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Oregon State Fair
Rating Details »
Categories: Amusement Parks, Music Venues, Performing Arts [Edit]
2330 17th St NESalem, OR 97303
(503) 947-3247
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Thu, Fri
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
8 reviews for Oregon State Fair
Here are all the good things about this fair:
1. You can buy beer (and not just Bud and Coors Light) and actually walk around with it except for by the rides and by the animals. The beers were $5-$5.50 which I didn't think was horrible for this sort of event
2. A pretty OK ride selection. $4 per ride though.
3. Lots and lots of animals. You can touch most of them. I fed some cows and pet a bunch of pigs. There are also bunnies and chickens and ducks and goats and horses... etc. The best part was the baby pigs. So cute!
4. So much food. Yeah, 90% of it is deep fried, but that is what fairs are all about. Good soft serve ice cream too.
5. Games
6. Shopping
7. Little kids getting thrown of of sheep
The only thing I didn't really like was the layout. I was constantly worried I was going to miss something. I'll definitely be back next year.
Here is my list: Farm animals, live blues music, 16 inch corn dogs, "mini-mountain" fries, fresh organic ice cream, tractors, sham-wow, bungee seats, exhibits, exhibits, exhibits!!!
Love it!
Damn, I must be getting old. I entirely forgot to review the Oregon State Fair.
Have been to it many times and have always had a superb time. The exhibits are terrific.
The food is better than any restaurant, maybe because your eating outdoors, I don't know, anyway, it's great.
I've been here only a couple of times, but it's very fun. I went to a Daughtry concert here, and had a bad experience. NOT because of the band, they were great live and Day of Fire played too. They even did a Pink Floyd cover and Pearl Jam one too. But some of the fans were so rude to me and my friends. Scoffing at us like we were wearing clown suits. There are also overprices booths here. But it is a fun experience, and they always have good rides.
Nop. Sorry dudes. You all should come down to the Cali state fair. Kicks OR ass majorly. We have quilts entirely made out of pictures of poo!
Bravo for the beach volleyball. Seriously. That was a major plus! But just about everything else was blah.
I must say, there is one vendor selling mangoe lemonade who also sells strawberries dipped in chocolate on a stick. Oh yes. There is nothing I would rather do at any given moment then walk around eating chocolate and strawberries off a stick in front the entire po dunk population of Salem, OR.
Bad decisions=better yelps.
State fairs are always 5 stars, unless they're totally nast- which this one wasn't.
Tons of cute animals, lots of fried food and loads of trinkets you'll never ever need
a+
(see pic w/ llama! GAWD YES!)
Escape from the city life and go today! Everyone needs to experience THE STATE FAIR. We went because we had tickets to see Garrison Keillor's Rhubarb Tour located on the fair grounds. If you haven't see him live, it's really worth going. Take a blanket b/c it gets chilly in the evening. Besides his show we wondered all over the fair grounds and saw some of the cutest animals (see pics). The food is typical fair food plus one organic, antibiotic and hormone free meat cart. Quite delicious pulled pork! It's just a fun way to spend an evening... strolling around... people watching... and eating greasy fries. P.S. Whoever added the four $$$$ is crazy. It's more like one $ or $$.
The Oregon State Fair in Salem is an annual event with over 100 years of history for family fun. Each year, there is a different theme and something to do for everyone. In practically every direction, there is plenty of things to buy, lots of junk food to try, and even more to see. It can get crowded during the limited time that its open, which can mean some really bad parking. Its best if one can get dropped off or park downtown for the fair shuttle (which takes 20 minutes).
The carnival area is probably the most noticeable portion of the fair, touting big rides and mini ones for the little ones (appropriately called Kiddieland). The lines can be extra long during the unlimited ride special days. For those who are experienced with riding amusement parks, are likely to walk away unimpressed from the rides here. Fact is, there isn't much here due to lack of space, demand, and cost. These things are taken down and reassembled for other fairs (like the Lane County one in Eugene). Best rides are probably the Zipper, El Nino, and Scooters for the pure fact they get screams almost every time. There are rides who have been here since the start of man, like Super Loops, Starship, Monster, Sea Dragon, and Kamikaze. I've seen someone throw up while spinning around in the ride Zero Gravity, in which the vomit ended up splashing back onto his face due to the gravity pull. It was gruesome and incredible at the same time.
For the animal lovers and those who don't mind the urine/manure odor, the 4-H Barns feature some of the most good looking animals the state farmers have to display. Its an opportunity for people who aren't farm familiar to be next to livestock and observe for what makes a prized animal. Beyond the contests, there are exhibitions and horse shows in the arena near by. Beware, its very dusty and can be problematic for allergy prone folks.
The Familyville area is located right next to the Vendor Tents or "Tent Row." The Familyville area is great for little ones who want to be part of the action but can't get on the rides or too close to the animals in the barn. There are little kid shows with songs, magicians, dancers, and even a petting zoo for the smaller animals. Thank goodness there are various handwashing stations here.
As for the vendor tents, one will find anything from hippy gear to the world's largest (insert animal). There are some good buys and there are some very funky things that aren't found in any mainstream store outside of the tents. Bring plenty of cash and be sure to bargain, its not a guarantee than any of these folks will budge however.
For the slower paced artsy / curious type, the convention / exhibition centers feature an array of random artwork galleries, food/wine tastings, various exhibitions just enough to keep the older folks entertained. Its like an infomercial convention where the world's weirdest products are put on display for the world to be bedazzled. The food tastings are fun and are Costco like in their samplings, thank goodness there is a lot of walking to burn off the excess calories.
Garden lovers can enjoy the landscaping area known as Hart of the Garden or Artisan's village. Its pollen ridden, but great for those who want the romantic photo op while enjoying a naturesque rainbow of imported flowers all smacked together for the perfect summer setting. There is a lot of hardwork involved in putting this area together, its always amazing how it looks from the start to the finish.
There is a food court but don't expect anything fancy beyond fair (read: junk) food like corn dogs, burgers, fries, elephant ears (huge!), and funnel cakes. As of the last decade, there has been the addition of Mexican, Thai, Greek, Asian, Italian, Polish concession stands added to the mix. Most of it is overpriced and a lot of it tastes like crap. But when people are hungry, hot, and winded from the walking and the rides, most anything will do. There are a lot of options, one just has to look really hard to find anything specific.
Plenty of out of towners will come to Salem to check this place out, but a bigger draw is the concerts that are held annually here. They usually feature one big name act (All American Rejects - 2007) followed by a few artists no longer in the limelight (Jesse McCartney, Steppenwolf) and then some small noise makers (local bands, American Idol rejects). The prices are not as steep as one would think, but the Indoor Pavilion as a venue is uber lame with uncomfortable seats and a really weak sound system.
Overall, the fair is an experience that is meant for all those who are in Salem at the end of summer. For those who are unfamiliar, its a nice change from the boring pace of the city and its a tradition for some of the local residents in the city. Prices rise and the crowd gets trashier each year, but its still worth a night of date / family fun.