How Washington County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows Work
Washington's fair season runs from spring youth fairs through the Central Washington State Fair in Yakima in early October. A 2026 fair calendar lists dozens of county and community fairs, from the Whatcom County Youth Fair in April to the Central Washington State Fair, September 25 to October 4. For most 4-H and FFA exhibitors, the county fair is where a market animal is shown, judged and, if it qualifies, sold at a junior livestock auction. Every fair writes its own book of rules, so treat this guide as a map and your county fair book as the law.
When the Fairs Run
Western Washington fairs mostly come first and Eastern Washington fairs run later. The 2026 calendar showed these examples:
- Grays Harbor County Fair, Elma: July 29 to August 1
- Thurston County Fair, Lacey: July 30 to August 2
- Skagit County Fair, Mount Vernon: August 6 to 9
- Pierce County Fair, Graham: August 13 to 16
- Northwest Washington Fair, Lynden: August 13 to 22
- Benton Franklin Fair and Rodeo, Kennewick: August 24 to 28
- Evergreen State Fair, Monroe: August 27 to September 6
- Kittitas County Fair, Ellensburg: September 3 to 7
- Spokane County Interstate Fair, Spokane Valley: September 11 to 20
- Washington State Fair, Puyallup: September 4 to 27
Eastern Washington dates are also collected in the Basin Business Journal's fair guide, which lists the Yakima Valley Fair in Grandview, the Grant County Fair in Moses Lake, the Chelan County Fair in Cashmere and many more. Fair dates shift a little each year, so confirm with the fair office before you plan a vacation or a haul.
Who Can Show
Washington 4-H sets statewide minimums that county fairs build on. Per the state 4-H policies and procedures handbook, members must have reached their eighth birthday by October 1 of the 4-H year to take part in competitive situations such as livestock shows or sales. Age divisions are Junior (8-10), Intermediate (11-13) and Senior (14-18). Cloverbuds, ages 5 to 7, may not take part in competitive activities.
Counties add their own rules. San Juan County, for example, requires that exhibitors be currently enrolled 4-H members in that county, per its 2024 exhibitor guide. The Thurston County exhibitor guide requires enrollment in projects by April 15 through 4HOnline. Ask your county Extension office what applies to you.
Ownership, Care Time and Tagging
The state handbook says members do not have to own project animals and may lease them, except when the animal will be sold at a junior livestock auction. It also sets minimum care time before county exhibits, such as 120 days for market beef and 60 days for sheep and swine, with an exemption for animals raised by the member from birth or hatching.
Counties set their own ownership dates. San Juan County's 2026 auction guide, on its livestock auction page, lists beef ownership by April 15, swine, lamb and goat by June 14, and poultry and rabbit by June 29. Other counties differ. Tagging, tattooing or microchipping is also common: Thurston County requires rabbits to be tattooed in the left ear, poultry to wear leg bands, and sheep and goats to meet scrapie identification rules.
Weights, Classes and Health
Weight limits depend on the fair. San Juan County's 2024 guide set market lambs at 85 to 160 pounds, market swine at 200 to 300 pounds, meat goats at 70 to 120 pounds and market beef at a 950 pound minimum. Do not treat those as statewide numbers.
- Market steers must be polled or dehorned, and healed horns or regrowth may not extend more than two inches from the hairline, per the state handbook.
- Illegal drugs and improper use of animal health products "will not be tolerated," and giving medication that gives an unfair advantage is unacceptable.
- Washington 4-H recommends Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) training for food animal members. Some counties require quality assurance forms at weigh-in, such as Grays Harbor, per its 4-H fair page.
- Showmanship is a required educational activity for each species you exhibit at county fairs.
WSU Extension has helped build the health side of the fair system. A WSU news story says YQCA has passed 600,000 certifications nationally and that Washington ranked in the top 10 for certifications in a recent year.
How the Sale Works
Many Washington fairs run a junior livestock auction. Rules vary, but the San Juan County guide shows a typical shape:
- Only animals with high enough ribbons (Grand Blue, Reserve Blue, Blue or Red Danish in San Juan County) are eligible to sell.
- Sellers must be present in the ring, with no proxies.
