Updated August 21st 11:05am. Added events not previously listed.
The 2024 Clayton Community Fair, themed “Mad About the Fair,” is coming this weekend. It promises a weekend packed with exhibitions, competitions, and live entertainment. With a wide array of activities and the Junior Livestock Sale supporting local youth, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at this lively celebration.
The Clayton Community Fair is set to take place from August 23rd to 25th at the Clayton Fairgrounds at 4616 Wallbridge Road in Clayton. This year’s event will offer a comprehensive schedule of exhibitions, animal shows, and competitions over three days, with activities designed to appeal to a broad audience. Fair hours for the weekend will have all three days opening at 8am; however, on Friday and Saturday, it will close at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are available at the gate for $3 per person, and kids under 6 are free. Parking is also free.
Come Early, Come Hungry
During all three days of the event, the Clayton Grange booth will serve breakfast to visitors, with youth exhibitors enjoying their meals for free. Breakfast will be available on Friday from 7:30am to 10am, and on Saturday and Sunday, service will begin earlier, from 6:30am to 10am.
Friday, August 23rd
The fair will open at 8am, with the opening ceremonies and the opening of the fair exhibits. A series of events will follow, including horse shows in the arena, poultry and rabbit exhibitions, and various livestock competitions, such as swine and beef classes. The day will also feature a live music performance at the gazebo from 4pm to 8pm. Headliners will be Hazel Queen of the 70’s and later Anthony Williams Upriver Drive. Courtesy of Morningview Farms, there will be a draft horse demonstration starting at 4pm. In addition, cat and dog shows are scheduled throughout the morning and afternoon. There will even be a cat costume contest.
Saturday, August 24th
Fair Exhibits and the Car Show opens as soon as the gates do; other events on Saturday include dairy goat and cow competitions, K9 CGC test, parade, sheep obstacle course, pocket pets, and small and large animal round robin. One of the most impactful events on this day is the Junior Livestock Sale, held at 3:30pm at the Clayton Community Fairgrounds. This event supports our local youth and fills buyers’ refrigerators with top-quality projects. Local youth work hard to raise outstanding livestock, and the auction provides an outlet to showcase and sell their market animals. This terminal sale allows businesses and individuals to show their support through competitive bidding on sheep, hogs, beef, market goats, and even fryer chickens and meat rabbits. Buyers can participate individually or as part of a group; if unable to attend in person, they can bid by proxy. This event follows strict ethical guidelines, ensuring the highest standards of animal care and market fairness. Buyers support the youth and their efforts through their participation, with the added potential of tax-deductible contributions. The Cowgirl Up Rodeo Drill Team will perform a demonstration at the arena at 5:30pm. The day will again conclude with live music performed by headliner Rick Hofstrand.
Sunday, August 25th
The final day of the fair on Sunday will feature a cowboy church service at 8am at the Gazebo, followed by several contests, including an apple pie competition, a fashion revue, and a goat obstacle course. An Egg Tossing contest followed by a noon great American ice cream freeze-off contest. From noon to 2pm, there will be an Apple Pie Silent Auction. The fair will officially close at 3:00 PM, with clean-up and livestock load-out shortly after.
Who is behind the Clayton Community Fair
The Clayton Community Fair is organized by the Deer Park Fair Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving agriculture and heritage. Their primary goal is to provide a welcoming environment where people of all ages can showcase their skills, talents, and achievements in various categories, such as baking, gardening, crafting, and raising animals. By supporting the positive education and enrichment of youth and the community, the Fair Association emphasizes recognizing and promoting participants’ abilities, whether a hobby or a business. Their mission statement reflects this commitment: “We are preserving our agricultural heritage and supporting our future.”
The Clayton Fair Board, which comprises volunteer representatives from the community and surrounding areas, plays a vital role in organizing and running the fair. The current Fair Board Members include Dwayne Strong, Bonnie Boudreau, Dianne Estes, Meegan Ware, Deidra Dodd, Jan Strong, Amanda Stehlar, Marie Layman, Rachel Dixon, Sarah Cotter, Sam Starkey, and Gina Mosey. Board/Fair Association Member meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of each month, and community members are encouraged to attend. For meeting locations, call the fair office at 509-276-2444.
For those interested in joining or volunteering with the Clayton Community Fair, you can reach them in the following ways:
By mail at: Clayton Community Fair, P.O. Box 449, Clayton, WA 99110
Phone at: 509-276-2444
Website at: ClaytonCommunityFair.com
Facebook at: FB.me/ClaytonCommunityFairgrounds
The Clayton Community Fair has made the 2024 Fair Schedule available for download in the PDF format below:
