Interstate Fair

A Military brass band performs in the main exhibit building of the Spokane Fruit Fair in 1895.  The Fruit Fair was the forerunner of the Spokane County Interstate Fair.

1912 postcard advertising the Spokane Interstate Fair.

The reverse of the above card.

Spokane always loved a parade.  This scene on Riverside Avenue in front of the ONB building is of the 1915 Labor Day parade with a large banner advertising the Interstate Fair which was to get underway a few days later.

Local Plateau Indian Tribes often displayed their culture at early Interstate Fairs.  This family and tipi were set up on the Fairgrounds in 1907.  Note also the western stagecoach to the left.

In later years, automobile sports replaced horse racing as an attraction at the Interstate Fair.  Here two racing daredevils dash around the Grandstand dirt track circa 1915.

A scene from the 1906 Interstate Fair.  From 1901 to 1930 the Interstate Fair was held on the grounds of what was later Playfair Race Track on the east side of the City of Spokane.

Horse racing was a major attraction at those early Fairs, such as this scene in 1907.

The fair moved to the present fairgrounds in 1952. 

Photo taken at the 1910 Spokane Interstate Fair.

Photo taken at the 1910 Spokane Interstate Fair

Cars lined up on Bolster Avenue for the 1912 Spokane Interstate Fair

This car was first place winner at the Spokane Aubomobile Show and Dr. C. P. Thomas took the prize.

The Interstate Fair has always lived up to its "Interstate" name.  Here is a display of farm produce grown by farmers in the Kendrick, Idaho, district.  Notice these 1914 era farmers were quite blunt about not touching the goods.

A couple from Fort Benton, Montana, exhibit their Shetland Ponies in the "Fine Harness" class at the Interstate Fair in 1959.  By then, the Fair had relocated to its present site at Broadway and Havana.