Exhibits & Exhibitors

2026 Southwest Washington Fair Exhibitor Premium Update

Thank you to all who participated in the 2026 Southwest Washington Fair!

From livestock and agriculture to home arts, photography, floriculture, and everything in between, our exhibitors are at the heart of what makes the Fair such an important community tradition.

As we wrap up another Fair season and distribute exhibitor premium checks, we want to share some information about this year's premium funding and what we're working toward for 2027.

Understanding Your 2026 Premiums

The general premium value for 2026 is $0.19 per point, compared with $0.38 per point in 2025.

Several factors contributed to this change:

• Reduced State Fair Fund Support: A significant reduction in Washington State Fair Fund support affected fairs across the state, including the funding available for exhibitor premiums at our Fair.
• Increased Premium Points: More premium points were awarded at the 2026 Fair, meaning the available funding was distributed across a greater number of points.
• Additional Youth Support: Thanks to the successful Barn Bash fundraiser, additional funding was available specifically for 4-H and FFA exhibitors, bringing the eligible premium value to approximately $0.27 per point.

Additionally, in 2025, Country Financial provided separate dollar prizes that supplemented exhibitor awards.

We also want to recognize and sincerely thank the individuals who made donations toward exhibitor premiums this year. Their generosity helped support the program during a challenging funding year, and we are grateful for their willingness to invest in our exhibitors.

We recognize that premiums are an important way to acknowledge the time, effort, and dedication our exhibitors put into their projects and entries. While this year's funding presented challenges, we will continue seeking additional donations, sponsorships, partnerships, and fundraising opportunities to strengthen the premium program in future years.

We welcome your ideas! If you have suggestions for fundraising opportunities, potential partnerships, or creative ways to support exhibitor premiums, we would love to hear from you. Strengthening this program will take continued collaboration, and we appreciate everyone who wants to be part of that effort.

Supporting Fair Premiums Across Washington

The Washington State Fair Fund helps support agricultural fairs and the exhibitors who participate in them throughout our state.

We appreciate the exhibitors, volunteers, and community members who recognize the importance of these programs and want to help support their future.

Help Us Shape the 2027 Fair!

Your feedback and involvement help us continue improving the Southwest Washington Fair.

Whether you have suggestions from this year's experience, ideas for the future, or an interest in becoming more involved as a volunteer or Superintendent, we'd love to hear from you!

Share Your Feedback / Get Involved

Join Us for a Fair Community Information Session!

We're inviting our community to learn more about what happens behind the scenes at the Southwest Washington Fair.

November 5 | 6:00–8:00 PM - Historical Building, Southwest Washington Fairgrounds

This will be an opportunity to learn about upcoming fairgrounds projects, Fair planning, ways to get involved, and some of the challenges and opportunities ahead.

We'll also be revealing the 2027 Southwest Washington Fair Theme!

Additional event details will be shared on our website and social media.

Save the Date!

2027 Southwest Washington Fair

August 17–22, 2027

Thank you for exhibiting with us and for helping keep the traditions of the Southwest Washington Fair alive. We look forward to welcoming you and your entries back in 2027!

Supporting the Future of Washington's Fairs

While reductions in Washington State Fair Fund support have created challenges for exhibitor premiums and fair operations, we also want to recognize the continued efforts of our local legislators to secure capital funding for fairgrounds improvements.

Through state capital funding and other investments, the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds has benefited from significant infrastructure improvements in recent years. These projects are essential to maintaining and improving our facilities for exhibitors, visitors, and the many community events held here throughout the year.

We appreciate the continued advocacy of our legislative representatives and recognize that these investments are an important part of the Fair's future.

However, capital funding and Fair Fund support serve different purposes. While capital investments help improve our facilities, Fair Fund support helps sustain agricultural fair programs, including exhibitor premiums.

As conversations about future funding continue, we encourage exhibitors and community members to share their experiences with their state legislators. Whether expressing appreciation for infrastructure investments or sharing how reduced premium funding affects participation, your perspective helps tell the story of why Washington's fairs matter.

Our local legislators (20th Legislative District):

• Senator John Braun — John.Braun@leg.wa.gov
• Representative Peter Abbarno — Peter.Abbarno@leg.wa.gov
• Representative Ed Orcutt — Ed.Orcutt@leg.wa.gov

Exhibitors living outside our district can find their representatives through the Washington State Legislature's District Finder.