About Us

For years in the Clayton and Deer Park area, the local fair was held within Deer Park; but in 2005 the city of Deer Park decided to modernize the area that once held the fairgrounds.  Today, instead of the fairgrounds, you can find the new retail hub of Deer Park along with the Fairground Apartments as they sit where the fairgrounds used to be. 

While the city of Deer Park decided it was time to move on with the times, the Deer Park Fair Association and it’s volunteers knew that it was vital for future generations to have the opportunity to learn not only skills with animals but also skills used throughout the homestead.  While people in our communities could show their skills at the Spokane Interstate Fair or the Northeast Washington Fair in Colville, those fairs would lack the small town feel and community that people have in our little portion of the world.  And that kicked off a broad search for ground to house a fairgrounds.  In the end, 20 acres of land was purchased off Wallbridge Road a convenient place between Clayton and Deer Park but not too far from Elk, Camden and Chattaroy. 

Not only did the fair move but the Clayton Rodeo that raises funds for the fair had to move as well.  While the association had the land and the movable pens from the leased land in Deer Park, the only other thing they had was a determined group of volunteers.  Draft horses were brought to the grounds to do the first plowing and preparing of the grounds.   The first Clayton Community Fair was held the 3rd weekend in August 2006 on the new grounds.  There were no buildings that year, just pens with poles and tents strung across to provide a break from the sun. Of course, mother nature attended with some strong winds to blow the tarps down and the dirt everywhere.  Through sheer grit and determination, the fair was held and plans were made for the future – especially grass!

Once the first fair was over, the team knew they needed to raise money for buildings, electricity, bathrooms, and water spickets.  That meant one thing, they had to get the arena ready, a livestock contractor lined up and the rodeo back in action. The team of volunteers then found lumber and moved bleachers to the new grounds after months of sweat equity, the team was ready for the first Clayton Rodeo in July 2007.

But the arena wasn’t the only thing the volunteers spent their nights and weekends working on, they also planted grass, lots and lots of grass.  Which meant that a team of volunteers spent their morning, evenings and weekends dragging out garden hoses and lawn trains to water all the grass.  Then those volunteers had to mow 10 acres of ground. 

It’s easy to say the rest is history, but history continues to live on and thrive at the Clayton Fairgrounds and 19 years later the work is all still planned, coordinated, overseen, and completed by volunteers. If you want to be a part of history, its simple just come to the meetings on the 4th Tuesday of the month to figure out what skills you can offer and find out how you too can volunteer for the future of our youth, agriculture and our community.  

The Clayton Rodeo’s sole purpose is to raise funds for the Clayton Community Fair which takes place in August. The Deer Park Fair Association dba Clayton Community Fair is a 501c3 non-profit organization. It operates independently from the county or state and all proceeds go toward funding the fair and maintaining the fairgrounds. Everything is strictly run by volunteers, including the 12 volunteer members on the fair board.