- Each seller must line up at least three potential buyers.
- A percentage of the gross sale is deducted, 1.0 percent in the 2026 San Juan guide, which covers the brand inspector and check-off fees on beef, hogs and lambs.
- Sellers write a thank-you letter to each buyer.
- Auctioned animals may not be shown at other fairs or sales.
Grays Harbor families sell through the Grays Harbor Youth Livestock Auction, which requires an Authorization to Sell form, per the county page. Ask your own county which auction applies.
A Practical Calendar
- Winter: enroll in 4-H through 4HOnline and pick your project.
- Spring: buy or lease your animal by your county's ownership date and attend early weigh-ins, which Grays Harbor, San Juan and others hold.
- Early summer: finish YQCA and submit intent-to-sell forms.
- Fair entry: submit entries through FairEntry, which Thurston and Grays Harbor use, usually by early July.
- Fair week: final weigh-in, vet check, showmanship, judging and the sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to own my market animal?
Not for showing, but the state 4-H handbook says leasing is not allowed if the animal will be sold at a junior livestock auction.
How old do I have to be?
Eight by October 1 of the 4-H year to compete in livestock shows or sales. Cloverbuds, 5 to 7, take part in noncompetitive activities.
Where do I find the rules?
In your county fair book or exhibitor guide, available from your county WSU Extension office or fair office.
Can an animal that sells at auction show again elsewhere?
Not in San Juan County, where auctioned animals cannot be shown at other fairs or sales. Check your own fair.
Washington Listings Covered by This Guide
- Washington State Spring Fair
Held each year in Puyallup over two spring weekends; the most recent dates were April 9-12 and April 16-19, 2026.
Puyallup, WA Official event details - Whatcom County Youth Fair
Held each year in Lynden on the Northwest Washington Fair grounds; the most recent dates were April 10-11, 2026.
Lynden, WA Official event details - Asotin County Fair and Hells Canyon Rodeo
Held each year in Asotin with a rodeo; the most recent dates were April 23-26, 2026, an unusually early fair.
Asotin, WA Official event details - King County Fair
Held each year in Enumclaw; the most recent dates were July 16-19, 2026, at the Expo Center on 284th Avenue SE.
- Whidbey Island Fair
Held each year in Langley on Whidbey Island; the most recent dates were July 23-26, 2026.
- Grays Harbor County Fair
Held each year in Elma; the most recent dates were July 29 to August 1, 2026, at the Grays Harbor Fairgrounds.
Elma, WA Official event details - Cowlitz County Fair
Held each year in Longview at the Cowlitz County Event Center; the most recent dates were July 22-23, 2026.
Longview, WA Official event details - Thurston County Fair
Held each year in Lacey; the most recent dates were July 30 to August 2, 2026.
- Whidbey Island Fair Youth Livestock Auction
Saturday-noon youth livestock auction at the Whidbey Island Fair where 4-H members sell market animals. Held each year; the most recent date was July 25, 2026.
819 Camano Avenue, Langley, WA 98260 Official event details - Silvana Community Fair
One-day community fair in the Stillaguamish valley farming community of Silvana. Held each year; the most recent date was July 25, 2026.
Silvana, WA Official event details - Yakima Valley Fair and Rodeo
Held each year in Grandview with a rodeo; the most recent dates were August 5-8, 2026.
812 Wallace Way, Grandview, WA Official event details - Skagit County Fair
Held each year at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon; the most recent dates were August 6-9, 2026.
Mount Vernon, WA Official event details - Clark County Fair
Held each year at the fairgrounds on NE Delfel Road in Ridgefield; the most recent dates were August 7-16, 2026.
- Valley Community Fair
Two-day community fair in the Valley farming area of Stevens County. Held each year; the most recent dates were August 7-8, 2026.
Valley, WA Official event details - Southwest Washington Fair
Held each year in Centralia on a 78-acre fairgrounds; the most recent dates were August 11-16, 2026.
Centralia, WA Official event details - Skamania County Fair and Timber Carnival
Held each year in Stevenson with a timber carnival alongside the fair; the most recent dates were August 12-15, 2026.
Stevenson, WA Official event details - Pierce County Fair
Held each year in Graham at the Pierce County Fairgrounds; the most recent dates were August 13-16, 2026.
