Tucked inside the Washington State Fair Pavilion near the Gold Gate is Hobby Hall, where the fair offers a glimpse into the hobbies of fairgoers and makers, with personal collections, handmade creations, and live demonstrations filling the space.
Hobby Hall is perhaps the fair’s best destination for discovering the unknown. The exhibit features personal collections ranging from Lego displays and toys to more eclectic finds like a collection of smiley faces or toy horses. The fair specifically defines the collections as hobbies of general interest that are “worthy of recommendation to others” and not maintained for financial gain. Exhibitors apply ahead of the fair and submit photographs of their collections for consideration.
Displays also include handcrafted dolls and doll houses, stained glass, ceramics, wood carvings, egg art, and mechanical creations such as whirligigs and other moving doodads. The fair describes the collections as “quirky,” and that may be the best way to sum up an exhibit where the only obvious common thread is the passion of the collectors behind each display.
For visitors who would rather watch something being made, Hobby Hall also features three demonstration stages where people can showcase skills like wood carving, calligraphy, ceramics, and egg artistry.
The nearby creative arts exhibit brings together competitive work from makers across Washington, with exhibits covering quilting, sewing, knitting, clothing, baking, preserved foods, tablescapes, and more. The displays also include live demonstrations from artists, along with cooking demonstrations led by area chefs and restaurateurs. Visitors can browse the finished work while picking up ideas and techniques to try at home.
At the Northwest Artisan Market, daily demonstrations include pottery throwing, painting, jewelry making, and drawing, and shoppers can talk with participating artists about their work and learn more about techniques they might want to try themselves. The fair’s KidZone includes Lego activities alongside its Creative Kids Exhibit and other hands-on experiences, extending creative offerings to the fair’s youngest visitors as well…