Affordable Family Fun at the Tillamook County Fair

July 31, 2026

August in Tillamook County

The soft moos of the dairy cows. The colors and creativity of the open class exhibits. The rattle and chug of the old Model T fords. The roar of the crowd. The POP POP DING DING of the carnival. The glow of the neon lights. These sights and sounds can only mean one thing – the Tillamook County Fair is here!

Family Fun

If you happen to be visiting the Tillamook Coast around the first week in August, you are in for a treat. Tillamook County’s annual fair has run since 1921, offering an affordable, family-friendly summer activity to all who visit, not just Tillamook County residents.

Being a dairy and agricultural town, the Tillamook County Fair is a prime place for residents to showcase their products and skills. Walk the aisles of the exhibit hall to see the best and brightest of the county showing their art, crafts, textiles, photography, culinary items, florals, and land products. Who’s going to have the biggest zucchini this year?

As a Tillamook County resident, my children always enter their prized works each year, and there is nothing quite like the look on their faces when they ascend the stairs in the exhibit fall and catch a glimpse of the first place ribbon stuck to their work. If you have never strolled the exhibit halls, I wholeheartedly recommend it. There is so much beauty and creativity housed in this small sliver of land that we call Tillamook County.

Affordable Adventure

I met with Camy VonSeggern, Fairgrounds Director, to get some more background on this treasured annual event. She says the Tillamook County Fair is an award-winning fair and people travel from all over to attend. She told me that people will often call months in advance to confirm the dates so they can book lodging ahead of time.

The Tillamook County Fair is affordable. Ticket prices haven’t increased in years, and they are proud of all that they offer for the entrance price of $15 ($10 for kids). Camy told me that your ticket gets you access to pretty much everything – the historic Pig N Ford races each night, concerts on the main stage featuring well-known bands such as Collective Soul, the Demolition Derby Saturday night, daily horse races, and an array of other activities like rides on a mechanical bull, reptile shows, and exciting performers on the Courtyard Stage.

They also feature discounts and deals, including Kids Day on Wednesday (kids FREE when you bring two items for the local food bank) and Senior & Military/Veteran Appreciation Day on Thursday, getting discounted tickets with your military ID.

Camy shared a tip: ticket prices are the same whether you buy online or at the door, but you can save quite a bit of cash if you purchase your carnival ride bracelet online ahead of time. A bracelet is only needed for those who are planning to ride the rides at the carnival. I’m personally looking forward to spending my summer nights gliding atop the ferris wheel and smashing it up at the bumper cars.

A Closer Look at Tillamook County

Attending the annual county fair allows you to take a closer look at Tillamook County and the people and animals who make it what it is today: farmers, dairy families, and hardworking residents whose family lineage might have very well been in attendance at the first Tillamook County Fair in 1921.

Stroll through the dairy barn to get an up close look at the beautiful beasts who have made this county famous by producing some of the world’s best Tillamook cheese. Catch a 4H livestock show, where young people brave the arena to show the animals they’ve cared for over months (or years!) And don’t forget to watch a Pig-N-Ford race! It’s a truly unique tradition that Tillamook has been proud of for over 100 years.

A Fair Amount of Fun

The Tillamook Coast might be known for gorgeous beaches and beautiful forests, but just a few miles inland resides an entire new story: the people who made this county into the agricultural hub it is today.

Whether you come for the exhibits, carnival rides, live music or the one-of-a-kind Pig-N-Ford races, the Tillamook County Fair offers an unforgettable glimpse into the heart of this community. So gather the family, grab a funnel cake and experience the traditions, creativity and agricultural heritage that make Tillamook County so special. You’re sure to leave with wonderful memories and a deeper appreciation for the people and traditions at the heart of the Tillamook Coast.