- San Juan County Fair
Held each year at the fairgrounds in Friday Harbor; the most recent dates were August 13-16, 2026.
- Northwest Washington Fair
Held each year in Lynden; the most recent dates were August 13-22, 2026, with a PRCA rodeo during the run.
Lynden, WA Official event details - Klickitat County Fair and Rodeo
Held each year in Goldendale with a rodeo; the most recent dates were August 13-16, 2026.
903 Fairgrounds Road, Goldendale, WA Official event details - Jefferson County Fair
Held each year near Port Townsend; the most recent dates were August 14-16, 2026, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.
Port Townsend, WA Official event details - Grant County Fair
Held each year at the Grant County Fairgrounds on Airway Drive NE in Moses Lake; the most recent dates were August 18-22, 2026.
3953 Airway Dr NE, Moses Lake, WA Official event details - Pacific County Fair
Held each year at the Pacific County Fairgrounds in Menlo; the most recent dates were August 19-22, 2026.
Menlo, WA Official event details - Clallam County Fair
Held each year in Port Angeles; the most recent dates were August 20-23, 2026.
Port Angeles, WA Official event details - Wahkiakum County Fair
Held each year in Skamokawa on the lower Columbia; the most recent dates were August 20-22, 2026.
Skamokawa, WA Official event details - Lincoln County Fair and Rodeo
Held each year in Davenport with a rodeo; the most recent dates were August 20-22, 2026.
1601 Morgan St., Davenport, WA Official event details - Pend Oreille County Fair
Four-day Cusick fair with goat, sheep, rabbit and cattle exhibits, 4-H sheep grooming and produce displays. Held each year; the most recent dates were August 20-23, 2026.
Cusick, WA 99119 | 509-445-1367 Official event details - Hunters Community and 4-H Fair
One-day community and 4-H fair at the Hunters county shop grounds. Held each year; the most recent date was August 15, 2026.
4961 Hunters County Shop Road, Hunters, WA Official event details - Benton Franklin Fair and Rodeo
Held each year in Kennewick for both Benton and Franklin counties; the most recent dates were August 24-28, 2026.
1500 S Oak St., Kennewick, WA Official event details - Kitsap County Fair and Stampede
Held each year in Bremerton with a stampede rodeo; the most recent dates were August 26-30, 2026.
Bremerton, WA Official event details - Evergreen State Fair
Held each year at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe; the most recent dates were August 27 to September 6, 2026, closed September 2.
14405 179th Ave SE, Monroe, WA 98272 Official event details - Northeast Washington Fair
Held each year in Colville; the most recent dates were August 27-30, 2026.
220 S. Washington, Colville, WA Official event details - North Central Washington Fair
Held each year at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Waterville; the most recent dates were August 27-30, 2026.
- Benton Franklin Fair Market Stock Auction
Youth auction of 4-H, FFA and Grange steers, goats, lambs and hogs on two sale rings. The 2025 sale raised $1,512,958; the most recent date was Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.
Kennewick, WA | 509.222.3749 | Organizer: Benton Franklin Market Stock Committee Official event details - Clayton Community Fair
Rural community fair on Wallbridge Road in Clayton. Held each year; the most recent dates were August 28-30, 2026.
4616 Wallbridge Road, Clayton, WA Official event details - Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days
Held each year over Labor Day week with a PRCA rodeo; the most recent dates were September 2-6, 2026.
363 Orchard St., Walla Walla, WA Official event details - Wheat Land Communities Fair
Held each year in Ritzville in wheat country; the most recent dates were September 3-6, 2026.
811 E. Main Ave., Ritzville, WA Official event details - Kittitas County Fair
Held each year alongside the Ellensburg Rodeo; the most recent dates were September 3-7, 2026.
- Washington State Fair
Held each year in Puyallup; the most recent dates were September 4-27, 2026, with livestock barns, 4-H and FFA exhibits, and a rodeo.
- Ferry County Fair
Held each year in Republic on Fairgrounds Road; the most recent dates were September 4-6, 2026.
Republic, WA Official event details
Plus 17 more. Find yours on your county's page in the Washington directory.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.