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Oregon State Fair
Categories: Active Life Amusement Parks Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts 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
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Fri, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for Oregon State Fair
15 reviews in English
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Review from Mathew E.
McMinnville, OR
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Having fun!! Remember to bring lots of cash.
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Review from Chuck B.
8/29/2010
I got my annual Pronto Pup (not to be confused with Corn Dog) fix today. Of the two places I found at the fair selling them, Bud's Burgers offering was, by far, the better. These greasy delights can only be found at two other places (one confirmed and one rumored) in the state. The first is in Otis, just east of Lincoln City. (They use inferior hotdogs) And the other is someplace in Seaside.
The livestock and art exhibits seemed way down this year. We never did find the floral arrangement exhibits, if there were any.
That slingshot ride would have turned my crank when I was a teenager. Now, not so much. :-)
The crowds are a pain and the hike is long. But It's only once a year and, for many of us, if only briefly, a glimpse of simpler, happier times. -
Review from Venerable V.
Portland, OR
8/30/2010
The Oregon State Fair. Of course, every year as it's advertised, I've 'thought' of going but never once actually made any effort.
Just one day prior to, though, I wask asked by my baby mama if I'd like to join her and the kid to experience the Oregon State Fair. Their interest was piqued by listening to a report on NPR on state fair foods-namely, all the deep fried good/nastiness.
I reluctantly agreed and Saturday morning, we were all on our way down to Salem to go see what this whole thing is about.
We were met by one of the longest lines of traffic I can ever remember heading into one event - no police helping with traffic, just miles of traffic inching their way past every left turn arrow. Immediately, I wanted to turn around.
But we waited through it and once we parked (off-site) for $3 just two blocks from the gate, everything worked out well.
Yes, there are animals - huge cows, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, geese, ducks...I even heard there was a reptile tent.
Yes, there were carnival rides - expensive carnival rides. $40 for 30 tickets and each ride was around 6 tickets a person. What a rip off! But, of course, the kid wanted to ride some rides and I wasn't going to be 'that dad'. What matters is he got his experience and had a great time.
And then there was the food. Deep fried bacon on a stick, dipped in chocolate? Yes, please. Three foot long, hand-dipped corndog? Absolutely. Brontosaurus burger for $12? Add 6 slices of cheese to make it $15? Oh yeah.
Deep fried Oreos, Twinkies, soda...it all had to be tried. As fried as it all was, none of it was terribly greasy so nothing left us immediately in a coma. It was during the car ride back and the subsequent rest of the day that wiped us out.
The fair was BIG as advertised, the people watching is stellar, the food was outlandish, the weather was perfect...A-OK -
Review from Charlie O.
Modesto, CA
3/1/2009
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. -
Review from decoux m.
Alameda, CA
9/4/2008
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. -
Review from Erin H.
Medford, OR
2/9/2010
It's so sad that I have to write this, but even more sad that there are people who patronize this pathetic yearly event. ::sigh::
If you want to blow hundreds of dollars and leave the fair wondering where your money went, then this is the place to satisfy the desire.
When I was a kid I remember the fair being spectacular. It was the highlight of the Summer. I don't know what's happened to the place.
The lay out is ALWAYS the same. The vendors are always in the same place, so it's really predictable from year to year. And, they're all out of state gimmicky-crap pushers. Want a Sham-wow or low quality cutlery? Enter the Jackman Long Building. Why not include talented artists from the STATE OF OREGON for the STATE FAIR? Why only hot tub and gas fireplace salesman?
The food? Forget about it. If you want gut-rot, and you want to spend $5 for a frozen corn dog, then you'd be happy here. If you have any sense at all, you'll eat before or after the fair and only indulge in the delicious ice cream at the Red Barn and other things (like the scones--which are the only thing that I want from the fair).
The animals--fun to look at.
The rides--Over-the-top expensive and not that entertaining. $4-$5 per person per ride? So I shell out $16-$20 for each ride for my family?
Did you know Disneyland has unlimited rides (which are way better) for $50 per person per DAY? Save your money for a trip to Disneyland for crying out loud!
Honestly, I don't get why this state hasn't figured it out yet. The fair sucks. This is why they lose money every year. This is why attendance is down. This is why they only get has-beens for their entertainment.
My family went last year, and it was truly the LAST year. Never again, Oregon. From now on I'l get my scones by getting a friend to get them when they go and waste their money.
BTW, the California state fair is pretty good. -
Review from Lisa B.
Beaverton, OR
8/31/2010
What is there not to love about the State Fair. Ok well maybe the smell of the animal barns but other than that what is there not to love.
I mean there is deep fried bacon on a stick dipped in chocolate. How could I not try that.
Besides the food there are great acts to see if you know how to work the program. We saw lumber jacks , acrobats, magicians and a hypnotist. Of course these are all included in your fair admission. Overall we had a great day at the fair, found some good food deals and brought home some trinkets we will probably never use. -
Review from Jodi V.
9/7/2009 1 Check-in Here
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. -
Review from Dawn C.
I love traditions. I love the dog days of summer. And I love the Oregon State Fair.
Is it cheesy? Well, yes, probably. But in more ways than one! Can it be expensive? Only as expensive as you make it. Is there too much to see? Absolutely. Which is why I've made this little guide. Consider it my present to you. Now go--and have fun!
