Thoughts from the Tractor Seat: 111 Years Strong: Wasco County Fair Still Shines

Aug 30

Written By Columbia Community Connection

By Ken Polehn

The Dalles, Ore., Aug. 30, 2025 — Now that the Wasco County Fair has wrapped up for another year, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of pride in our community. By all accounts, it was a very successful event.

Hunt Park has been the home of our fair since 1914. That’s 111 years of tradition—of kids showing their animals, families gathering under the shade trees, and neighbors meeting up for a visit. The faces and fashions may change, but the spirit of the fair carries on.

I want to personally thank the many volunteers who step up each year to make this possible. The truth is, a fair doesn’t “just happen.” It takes folks willing to pound stakes, haul tables, organize contests, and clean up when everyone else has gone home. Without you, there would be no fair.

A special thank-you goes to the Wasco County Fair Board and the leadership team. Year after year they shoulder the planning, the schedules, and the thousand details that most of us never see, yet depend on. Their dedication ensures the gates open and the fairgrounds come to life.

The 4-H and FFA program leaders also deserve recognition. To many of us, they are family. They guide our youth, teaching responsibility, leadership, and the value of hard work. These lessons carry far beyond the fairgrounds.

And then there are the events that make our fair unique. The rodeo filled the grandstands with cheers and dust. The demolition derby once again roared with engines, sparks, and bent steel, proving it’s one of the most popular traditions we have. And new this year, the drone and laser light show lit up the sky in spectacular fashion—blending innovation with celebration and reminding us that while tradition grounds us, there’s always room for something new.

To our sponsors—thank you. Your generosity keeps these traditions alive and allows us to keep growing. And to everyone who showed up, cheered, volunteered, or simply came to enjoy the fair—you are part of what makes this event so special.

Over the years, there have been many changes—new buildings, new programs, new faces. But one thing has never changed: the Wasco County Fair is still a place where our community gathers to celebrate agriculture, youth, and each other.

Here’s to the fair, to Hunt Park, and to the people and team who make it all possible.