Bet you won’t guess the No. 1 attraction for families at the Northwest Washington Fair
One of the first places lots of families chose as their first stop at the Northwest Washington Fair is the animal exhibits. That’s a good thing, says Jim Baron, who’s been fair manager since 2004.
The 2017 fair runs Aug. 14-19; and the Lynden PRCA Rodeo is Aug. 15 and 16.
“Every year our surveys show that the favorite of fair goers are the animals. And one of the most popular exhibits for seeing animals is the Small Animal Experience located in the Henry Jansen barn,” Baron says.
“Children today seem to be more and more removed from the farm – the source of their food. And it seems the further away they are geographically, the less they know about it.
“Part of our objective is to help educate all kids about where their food comes from, so it might play a role in their ability to make healthy choices. The nationally recognized Agriculture Adventure Center plays a key role in giving kids and adults, alike, the opportunity to learn.”
And then, there’s the fun – the carnival rides, the stage shows, the roving entertainers.
Kids love action and activity; they love new things and the ability to interact, Baron says.
We take great pride in providing a very safe environment for people to be entertained, learn, spend time with friends and family and go home tired after enjoying some amazing fair food.
Jim Baron
Northwest Washington Fair manager“The Northwest Washington Fair provides those things. Kids love the carnival. Depending on their age, it may be the carousel or it may be the roller coaster,” he says
The Bellingham Herald produces the official program for the fair. Baron says it’s an important resource that can be very helpful for parents, as it contains information about lost kids, first aid and finding your way around the fairgrounds. A group of volunteers from Lynden’s New Way Ministries assist in helping lost parents find their children as well as helping people find lost items, such as billfolds and sunglasses.
Baron stresses hygiene is very important for children. Because of this, he says, the fair provides many opportunities for children and adults to wash their hands.
“We take great pride in providing a very safe environment for people to be entertained, learn, spend time with friends and family and go home tired after enjoying some amazing fair food,” he said.
More information is available by calling 360-354-4111 or at nwwafair.com.
This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Bet you won’t guess the No. 1 attraction for families at the Northwest Washington Fair."