Digital Memories Of Puyallup Fair Preserve The Small Pleasures

Above: The All-American cowboy theme of the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center provided the perfect backdrop for this talented duo. Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.

Right below: A display featuring an original oil painting that some lucky
fairgoer may be able to display in their home -from the paintbrush of
longtime cowboy artist and Federal Way resident Fred Oldfield.
Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.

While memories of the Puyallup fair will be all that residents in the South Sound will have to sustain them until next year, now that the curtain has almost fallen on this year's 2008 Western Washington State Fair performance, thanks to the miracle of digital photography we've put up a few preserves!

Thanks to my son and a longtime Pierce county resident and family friend of mine, I had some companionship in between putting in the necessary computer time required to post about the fair as the News Tribunes on-line fair blogger on Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

My girlfriend, whose twenty-something long role as the long-suffering mother of five has finally made way in recent years for time to play. So her company on that day was especially treasured. Sadly, space permits me only to post a photographs of only a few things we all so enjoyed.

Below: Trying to keep cool in the bright sun it appears that a hardworking male representative of The News Tribune tries to convince a passing fair attendee why signing up for home delivery will mean savings in her pocket. Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.

Below: My volunteer stint as a guest on-line blogger at the fair for The News Tribune
was greatly facilitated by able reporter and all-around dynamo Melissa Santos (left) who graciously
poses for my camera with my adult son in the role of "Joe Cool" (left) who came along with me that day.
Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.

Right above : Eventually the feet of the most ambitious fairgoer, in this case ones
belonging to none other than yours truly, can become awfully tired. This handy
little coin-operated invention promises to soothe your troubles away and it does
for as long as money you can afford to spend to keep it running lasts.

Due to technical problems in the blogging office that afternoon, despite the assistance of Melissa and a uniformed gentleman in the office whose name I didn't catch, I was unable to post any of the digital photographs I took while looking around the fairground. Anyways "Thanks for everything Melissa! Loved your stories in the main edition." Moving along, after returning home I had prior commitments and a unfortunate need for ah, ah....lengthy recovery time. However it's said better late than never. So may this be then better.

Below: For fair attendees of a certain age that day the fact it was Senior Tuesday may have heavily influenced the composition of the big crowds of older "children" at some fair venues like this old-fashioned merry-go-round not too far from the Gold Gate. Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.





Below: The competition by local granges as to whom has the most variety and artistically varied display of products has been a favorite of my family for years and may date back to the pre-World War II California based farmers and agronomist in my mother's immigrant family. Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.



Below: These beautifully accessorised members of the Red Hat Society participated in the special parade held to salute them during mid-day festivities at the Puyallup Fair on September 16. Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.


Below: Flower enthusiasts had much to look at including this impressive wall of winners. Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.

Below: Other fairgoers enjoyed performances of a more contemporary kind like crowd gathered to watch this bang-up concert courtesy of a group of drummers extrodinaire - known as simply the Procrastinators! Photo by Mizu Sugimura copyright 2008.