Like many other annual events that bring large groups of people together, the Washington State Fair was cancelled this year because of COVID-19. For many, state fairs are as American as apple pie. That’s especially the case for immigrant children like Chona Kasinger, who will never forget her first time at that fair.
My family moved to the U.S. from the Philippines in 2001, and it was an eye-opening experience attending for the first time. As a suburban kid, I fondly remember the excitement of riding the Extreme Scream and taking in the sweeping view from the top, petting farm animals in the barns, and eating my first funnel cake.
Last year Chona went to the fair for the fourth time in her life and took pictures that would end up forming the basis of a creative story in Seattle Met magazine. The publication was going to use Chona’s work regardless of what transpired this year, but in light of the global pandemic the photographer’s imagery takes on even more meaning than it normally would.
I pitched this story at the end of last summer as a more foodie focused series, and the publication decided ahead of time that they would commission the feature a year in advance of the festival’s 120th anniversary. I spent three days at different points of the day shooting the fair.
I went probably twice while in grade school and then again in 2018 with my partner and his dad. I’m not an incredibly nostalgic person, but it’s fun going back as an adult — especially the part where you get to enjoy a midafternoon Manny’s in the beer garden that overlooks the grounds.
I started my career shooting music and hadn’t shot a lot of music leading up to the fair, so it was fun getting to relive those days a little by shooting Sir Mix a Lot and Ciara! The energy of the crowd was wild.
The state fair is one of many of leisurely summertime haunts that’s not compatible with 2020, like beaches, movie theatres, and resorts. While necessary, it’s a shame because there are a whole host of children who have to wait to live out these childhood-defining experiences with family and friends.
Honestly, I just kind of love walking around and soaking it all in. There’s something just so “American” and wholesome about a state fair — it’s a sensory feast.
The kids with braces haphazardly eating corn on the cob and oversized turkey legs, the arresting smell of smoked meats coming from every which direction, the teenage boys trying to impress their girlfriends by winning them the most stuffed animals at blue hour — I could go on.
And even if you’re not at a state fair to ride the rides or try the latest fried food, it’s just a fun place to hang out — especially if you’re a photographer. That’s where Chona’s work becomes really powerful. Readers will have to tide themselves over with shots of a place they’ve been to many times before and hope to return to before long. Hopefully, families can get back to making memories at places like the Washington State Fair in the not-too-distant future.
I miss the anonymity of being in a big crowd with a camera and kind of feeding off the energy and excitement in the space. State fairs are a beloved part of American culture and going to the Puyallup Fair is just one of those integral PNW experiences that stays with you.
Credits:
Art Director: Jane Sherman
Check out more of Chona’s work at chonakasinger.com.
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