The Pig-N-Ford Race At Tillamook County Fair Is An Only-In-Oregon Spectacle You Must Experience

On your mark... get set... go! And by "go," we mean grab a pig and Model T, and hit the racetracks. Confused? You shouldn't be... this *is* Oregon we're talking about, a bastion for the weird, wild, and wonderful. Every summer at the Tillamook County Fair, there is an only-in-Oregon spectacle you must see to believe. It's the Pig-N-Ford Race, and there is nothing in Oregon -- or the country! -- quite like it.

Every year, folks come from far and wide to attend the Tillamook County Fair, a summer festival favorite on the North Oregon Coast. This festival has been happening annually since 1891, and truly is one of the best and most beloved fests in the PNW!

But folks don't just come for the fun and games, the 4H exhibits and live music, the carnival rides and funnel cake (though those things are all wonderful), they come for the spectacle of something you can only experience here, in Tillamook Oregon...

...the Pig N' Ford races!

An annual tradition since 1925, the Pig N' Ford race at the Tillamook County Fair is truly one of the most unique and uplifting events year.

(Ignore that gentleman's broken arm... we're sure that happened somewhere else and not while operating a car at high speeds while holding a spirited swine...)

The idea for the race happened when a couple of Tillamook County residents were transporting some pigs and one got loose. They proceeded to chase the pig in their Model T Fords and had so much fun trying to catch and drive with the pesky pig in tow that they thought "let do this at the fair!" This is a thought any reasonable type would have, of course.

The world-famous Pig-N-Ford races are held each night in the fairground's Grandstand Arena, and believe us when we say that this is an event worth seeking out.

There are two races Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, starting at 5:30 p.m. each day. Winners of each race will compete in the Championship Finals Saturday, immediately following the two qualifying races.

Admission to these races is free with festival tickets.

These races are every bit as intense as what you'd find at the Kentucky Derby or Indy 500; it's a fight to the finish line in what is perhaps the greatest show on Earth!

The hog haulin' isn't limited to little swines, either... you never know who you'll find racing on these dirt tracks.

The Pig N' Ford races are the kind of pure, unadulterated fun that we could all use a bit more of in our lives. So mark your calendar for the Tillamook County Fair, held each August in beautiful Tillamook, Oregon.

Have you attended the Pig-N-Ford Race at this Oregon summer festival in years past? If so, we'd love to hear all about it!

For more only-in-Oregon oddities, be sure to visit these weird and wonderful gems!