Northwest Washington Fair

What Northwest Washington Fair does

Northwest Washington Fair Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has operated continuously since 1911, headquartered at 1775 Front Street in Lynden, Washington. It produces a 10-day annual flagship fair event — scheduled for August 13-22, 2026 — that draws more than 200,000 attendees and features agricultural exhibitions, carnival rides, competitive exhibits (Open Class, 4-H, FFA), grandstand entertainment, and the Lynden PRCA Rodeo. The organization operates year-round as an event center, renting a diversified venue portfolio that includes the Equine Events Center (with a 135'x220' heated Papé Machinery Arena and Walton Beverage Warm Up Arena), the 46,000 sq ft Henry Jansen Ag Center, the 18,000 sq ft WECU Expo Building, the 6,000 sq ft Mt. Baker Rotary Building, the Peoples Bank Farm Pavilion, BP Place, and a 500-space RV rally park with full hookups and winter storage.

The organization's technology stack is conventional and primarily operational: ticketing and online registration are powered by Saffire, competitive exhibit entries are processed through FairWire, and ticket purchases support export to Google and Outlook calendars. There is no proprietary platform or technology differentiation — the core product is the physical fair experience and the year-round venue rental business, supported by Bob Kiser-designed arena footing that is specific to the equestrian offering.

Revenue is generated across five streams: gate admission ($15 adult, $13 senior, $10 youth, $45 season pass), carnival wristbands ($42 pre-fair, $55 during fair) and rodeo tickets ($30 adult, $159 VIP), facility rentals (transaction-based with hourly arena rates of $300-$500), vendor fees ($600-$1,000 for 10x10 outdoor spaces), and corporate sponsorship packages that include building naming rights, advertising across radio/print/online channels, and on-site visibility. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the official website and on-site box office, supplemented by a sponsorship sales team (Karen Kildall Occhiogrosso, Director of Sponsorship) and a facility rental team (Renee Biemold, Director of Facility Rentals). The organization is governed by a 12-member Board of Directors and employs 11 core year-round staff supplemented by seasonal hires during the fair window.

Name

Northwest Washington Fair

Legal name

Northwest Washington Fair Association

Website

https://nwwafair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northwest Washington Fair Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating since 1911 in Lynden, WA, producing a 10-day annual fair drawing 200,000+ attendees and renting multiple event venues year-round to rodeo organizers, equestrian clubs, corporate sponsors, and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management & Venue Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA), Equestrian & Rodeo Facilities (MPAKAEAM)

Keywords

• Community event management
• Annual fair events
• Equestrian venue rental
• Agricultural exhibitions
• Nonprofit event center

Headquarters

HQ city

Lynden

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Gate Admission: Ticket sales for fair entry including general admission ($15), senior ($13), youth ($10), and season passes ($45)
2. Carnival and Entertainment: Carnival wristbands ($42 online), grandstand entertainment tickets, demolition derby, rodeo tickets including VIP packages
3. Facility Rentals: Year-round rental of Equine Events Center, WECU Expo Building, Mt. Baker Rotary Building, Henry Jansen Ag Center, BP Place, Peoples Bank Farm Pavilion, and RV rally space
4. Vendor Fees: Commercial vendor spaces ($600-$1000 for 10x10), food vendor participation, sponsor packages
5. Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorships providing marketing exposure to 200,000+ annual visitors through various tiers including building naming rights, signage, radio, print, and online advertising

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Northwest Washington Fair Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes and operates the annual Northwest Washington Fair (10 days of entertainment, rodeo, carnival, exhibits and agricultural education), along with year-round event center services including equestrian venue rentals, rodeo productions, trade shows, dog shows, competitive exhibits programs, and RV rally/storage facilities. Core assets include the Equine Events Center with interconnected heated arenas, the Henry Jansen Ag Center, WECU Expo Building, and Mt. Baker Rotary Building.

Product overview

Northwest Washington Fair & Event Center operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a diverse portfolio of products and services centered around its annual fair event and year-round facility operations. The core offering is the annual Northwest Washington Fair (August 13-22, 2026), complemented by the Lynden PRCA Rodeo and Grandstand Entertainment Series. The facility provides venue rentals through multiple distinct venues including the Equine Events Center (Papé Machinery Arena, Walton Beverage Warm Up Arena), Mt. Baker Rotary Building, WECU Expo Building, Henry Jansen Ag Center, Peoples Bank Farm Pavilion, and BP Place. Year-round programming includes competitive exhibits (Open Class, 4-H, FFA), barrel racing events, International Plowing Match, dog shows, and educational initiatives like the Farming for Life Experience. Ticketing services, RV rally/storage, and sponsorship programs round out the product portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Northwest Washington Fair
• Lynden PRCA Rodeo

