Our Place in Walla Walla #1: The Fair

We’re fortunate: our place is endlessly fascinating.

Pásx̣apa—the place of the balsamroot sunflowers—has been the home of the Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla peoples since time immemorial and continues to be their homelands to this day as a result of the Treaty of 1855 which was negotiated very close to campus.

The Walla Walla Valley, home of Whitman College, is complex, traditional, innovative, surprising and lovely. It’s a place that’s proud of what we have and also aware that we need to be looking ahead to guide our future. 

Whitman students nearly always find their experiences beyond campus to be informative, meaningful and memorable. They’re frequently amazed at what they are able to learn when they venture just a few blocks past Reid. Last week, in a great interview with the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, Nat Lange ’24 reflected on his college-funded summer internship with our city government:

“It opened my eyes that there’s more happening in this community than Whitman (College), there’s more happening in this community than Main Street … It feels good to be a part of that. I didn’t feel as a part of that until I started working with the city, really immersing myself in what’s happening here.”

Students, this new column is designed to help grow your understanding of our place throughout your four years—allowing you to identify and pursue numerous ways “into” the Valley. (Whitman maintains hundreds of meaningful collaborative relationships with local organizations, businesses and governments, nearly all of which students can tap into.)

To accomplish this goal, every other week I will explore a part of the Walla Walla Valley—this may be an event, an initiative, a neighborhood, maybe even a community leader. We live in a place that is diverse in so many, often invisible, ways, whether we’re talking about bioregions or economic sectors or political ideologies or demographic backgrounds. 

For this inaugural column, let’s consider the Walla Walla County Fair, taking place from Wednesday August 30 through Sunday September 3, about a mile and a half from campus.

The Fair is a hallmark of our place. One of Whitman’s close partners, Guy Glaeser, Executive Director of Visit Walla Walla, provides context:

“The Walla Walla County Fair, known as the Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days, is the oldest fair in the state of Washington. Started in 1866 is an event more deeply rooted in our valley and our identity than other happenings in the Valley. To see Walla Walla outside our historic downtown, with its charming restaurants, boutiques and wineries, is to appreciate our heritage. Walla Walla has been ‘Farm Country’ much longer than it has been ‘Wine Country’, or even the home to Whitman College … ”

It is no exaggeration to say that the Fair dominates (in a good way) late-summer life here. On average, 85,000 people attend over the five days (for comparison, the City of Walla Walla’s population is about 36,000). Downtown and throughout our community, during Fair week it seems like every other person is wearing jeans, cowboy boots, leather hats, tassels and other rodeo clothing. People are in a good mood and it sometimes seems like half of businesses have temporarily closed and relocated to the Fairgrounds. 

For Whitties, an easy way to enjoy the festivities without having to travel is to watch the annual parade on Saturday morning, September 2. The parade passes nearby campus and many students find that it is worth getting up early to watch, as you will see many (hundreds!) of different groups, clubs, bands and other networks that make up our community. Candidates vying for elected office march in the parade, as do representatives from organizations all across the political spectrum. There are half-million dollar combines in line with middle school marching bands with National Guard recruiters and then members of PFLAG. Last year I saw the Chief of the Walla Walla people, Donald Sampson Peo Peo Mox Mox, ride past on a beautiful horse. Definitely something for everyone, which is an apt overall description of our place.

Last week I asked Bing who might enjoy going to the Fairgrounds and the AI generated this guidance: “As for whether it is interesting for people to attend, it depends on what you are looking for. The fair offers a variety of events such as bull dogging, relay races, stagecoach races, cowboys, cowgirls and other local participants representing one of the last stands of the ‘Wild West’. In addition to that, world-class country entertainment was added to the annual fair in 1974.” (Bing. August 16, 2023)

(When I asked Bing this question specifically about Whitman College students, the AI offered that they “may” enjoy the Fair “as it offers a variety of events such as a classic car show, demolition derby, PRCA rodeo, wood carving, dock dogs, battle of the bands and more…”)

Whitties, if you have time, the Fair is a unique, fun, and affordable way to get off campus and develop a sense of this region. It might be different from any event you’ve ever attended. Fair-goers are friendly, proud of what’s happening, and usually happy to answer questions. You can find the full schedule and information about tickets here. If it’s not too hot, the Fairgrounds are a 30- to 45-minute walk from campus and you can also drive (but parking can be a bit tricky). 

I agree with the AI’s claim that the entertainment is first-rate. This year’s musical headliners are the Beach Boys, “one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands of all time, selling over 100 million records worldwide.” (Wikipedia. Italics mine) Of particular local interest, in addition to being one of the music industry’s most enduring acts of the last 50 years the band is also largely responsible for the enormous national popularity of Pendleton shirts, woven at the famous Woolen Mills just 45 minutes south of campus.

Given this connection, the next column in this series will focus on the world-famous Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Pageant, which will take place in early September.

Until then: Welcome, welcome back, have a delightful start of the new year, and maybe I’ll see you next week at the Fair with a funnel cake or, of course, a deep-fried bloomin’ onion made from one of our locally-grown Walla Walla Sweets, Washington State’s official vegetable!

Finally, in my nearly two decades working at Whitman I’ve heard countless Seniors make comments to the effect of, “it’s been wonderful this year being involved in Walla Walla. I wish I had started doing this when I arrived at college. I wish I knew then how interesting this place is … ” If there is an aspect of the Walla Walla region that you like to learn about this year please let me know via leavitns@whitman.edu and I’ll do my best to work it into the schedule.