Oregon State Fair Best Kept Secret
  • OREGON STATE FAIR QUICK INFORMATION

    The Oregon State Fair's Best Kept Secret!

    State Fair Snuffs Out Display

    NO FIREWORKS IN 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

     As a resident of Salem who has lived in the proximity of the State Fairgrounds for 25 years & attended many times, I believe there are a few insights I can share to help you enjoy the experience of attending the Fair this year.

    There are many reasons to attend the Oregon State Fair: Widget & product demonstrations are fun and the new landscape gardens are filled with ideas. And don't forget about the overhead SkyLift bisecting the Fairgrounds, the professional entertainment at LB Day Amphitheater and amateur entertainers at many open venues.

    state fair craft displayCheck out the amazing giant pumpkins and squash, the superbly created craft items with awards ribbons and skill demonstrations from flytying to weaving. Quilters must attend! The Oregon State Fair is also a great place for the under-appreciated pastime of people watching.

    Those are all good reasons to attend this year, but I will personally offer two of my favorite reasons. One however, is available only on the first day of the Fair, and oddly, it has become the most under-publicized event of the Fair. It WAS truly one of Salem's best kept secrets:

    OUTSTANDING FIREWORKS

    Years ago I discovered the fireworks display at the end of the FIRST DAY of the Fair. This is part of the FIRST DAY celebration. If you appreciate a great fireworks display and want to see one of what must be among the very best available in Oregon at any time, I invite you to consider attending on the Fair's first day. It could easily be the highlight of your trip to Salem.

    The FIRST DAY fireworks begin at about 9:30 PM (or a bit later). The display offers about 20 minutes of non-stop exhilaration and spectacle. Overlapping rockets seemingly go on forever and just when you think it's over, boom! they start up again. It is consistently an excellent display.

    Attending on the first day offers more than great fireworks. On the first day of the Fair the produce displays are super fresh and at their peak. Also, the flower arrangement displays in an adjacent building are at their very best.

    My next favorite thing to see are the exhibits in the Jackman-Long Building where the agriculture displays are set up. A mind-boggling array of craft items, collections, and produce of superior quality will hold the attention of all ages. The Oregon Author's Table will give you an opportunity to meet Oregon writers and purchase signed books (discontinued in 2006, but appears to be a regular feature again.).

    For folks living out of the immediate area, you might think about an extended stay through the weekend. If you do, Salem Visitor Center will help you compare lodging oportunities and find lots of interesting things to do after attending the Fair.

    Come to the Oregon State Fair on the FIRST DAY if you can. You won't regret the quality of the "ag" exhibits or the excellence of a fireworks display that will stay with you for days.

    The first day Fireworks of the Oregon State Fair, in a word: WOW!    poof.

    -JBH

  • OREGON STATE FAIR QUICK INFORMATION



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