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ annual guests attending the fair
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Bank of the PacificflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Grandstand Entertainment Series Sponsor. Primary sponsor for rodeo and major entertainment events at the Bank of the Pacific Grandstand (Scholten's Equipment Arena).
• Little Caesars (Whatcom County)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Promotional partnership offering Family Value Packs (4 gate tickets + 2 wristbands for $126) and discounted carnival wristbands ($40) from July 16-August 12, 2026.
• Papé MachinerycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerArena naming rights sponsor for the main equestrian event center (formerly Washington Tractor Arena). Provides arena footing designed by Bob Kiser.
• WECUcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExpo Building naming sponsor. 18,000 sq ft facility for trade shows, banquets, and large events.
• Salish Wealth ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHorse barn naming sponsor with 185 10'x10' stalls available at Equine Events Center.
• Peoples BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFarm Pavilion naming rights sponsor. Also sponsors free gate admission on Worship at the Fair Sunday.
• Walton BeverageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWarm Up Arena naming sponsor. 100'x200' indoor arena adjacent to Papé Machinery Arena with seating for 500.
• C5 RodeocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional rodeo livestock provider for the Lynden PRCA Rodeo event. Brings expert rodeo athletes competing for top times and scores.
• Silver Reef Casino ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIP dinner catering provider for Lynden PRCA Rodeo events. Also provides hotel accommodation partnerships for fair attendees.
• Northwest Ford DealersflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the Lynden PRCA Rodeo event (August 17-18, 2026).
• SaffirecoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite platform and ticketing technology provider powering nwwafair.com, online ticket sales, event registration, and exhibitor applications.
• Sedro Woolley Riding ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquestrian event organization hosting ranch sorting competitions at the Equine Events Center.
• Mt Baker Kennel ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDog show organization hosting cluster shows at Henry Jansen AG Center and Papé Machinery Arena.
• IABCA (International All Breed Canine Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDog show sanctioning body hosting shows at Papé Machinery Arena.
• Phillips 66minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor with building naming rights for Phillips 66 Center.
• Lynden Lions ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for Lynden Lions Club Train and Toy Show at Henry Jansen AG Center.
• NW Horse SourceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalendar partner for equestrian events at the Equine Events Center.
• NW PropaneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for International Plowing Match event.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Spokane County Interstate Fair: Spokane, WA-based regional fair with livestock exhibits, PRCA rodeo, grandstand entertainment, and facility rentals. Comparable scale and event programming within the same state.
• Evergreen State Fair: Monroe, WA-based regional fair operated by Snohomish County, featuring similar agricultural exhibits, rodeo, carnival, and year-round facility rentals. Most direct geographic and operational peer to Northwest Washington Fair.
• Washington State Fair (Puyallup): Largest fair in Washington state, held annually in Puyallup with rodeo, concerts, agricultural exhibits, and year-round event-center rentals. Directly comparable in format and audience, though substantially larger in scale.
• Clark County Fair: Ridgefield, WA-based regional fair with rodeo, livestock, carnival, and concert programming. Comparable Pacific Northwest county-fair format with similar sponsorship and vendor models.
• Idaho State Fair: Blackfoot, ID-based regional fair featuring PRCA rodeo, livestock shows, grandstand entertainment, and vendor/exhibitor programming. Comparable format and footprint.
• Oregon State Fair: Salem, OR-based state fair with livestock, equestrian, rodeo, and entertainment programming. Operates year-round facilities and serves a similar Pacific Northwest agricultural-community audience.

Broad incumbents

• National Western Stock Show: Denver-based 16-day livestock show and rodeo with equestrian competitions, agricultural education, and event-center rentals. Larger-scale incumbent in the same agricultural-fair category.
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Massive-scale agricultural fair and PRCA rodeo with deep sponsorship tiers, livestock shows, and concert entertainment. Broader incumbent demonstrating the upside ceiling for a regional fair with strong sponsor base.
• Del Mar Fairgrounds / San Diego County Fair: Year-round event center hosting the San Diego County Fair plus concerts, equestrian events, and trade shows. Broader incumbent showcasing large-scale fairground operation and year-round utilization.

Regional players

• Oregon Horse Country / Willamette Valley Equestrian Centers: Network of equestrian venues in Oregon hosting horse shows, barrel racing, and rodeo events. Regional competitor for equestrian bookings that could otherwise flow to Northwest Washington Fair's Equine Events Center.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NWWAFair
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NWWashingtonFair
• Facebookfacebook.com/nwwafair
• Instagraminstagram.com/nwwafair
• TikToktiktok.com/@thenwwafair
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northwest-washington-fair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northwest Washington Fair