Contests keep the fun coming at Washington fair
by Paul Newton | pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop
The cherries, apples, sugar and crusts didn’t stand a chance. On an unseasonably cool August afternoon in Washington, 15 hungry contestants sit down, each with a full-size fruit pie in front of them. All that stands between them, a blue ribbon and one year of fair fame, is that delicious pie — and the fact they can’t use their hands. It takes just 5 minutes for the first pie to fall, but the memories will last long after this fair is over.
For nearly a century, folks have been flocking to Franklin County for the Washington Town and Country Fair. The event brings together 80,000 people annually to enjoy the nightly concerts, thrilling rides and unforgettable contests, which may be the most fun part.
The fair was first held in Washington City Park — where it still is today — in September 1929 as the Franklin County Agriculture Products Show. The Washington Chamber of Commerce took over about a decade later and still maintains the fair’s operations.
“The chamber exists for the benefit of Washington,” says Amanda Greiesheimer, marketing director for the chamber. “The fair allows our chamber to be the size we are and generates more than $1 million.”
The Washington Town and Country Fair is unique in that the price of admission — ranging from about $12 to $40 depending on the day — includes much more than getting you in the gate.
“We’ve always been a one-price fair,” says Amanda. “The gate cost is a little higher, but it includes the motorsports, concerts and all of the rides in the midway.”
Washingtonian Abby Loesing is a fair staple and was crowned the fair queen in 2023. “I don’t know if I’ve ever missed a day of the fair in my entire life,” says Abby, who graduated from Mizzou in May. “My mom volunteered at the fair and I tagged along. All summer just built up to the fair while you were getting your livestock or 4-H projects ready. It really was the highlight of the summer for us.”
One of Abby’s most vivid memories of fair buildup was the morning when contest entry forms became available. Abby and her mom, Ann, would travel to the chamber office on Main Street first thing and pick up the fair booklet and entry forms. “It was always special to me that I got to pick the contests and do it all myself,” she says. “I would always pick the contests I was no good at. I’m terrible at blowing bubbles or Hula-Hooping, but they were always so fun to do.”
The entry forms are online now, but the contests continue to be a big part of what draws the outsized crowds in for the five-day celebration. The fair hosts nearly two dozen contests for fairgoers of all ages. Nearly every contest is included in the price of admission.
“Those contests are a big part of the fabric of our fair,” says Amanda. “We have entire families who participate in the contests throughout the fair, year after year.”
One of the most popular events is the super farmer contest — which has both a kids and adult division. In both, contestants complete a series of farm-related tasks as quickly as possible. In the kids’ contest, would-be farmers carry buckets of water, push wheelbarrows and make their way through an obstacle course.
Their older counterparts have a little tougher row to hoe in the adult super farmer contest, which was featured in The Wall Street Journal in 2014. Teams consist of a male and a female with each completing different tasks. They have to throw hay bales and carry trays of water without spilling among other things. But the most laughs come during the obstacle course. “One of them eventually has to carry the other through the course, through tractor tires and all,” says Amanda. “It’s very entertaining and they take it seriously. People are really proud of their records in super farmer.”
In the bubble gum blowing contest, each competitor gets two pieces of Dubble Bubble. Judges sit directly across from the participants and use a horseshoe-shaped device to measure each bubble before it splatters back onto the blowers’ faces.
The egg drop contest is a far cry from the egg tosses you did on school field days. Instead of tossing an egg from increasing distances, eggs are dropped from ever greater heights out of a Washington Fire Department ladder truck. Participants are only allowed to use their bare hands and are eliminated when their eggs break.
“That’s a messy one,” Amanda says. “And if it’s a hot day, you’ll for sure want to bring some spare clothes in case your egg goes awry.”
If eating food fast is your thing, you’ll have plenty of opportunities. In the donut on a string contest, kids ages 4 to 12 do their best to inhale an entire donut being dangled by a volunteer above them without the use of their hands.
Brain freezes abound at the frozen yogurt contest, which is open to all ages. “That’s always fun because some people use the spoon, some are just shoveling it in with their hands and there’s usually one person just enjoying the frozen yogurt,” Amanda says.
The messiest eating challenge is likely the pie eating contest. Participants ages 8 and up are given an apron and fruit pie as hundreds watch. Not able to use their hands, participants use their teeth, nose, chin and whatever else they can as leverage to scarf down whatever portions of the pie don’t end up on their faces.
Even the youngest of fairgoers can do the edible bug making contest. Children make “bugs” out of pre-cut fruit and vegetables and can take it with them for a healthy snack as they walk the grounds.
Also at the fair are hot wing and funnel cake eating contests, an Oreo stacking contest and the mule nugget toss, which Amanda assures are faux mule nuggets. A duck derby has been added this year too.
After you get your fill of contests, get the most of your admission by going for a ride in the midway or taking in a concert at the newly renovated grandstand. This year’s performers include ZZ Top, Vanilla Ice, Dustin Lynch and Jackson Dean.
While fair week is a chaotic time, opening day is something Amanda looks forward to year-round. “It’s so busy in the days and long nights leading up to the fair,” she says. “But seeing those first people come to the fair and enjoying what we’ve all been working so hard on is what I love. When you just catch one family having a great time and building those core memories, you know it’s going to be a great week. Those kids are going to remember this for the rest of their lives and keep coming back.”
The Washington Town and Country Fair is scheduled for Aug. 6-10. For more information on the fair, visit www.washmofair.com.