Here Are 11 Crazy Traditions You'll Totally Get If You're From Washington
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Jessica Wick
Author
Each state has their own traditions that make them unique. These are a few of Washington’s, Not all of these things are exclusive to our state, but if you bring them up around a Washingtonian, we’ll know exactly what you’re talking about, even if we don’t participate ourselves.
Of course tailgating is popular nationwide. But Seattle Seahawks fans take it to a whole new level with their enthusiasm (and ability to grill delicious food and drink alcohol before sunrise).
We are an agricultural state, and we celebrate it. Fall in Washington means harvesting many of the the wonderful crops that are grown here. It also means showing them off at our excellent local and state fairs and enjoying a lot of harvest festivals.
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Spring marks the start of some amazing wine events in Washington. Spring Barrel Tasting weekend, held in the Yakima Valley and surrounding areas like Zillah, Prosser and the Red Mountain area, offers the chance to taste vino from some of the best wineries in the Pacific Northwest.
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The Yakima Valley is also home to one of the most fertile hop growing regions in the entire world. We celebrate having the ideal environment for beer growing with several beer festivals across the state. The Fresh Hop Ale Festival in Yakima has been voted one of the best beer festivals in the nation.
Only a magical town like Leavenworth could convince thousands of people to battle extreme crowds, resulting traffic issues, scary winter driving conditions and subzero temperatures to experience this beautiful dose of holiday cheer. Somehow it’s always worth it.
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Our annual civil war, the Cougars vs. Huskies, goes down every November, rotating between Pullman and Seattle. Both teams’ fans are extremely spirited. It’s (mostly) all in good fun, but the exchanges can get heated.
The Boeing Seafair Show hosts the US Navy Blue Angels, whose familiar roar can be heard all around the Seattle area every August. It’s an exciting time in Western Washington, and you won’t find an empty park, patio, boat or rooftop in the city.
The Dave Matthews Band has been playing at the Gorge Amphitheater on Labor Day weekend for so long, it’s referred to on their tour page as their "traditional Labor Day weekend run."
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Seattle’s long-running music and arts festival attracts people from all over the country, not just Washington. Though it has had some financial troubles in recent years (and it used to be a lot less expensive), it seems to have overcome them. Thank goodness for that.
Speaking of festivals… every May, thousands of Pacific Northwesterners pack the Gorge to listen to music from several genres, from indie rock bands to alternative, hip hop and EDM. The wide range of talent attracts a wide range of people, and Washingtonians have enjoyed hosting the festival since its 2002 beginnings.
Of course, most of Washington state is at least a little bit country. We celebrate country music with the Watershed Festival in August, also held at the Gorge. Watershed attracts some of the industry’s most popular artists as well as some up and coming stars.
What other Washington traditions can you think of?
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