Our Food, Our Farms, Our Washington: Celebrating agriculture at the Washington State Fair
Every September, the Washington State Fair in Puyallup draws crowds for rides, concerts, rodeo, and food — but its roots have always been in agriculture. When the Fair first opened in 1900, it was a place for farmers to showcase livestock, crops, and new techniques. Those traditions continue today through 4-H and FFA programs, livestock shows, and exhibits that connect urban and rural communities.
This year, those agricultural roots took center stage with Our Food, Our Farms, Our Washington, a 13,000-square-foot interactive exhibit reimagining how the Fair tells the story of farming in our state. Nearly a million fairgoers explored Washington agriculture — past and present — through hands-on displays, research highlights, and farmer stories.
The idea began in 2024, as the Fair prepared to celebrate its 125th anniversary. “The Fair started as a showcase for agriculture and business in the local area, and we really wanted to pay homage to that and tell Washington’s ag story,” said Andrea Thayer, Chief Experience Officer, Washington State Fair.
Early on, the team debated whether to focus on “125 years of Agriculture” or shift the lens to today and the future. They ultimately chose to tell a modern story, highlighting both the richness of Washington agriculture and the challenges and innovations shaping its future.
To bring the vision to life, the Fair collaborated with consultant Alan Bruess, who traveled the state interviewing farmers and commodity groups. The creative team behind the Washington Grown TV series helped ensure the content was both accurate and engaging. “We leaned in for this first year to tell the bigger, broader umbrella story, which was the top 10 agricultural commodities of the state — then added a few surprise and delight moments along the way,” Thayer said.
Another key partner was Washington State University, which the Fair leaned on to enrich the story and bring the future of agriculture forward. As a land-grant university, WSU has shaped agriculture in the state for more than a century. From tree fruit experts in Wenatchee to research at WSU’s College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, the university provided valuable depth and perspective on the project.
One surprise was the role of technology. Visitors were fascinated by the size and power of agricultural drones. “People don’t realize what drones can do for you now,” said Thayer. “It’s just not a hobby, or even just military use. It’s really an everyday business application. Drones now help farmers monitor crops and manage fields. Those ‘aha’ moments are exactly what the exhibit was designed to spark.”
At the same time, the exhibit highlighted the challenges farmers face. “People think it’s just a tractor in a field or irrigation lines. They don’t see the deep science, or that farmers are dealing with climate change in real time,” said Dana Ulrich, Director of Seattle and Regional Relations at Washington State University. Innovations like “dragon line” precision irrigation showed how new tools are helping farmers conserve water, adapt to drought, and continue producing food sustainably.
The balance of tradition and innovation was intentional. “One of the messages we wanted to get across is that agriculture is a complex network. It takes a lot to be a farmer, but it also means that you can be involved in ag — your work in technology, science, even communications can play a role in farming — when considering future degrees and careers,” said Ulrich.
Visitors left surprised by the scale and diversity of Washington’s agricultural output. “People never expect to learn that mint is a top export of our state,” Ulrich explained. “They know about apples, dairy, and wheat, but they don’t realize we produce more than 300 specialty crops, or that we’re a $13 billion industry.”
For fairgoers, the human stories left the deepest impression. Kyle Legman, a former ranch hand visiting the Fair for the first time in years, put it this way: “It’s neat to see people here, read the stories about farmers, and see how much pride they take in passing it on to the next generation."
While the exhibit was originally planned as a one-year feature, its success has organizers thinking bigger. “We’ve just scratched the surface. There’s a bigger impact when it’s all together, and our hope is to evolve the story, so visitors learn something new every year,” shared Thayer.
Hands-on animal exhibits will always remain an essential part of the fair, but Our Food, Our Farms, Our Washington added a new way for visitors to connect. Together, they balanced tradition with education, reminding fairgoers that agriculture is both rooted in history and rapidly evolving for the future.
“We want Washingtonians to walk away as ag-literate citizens — people who understand that agriculture is vital to everyday life, who feel pride in the state’s contributions, and who make wise decisions about the future of farming,” Thayer reflected.