Foundation Projects & Programs

The Washington State Fair Foundation is pleased to present over $157,000 in scholarship opportunities to students residing in Washington State this year. The Blue Ribbon Scholarship Program is made possible by the generosity of the Foundation's donors. Since the inception of the program, over $2 million in awards have been distributed to students. In addition to the endowed scholarships set up by donor families, the program is primarily supported by an annual auction. The Round Up Auction takes place each August and is a fun night of raising funds for this amazing program.

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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.

Thanks to the generous support of our community, we've packaged the magic of the Fair Farm to deliver a hands-on field trip experience that comes to the school! Not long ago children might have been exposed to farming and agriculture through a field trip to a farm or The Fair, but most schools no longer have the resources to send children on such enriching experiences. The Traveling Farm answers these challenges with its custom built, 48-foot tractor-trailer which houses 14 interactive learning stations and visits schools throughout the Puget Sound at no cost to students, schools or districts.

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.

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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!

The spring campaign of 2014 focused on creating a common green space in front of the Classic Coaster. Our wooden coaster has been an icon since the 1930's and the Foundation was pleased to work with donors to beautify the area in front of this Fair favorite. Next time you visit, be sure to stop at the park - whether to rest your feet, get a great view of the timeless thrill ride, or enjoy a picnic.