The Oregon State Fair opens in just a couple of weeks! Gates open at 10 a.m. on Aug. 28 and ends 10 days later on Sep. 7. The state fair is full of food, concerts, rides, booths with homemade items, and tons of people.
This year the fair is celebrating their 150th anniversary!
Here are 8 tips on getting the most out of your Oregon State Fair adventure!
1. Buy your fair admission tickets early.
Buying your ticket early will save you one or two dollars per ticket. That may not seem like a lot, but for large families, things can start getting expensive really fast. Still need your tickets? Click on the photo below to purchase tickets.
There is also an opening day discount on Aug. 28, that makes all adult tickets $1.50.
2. Come hungry.
Carnival and fairs are known for their incredibly delicious deep-fried foods. You can find deep-fried Twinkies, funnel cakes, elephant ears, corn dogs, and so much more. Bring your own drinks and snacks, but try something from one of the food carts—you won't regret it!
3. Have a plan.
Most teens and adults have some sort of electronic device to contact each other. With that being said, there can be a lot of things that happen to these devices. They can get lost, fall in a port-a-potty, get stepped on, forgotten at home, and so much more. Make sure you and your family have a plan. Plan where to meet up and at what time. If you give your children these instructions, make sure you are there on time too! A map of the fair is located on their website and linked in the photo below.
4. See a concert.
There are close to 6,000 FREE general admission seats to all the concerts at the fair. These seats are first come first serve and free with your paid admission ticket to the fair. The gates for the events open 60 minutes before the concert begins. If you want to guarantee your spot at the concert, VIP tickets cost between $25-35, depending on the performance. To see concert schedule, click the photo below.
5. Go early.
Getting there right when the gates open, at 10 a.m., has many benefits. The fair is a little less crowed because all the folks who want to ride rides and see concerts are not there yet. Also, it will be a little cooler in the morning than arriving in the afternoon. The animals are more lively in the morning because they have slept all night, it's cooler, and they have not seen hundreds of faces before you. Getting there early also means you leave a little earlier and beat the traffic.
6. Buy your unlimited ride wrist band early ONLY if you know you will ride the rides.
The unlimited ride wristband deal is only a great deal if you know you will ride any and all rides. The wrist band is $50 dollars when bought at the fair. The wristband includes unlimited rides, three free games, and a corn dog or drink at the fair. If you purchase early, the wrist band is only $35 dollars but does not include the drink or corn dog. Children who may not like rides or are experiencing them for the first time should be bought a few tickets to test a couple rides first. You do not want to spend a lot of money on a wristband and find out your child is terrified of rides.
7. Wear Sunscreen.
I repeat, wear sunscreen. It has been record high's here in the state of Oregon and it will be a nice week of clear sky's and sun shine for the fair. You do not want sunburns to happen midday and become uncomfortable the rest of the day. Applying sunscreen protects your skin and keeps it from damaging. Men should put on a hat. One of the worst things getting a sun burn right on your scalp. Also, reapply. You're going to get sweaty and kinda gross (hey it's the fair, no judgement here) and your sunscreen will come off. If carrying a huge bottle isn't ideal, many sunscreen companies sell travel size sunscreen bottles that can clip to any purse, bag, or belt loop!
8. HAVE FUN.
The Oregon State Fair only comes around once a year! Don't get to caught up if some has to go to the bathroom too many times, drops their snow cone, or gets a little dirty. Enjoy this time with your family and friends! Try some new things, but most of all, have fun!
