Display Your Orchids at The Fair!
Dates: September 3 – 26 (Closed Tuesdays and September 8)
The 2021 Washington State Fair will once again be taking place in Puyallup from September 3rd through the 26th (The Fair will be closed on Tuesdays and also on September 8). The Northwest Orchid Society has been invited to display our orchids in the Floral building (open to ALL, not just NWOS members!). This is an amazing way to introduce people to orchids, possibly take home some cash prizes, and participate in the Fair.
There will be 2 separate orchid shows, with each being judged separately. If you enter plants in the first show you may keep them displayed for the second show, but you will have to get them entered again through the registration process. The orchids are displayed in an enclosed area, and The Fair staff cares for them for the duration of the shows. The public does not have any physical access to the plants.
Cash prizes are awarded in each class for 1st place ($8.00) and 2nd Place ($6.00), with additional awards for Best In Show Orchid Bloom ($10.00) and Best In Show Orchid Culture ($10.00). Just as a side note, there aren’t usually a large number of plants in the show, so the chances of getting a cash prize are pretty good!
Early dropoff times for orchid plant entries for the 1st Orchid show is Friday, September 3, from 6:00 AM until 8:45 AM. You may also drop plants off on the day of the show judging, Saturday, September 4 from 6:00 AM until 8:45 AM.
Early dropoff times for orchid plant entries for the 2nd Orchid show is Friday, September 17 from 6:00 AM until 8:45 AM. Plants may also be dropped off on the day of the show judging, Saturday, September 18 from 6:00 AM until 8:45 AM.
If you want to have your plants entered in the Fair this year, contact Thuan Nguyen – he will be spearheading this again, and will be making arrangements to get your plants to the show and properly entered. Many thanks to him for once again taking on this task!
Here is the information from the Washington State Fair on Floral entries. There is a calendar on page 2, exhibitor instructions on Page 4, and also some special instructions for registration and entry to the fairgrounds if you want to bring your own plants on the day of the show.
https://www.datocms-assets.com/6258/1627487542-wsf21floralpbook.pdf
Orchid Show classes and prizes are on Page 19 of the Floral Book.
If any NWOS members wish to attend The Fair and volunteer to sit at the exhibit and chat with people about orchids we are able to get a limited number of Exhibitor and parking passes. Come on out, talk about orchids to fairgoers for a while, and spend the day enjoying The Fair! If you want to attend please let us know the days and times you would like to volunteer, and we’ll find a way to get the passes to you. You may contact us through the main NWOS email account: mailto:nwos@nwos.org
Hope to see you and some of your wonderful blooming orchids at The Fair!