**** An Adult Guide to OSF in a day: How this Oregonian sees it ****
1. Pick your day. The standard adult admission in 2010 was $11. However, at least half of the days throughout the 11-day event are discounted in some way. If you're not so worried about the discount, make your priority picking a day with a special event. Sometimes these events cost extra $$ (like a Pink Martini concert), other times they're free (like the ESPN3 Lumberjack competition)
2. I recommend starting your visit around 2pm. This will allow ample time for exhibit watching and wine drinking, and an opportunity to see the way the crowd changes after sun down.
3. I like to start and end my visit with a walk through the midway, so parking at the lot over on Sunnyview is best. The parking is FREE, but remember--you get what you pay for. It's a bit of a free for all.
4. Depending on how hot it is, you might want to check out some indoor exhibits first. I love a stroll through both Columbia Hall and the Jackman-Long building. Columbia is the one with all the commercial exhibitors (think: touch of mink, sham-wow! the weird cast-iron pan lady ... ). It's like watching TV infomercials in 3-D! Jackman-Long hosts Oregon artists and amateur projects and is in the running for one of my favorites at the fair. You can see what constitutes a blue-ribbon jar of pickled peaches, and vote on your favorites in both cake decorating AND lego buildings. In addition to the amateur stuff, they also have a table in the center of the building with Oregon authors. Highlights for me here are always Colene Copeland and William L. Sullivan. You can get great deals on signed books and chatting with the authors is a real treat.
5. You may want to capture a bit of nature after the above walk-throughs. BUT--before saying goodbye to the vendors, take a walk through the outdoor groupies who couldn't make the cut in to Columbia. Here's where you will find all the "wanna be sham-wow" dudes. It's worth it.
6. Meandering deeper in to the fair now, the next stop is Hart of the Garden. TIP: the wine gardens are usually closed for a special event on the FIRST FRIDAY of the fair.
Stop at the outside pour station first (better wines) and make a game time decision about the indoor tastes. Then, you can meander through some landscape displays, check out some kid art, and some usually-cool photography exhibits. Don't stop before finding the glass blowers.
7. Now it's time for the animals. I like walking through Poultry first, because it's one of the few historic buildings that they've kept at the OSF. Built in 1919, it's all I need to take me back to my days as a child and reading Charlotte's Web. You try it!
8. Cows/pigs/sheep follow poultry, and then it's off to HORSES!!! The horse arena is also historic (in use since 1921) and if you're like me and grew up with these large beauties, seeing some shows is an absolute must. Some of the highlights for horse-lovers and the average jane include: (a) Draft horse Stagecoach pulling (did you know that Oregon is one of the few state fairs to continue to offer this event? Teams come from as far away as the east coast to compete). (b) Logskidding competition. (c) Any class featuring the Gypsy horses (especially the costume one) (d) Any team roping/gaming/herding competition.
9. Tired yet? Well, now might be a good time for snacks--which I suggest you bring with. There are a handful of secret, great, food spots at the fair ... but you're gonna want your own grub. Particularly water and a piece of fruit. As for where to eat? Here's the list.
(a) NW Heritage Pork booth. Seriously--it's GOOD pork, and both the pulled pork sandies as well as the tacos are fabuloso!
(b) Oregon Dairy Wives. Chocolate or vanilla, you can't go wrong.
(c) Espresso @Hart of the Garden. There's an organic OJ cart in there, too!
(d) Scones. WARNING: THESE USED TO BE SO MUCH BETTER! If you're not getting them for a nostalgic reason, it's probably best to just move on. Anyways, find scones near the horse barn, under the sign proffering "deep fried cocacola," Yeah, I said that right.
(e) And if you INSIST on a corn dog, or other traditional fair food item, then search for one of Bud Elgin's booths. His are the ones with the kids wearing CocaCola shirts. Trust me, these guys are solid.
10. Loaded up with snacks, and in the twilight, you're now in a good position to ride the fair lift. It's just an old ski lift, but it's relaxing, and fun, and gives you the birds'-eye view of what you've been walking through all day.
Have fun at the fair, kids! Oh, and this one (#100) is for you, bro.Listed in: Fun in 3D, Capital Action
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Review from Noelle M.
San Francisco, CA
10/21/2008 1 photo
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!) -
Review from Toshi T.
Rowland Heights, CA
8/29/2009
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! -
Review from S A R A H.
Portland, OR
8/28/2008 6 photos
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 $$$$ is crazy. It's more like one $ or $$.
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Review from Jando S.
10/21/2007
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. -
Review from Cassie V.
Sublimity, OR
7/20/2009
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.
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Review from Kyle R.
Salem, OR
2/25/2010
A lot of people hate the fair...while some don't mind it. I don't know anyone who loves the darn place...thus my 2 star rating. I usually go every year, and every year you see the same ol' stuff. I and most people I know really miss the old horse racing track...that was fun! Anyway, if you go, visit the red ice cream bard on the north end -- they make the best shakes in town! Then if you can stand the smell in the animal barns, check out the cute piglets they have every year...found at one of the north ends of a barn. The rides are SUPER expensive...so its not worth it...spending $5 a person per ride. Whatever. In the end, go if you are bored...and ready to spend some dough.
