Bubble tea, Budweiser Clydesdales and Manic Meatballs. The Washington State Fair is here
This month, the sound of children — and possibly adults — screaming their lungs out may be an ongoing soundtrack to those who pass by or live near the Puyallup fairgrounds. The opening day for Washington’s biggest, long-awaited event is finally here with old favorites and new additions.
The Washington State Fair started Friday and runs until Sept. 26. Attendees are required to wear masks both indoors and outdoors at all times in response to the pandemic.
At the fair, attendees can expect to see amusement rides such as the Zipper, Tilt-A-Whirl and Extreme Scream. One of the fair’s most popular rides, Wildcat, even got relocated and repainted to represent the Seattle Seahawk’s colors, Van Horne said.
“It glowed up,” Van Horne said.
New food vendors
The food portion of the fair also glowed up as two new vendors were added to the fair’s list: Squishy Pop Bubble Tea and Manic Meatballs.
Squishy Pop Bubble Tea runs a mobile food truck and is owned by twin siblings Mariani and Diana Hartono. The siblings grew up in Indonesia, lived in Taiwan for some time and started selling bubble tea in Washington when they got their permit in October 2020.
Mariani Hartono said a lot of their ingredients come straight from Taiwan, and she and her sister have been participating in farmers markets in places such as Steilacoom and Orting. It is “a dream come true” to have their own space at the fair, she said.
Strawberry, mango and honeydew fruit tea are among the drinks Squishy Pop Bubble Tea will sell. They also have taro, Thai and coconut milk tea. Toppings include boba, rainbow and lychee jelly. All their drinks cost $9.
Manic Meatballs, on the other hand, has its own location in Lakewood and specializes in Swedish meatballs. Owner Carrie Stalder said they opened their business in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2020.
“We’re thrilled to be at the fair and really kind of get our name out there,” Stalder said.
Their menu has three items lined up: bacon-wrapped meatballs, flooded fries and a Manic Meal. The items cost $14, $12 and $16, respectively.
The flooded fries consist of their signature fries flooded with gravy and topped with cheese curds. The Manic Meal includes six Manic meatballs on top of mashed potatoes and comes with a side of applesauce and cucumber salad. The bacon-wrapped meatballs speak for themselves — five meatballs punctured by a skewer and wrapped in bacon.
The fair will also have an interactive exhibition featuring fictional superheroes such as Superman and Wonder Woman. Ten Budweiser Clydesdale Horses, which have not been at the fair since 2007, will also make an appearance.
The fair’s opening and closing hours, ticket information, as well as a full list of events, can be found on the fair’s website.
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Bubble tea, Budweiser Clydesdales and Manic Meatballs. The Washington State Fair is here."
