equipment for kids to play with and life-sized versions on display.

Tickets are available to see the Nitro Circus: Freestyle Crew April 13-16. The show features “professional athletes across BMX, Skate, and Pit Bikes,” the fair’s website says.

There’s also a “Plants & Pinot” event April 15. Tickets include a drink, supplies to build a planter to take home and charcuterie.

Motorsport Mayhem runs April 21-23. You can get specific tickets for the Monster Truck Insanity Tour and the Slamfest Demolition Derby.

For a daily schedule with more attractions, visit thefair.com.

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