Something For All At `Granddaddy Of Fairs' In Puyallup -- From Camp Fire Crafts To The Temptations

The granddaddy of local fairs, the Puyallup Fair, opens tomorrow for a 17-day run.

Here's some key information to help you plan your visit between now and closing day Sept. 26. The fairgrounds is at 110 Ninth Ave. S.W. in Puyallup:

-- Hours: Gates open at 8 a.m. daily. Commercial-exhibit hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays.

-- Cost: $7 adults, $4 youth (12-18 years), $3 children (6-11 years), free for children under 6 years. Senior citizen special rate: $4 Monday through Friday.

-- Parking: available in the red, blue, green and gold lots for $4 daily.

-- Special events: the Open Llama Show tomorrow through Monday in the Contest Arena; the Super Yarn Mart Fastest Fingers in the West contests, Tuesday; the Spam Luncheon Meat Recipe contest, 1 p.m. Wednesday; the Northwest Taste and Travel exhibit, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 16-19, in the Contest Arena; the Parent-Child Chocolate Chip Cookie contest, Sept. 17; the Ejector Seat (a two-seated reverse bungee-type ride); and the "Sure-Jell Delights" contest, Sept. 24; The PRCA Rodeo (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) runs Sept. 20-24, 7 p.m. in the W.H. Paulhamus Arena. Reserved seating, $9.

-- Royal Canadian Mounted Police "Musical Ride," Monday through Sept. 23; Western National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging contest, Wednesday; four Western National Dairy shows; and "The GreenHouse," an environmental home made of recycled items.

-- Activities just for kids: a Pacific Science Center participatory learning exhibit; Camp Fire craft demonstrations, 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday; Junior/Senior High School Art Exhibit; Dizzy Pass and Kiddyland Express Pass: The $10 Dizzy Pass is valid Sept. 13, 20 and 21 for most Midway rides and the $5 Kiddyland Express Pass allows children on all Kiddyland rides Sept. 16 and 23; Face painting in the Howdy Tent, near the Green Gate, 2 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 7 p.m. Saturday; Prize Scramble, with games and prizes, 3 p.m. Mondays; Pumpkin-coloring contest: Sept. 18 and 25 in the Agricultural Building, register from 9 to 10:30 a.m.; Fair Farm; Pot Bellied Pigs, in Barn J Sept. 22-26; Draft and Miniature horses: Draft horses give daily demonstrations in the W.H. Paulhamus Arena (except Sept. 20-24), while miniature horses are on display in the Dairy Barn, Sept. 14-16; Let's Pretend Circus, Sept. 10-26 at Showplace Park; "Puppets Please;" All Alaskan racing pigs: multiple races each day.

-- "Spectrum's Senior Fun Day at the Fair" will be Sept. 21 in the Contest Arena. The one-day event, sponsored by Spectrum Newspapers, will include the following events for seniors: 10:30-11:30 a.m.: Duwamish Dixieland Band; 12:30-3 p.m.: Dance to "The Smoothies"; 3:30-4:30 p.m.: Toline Martial Arts Demonstration; 4:30-5 p.m.: "Tanglefoot Cloggers"; 5-6 p.m.: Puyallup Valley Dance Demonstration; 6-7:15 p.m.: Dance to "The 40's Four plus 1"; 7:15-8 p.m.: Sociable Squares; 8-8:30 p.m. "Guns and Garters"; 8:30-9:30 p.m.: Astralrhythmics (jazz dance show).

-- Grandstand entertainment, in the Northwest Concert Center: Sept. 10, 8 p.m.: Frank Sinatra, featuring Shirley MacLaine; Sept. 11, 2 and 7:30 p.m.: Jon Secada, featuring Boy Krazy; Sept. 12, 2 and 7:30 p.m.: Brooks & Dunn, featuring Lee Roy Parnell; Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m.: Shai/SWV; Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m.: Vince Gill, featuring Patty Loveless; Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m.: Bruce Hornsby; Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m.: The Smothers Brothers/Rich Little; Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m.: The Righteous Brothers/The 5th Dimension; Sept. 18, 2 and 7:30 p.m.: Barbara Mandrell & The Do-Rites; Sept. 19, 2 and 7:30 p.m.: Michael W. Smith, featuring DC Talk; Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.: TLC, featuring Jade; Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m.: The Charlie Daniels Band/Steve Wariner; Sept. 22, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.: Kenny Rogers, featuring Deborah Allen; Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m.: The Temptations/Little Anthony and the Original Imperials/The Lettermen; Sept. 24: 7:30 p.m.: Chris Isaak, featuring The Jayhawks; Sept. 25: 2 and 7:30 p.m.: Wynonna, featuring Mark Collie; Sept. 26: 7 p.m.: Clint Black, featuring Michael Johnson.

Tickets for Grandstand performances can be purchased at all Ticketmaster ticket centers, including Tower Records/Video, the Wherehouse, Disc Jockey, Budget Tapes & Discs and the Puyallup Ticketmaster office (at the fairgrounds).

-- Call the 24-hour hotline, (206) 841-5045.