Puyallup Fair: The big bash of autumn opens Friday

Do it thrillingly on the Extreme Scream ride, tranquilly with the bunnies, quirkily at the Hobby Hall, in a silly way with SpongeBob SquarePants, downright crazily with Cannonball Man, or all of the above. Do the Puyallup Fair your way, Friday through Sept. 21.

The rides are a blast, from the wildest roller coasters to the tamest Sillyville kiddie rides. Don't miss the draft horse shows, Piglet Palace, alpacas, yaks, wallabies, 4-H cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits and pigeons at the barns and hands-on Fair Farm. Check out the gigantic pumpkins at the Planting Patch, quilts and cooking demos at the Home Arts exhibit and prizewinning flowers at the Floral Building. The Hobby Hall is an always-amazing look at the array of things people collect, from expected to unusual, historical to hysterical. See Cannonball Man blast out of a cannon and fly 250 feet across the fairgrounds twice a day, or meet your favorite animated Nickelodeon characters at Toonzville.

Saturdays are usually the fair's busiest days, Mondays and Tuesdays the least crowded. With so many attractions, doing the Puyallup takes time and stamina. Tuesdays through Fridays, handicapped-accessible People Movers offer transportation around the fairgrounds, as crowds permit. Set aside some quarters for the foot-massager machines that put the pep back in your step or go with everyone's favorite fair re-energizer and stop for a scone, onion burger, cotton candy or any other of the fair's famous food.

Puyallup celebrates the fair's opening with a Western rodeo parade on Meridian Street at 10 a.m. Friday. The fair continues daily through Sept. 21.

The details

Time: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays through Sept. 21.

Cost: Admission $10/adults, $8/ages 6-18 and ages 62 and older; free for children 5 and younger. Admission free for everyone 10 a.m.-noon today only. See Web site for information on discounts and specials.

Location: Puyallup Fair and Events Center, 110 Ninth Ave. S.W., Puyallup

Getting there: From Highway 512 in Puyallup, take the Meridian Street exit.

Other routes:

From Seattle and the north, take Interstate 5 South to the Puyallup exit, turn right at the end of the exit, left at first traffic light, onto Highway 161 to Puyallup; turn right at West Main Street, left at Fifth Avenue South and follow signs to fair parking.

From Bellevue and the Eastside, take I-405 South to Exit 2, Highway 167 south. Follow 167 to Highway 512 West, continue to the first exit, Pioneer Avenue; at the light at the end of the exit turn right, continue to 14th Street Southeast, turn right on 14th Street, right at Seventh Avenue Southeast and follow signs to fair parking.

By bus: Pierce Transit Puyallup Fair Express daily service to the fair from downtown Tacoma, South Hill Mall, Tacoma Dome and several other locations, $3/round trip, up to four children free with fare-paying passenger; details, 253-581-8000. Sound Transit express routes providing service to the fair, connecting to the Eastside and Seattle; details, 800-201-4900 or www.thefair.com.

Parking: $10/Monday-Friday, $12/Saturday-Sunday in fair lots; varying prices in many private lots and yards surrounding the fairgrounds.

More information: 253-841-5045 or www.thefair.com.