Steer on Main Street

Each year at the beginning of September the Puyallup Fair gets rolling for a little over two weeks. During that time, over a million fair goers will snarf down cotton candy and ride the Tilt-n-Hurl. Officially, it's called the Western Washington Fair, though even the officials don't call it that.   The fair kicks off with a cattle drive right down the main street of Puyallup, Washington, (prounounced pew - all - up), followed by a big parade with marching bands, clowns, horses, tractors, and other miscellany.  We can actually hear the fair from our house, and if the wind is just right, we can smell the grease from all those corn dogs too.  Here's a few fair photos I've taken over the years.  Two years ago a couple of the steers got thirsty and dropped into the local MiniMart for a Big Gulp.  A cowboy, on horseback, had to go inside and usher them back to the parade route. It's not every day you can grab that cream-filled Twinkie and pack of Marlboros while two Mexican steer stand next to you in line, staring disdainfully at the beef jerky.

Screaming on the Extreme Scream

The view from the rodeo - we live on top of the hill

Peering into the valley from the roller coaster

The most important vocation at the parade