Every year Karen Kildall Occhiogrosso is asked who the centerpiece of the grandstand at the Northwest Washington Fair will be, and as the fair’s sponsorship director, her answer is the same every year: “It all depends on what you like.”
This year’s fair will be held Aug. 8-17 at the Northwest Washington Fair & Events Center in Linden and will feature even more variety in the stands entertainment, sponsored by Bank of the Pacific.
“Bank of the Pacific has been a truly generous partner,” says Kildall-Occhiogrosso, “They’ve been with us for 22 years and are our first sponsor. Their sponsorship infusion not only supports Grandstand, but also our core values mission of youth, community, agriculture, education and entertainment.”
Michelle Camping, a longtime mortgage lender with Bank of the Pacific, remembers her excitement when the sponsorship first began. For decades, she has enjoyed working for the community bank, which is also a key sponsor of the Community Fair. Similar to the diversity of stand entertainment each year, Bank of the Pacific serves a wide range of customers, from families and farmers to local business owners.
“Our partnership with Fair is like an extension of our relationship with our customers,” Camping says. “It’s consistent with who we are as a bank and what we stand for.”
The Bank of the Pacific sign above the grandstand has been updated for 2021. Photo courtesy of Bank of the Pacific
2024 lineup
From demolition derby and rodeo to Christian, country, hip hop, rock and Hispanic music, there’s plenty to enjoy at the Grandstand this year.
The intense demolition derby action will take place over two nights on August 8 and 9. Tickets for Friday night have already sold out, and are selling fast for Thursday night’s event.
“There has never been a time when tickets for the evening demo derby weren’t sold out,” says Kildare Occhiogrosso.
Country artist Walker Hayes will take the stage on Saturday, Aug. 10. Camping and Tana Chalker, a mortgage lender with Bank of the Pacific, say their teenage daughters have already bought tickets for the show.
Walker Hays is one of the artists scheduled to take the stage at this year’s Northwest Washington Fair, which runs Aug. 8 to 17. Photo by Walker Hays
Banda Los Recoditos will perform on Sunday, Aug. 11. The hugely popular Mexican group formed in 1989 and has a strong following across the West Coast of the U.S. Kirdal Occhiogrosso said the inclusion of Hispanic entertainment on Sundays has been overwhelmingly well-received since its 2021 debut.
The annual Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rodeo Night will take place on Monday, August 12th and Tuesday, August 13th, and will feature contemporary Christian music artist Leeland on Wednesday, August 14th.
Countryman Chris Janson will take to the Grandstand stage on Thursday, August 15, followed by rockers Ace Frehley and Steven Adler on Friday night, August 16. Frehley, the founding lead guitarist of KISS, will perform his band’s hits alongside Adler, the former Guns N’ Roses drummer, who will pay tribute to his former band.
The event concluded with a performance by multi-platinum rapper Ludacris in front of an already sold-out crowd on Saturday night, August 17. Ludacris joins Nelly, Ne-Yo and Flo Rida as recent hip-hop performers at the fair.
Original Bank of the Pacific banner above the stands in 2005. Photo courtesy of Bank of the Pacific
Kildare-Occhiogrosso expects even more events to sell out in the future: Last year, both nights of the Demo Derby and Rodeo sold out, as did several concerts.
“It’s a very diverse lineup,” she says, “and I think there’s definitely something for everyone. If you’re thinking about buying tickets, I encourage you to do so now.”
A sense of community
Each night, employees from various departments at Bank of the Pacific have the honor of welcoming spectators into the stands.
“It’s a real honor to be a part of an event that our community can enjoy together,” Chalker said. “It’s a joy to witness.”
Camping and Chalker both have fond memories of past Grandstand shows, including performances by Kenny Rogers and Garth Brooks, who made an unannounced guest appearance during Trisha Yearwood’s show in 1997.
Foreigner, a band that has released 47 singles and had 14 Top 20 hits, performed at the 2009 Northwest Washington Fair. Photo courtesy of Bank of the Pacific.
With her participation in the fair soon to come to an end, Chalker says she is looking forward to enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the event.
“There’s nothing like the feeling of working for a company that supports a community that comes together to have fun on a Saturday night in the fairgrounds listening to a great band,” she says. “It makes you feel like we’re all in this together.”
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