Pierce County Business Accelerator (PCBA) at the Washington State Fair

​Every year in late August through September, Puyallup, Washington takes on a massive undertaking – the Washington State Fair. The Washington State Fair is not only the largest fair in the Pacific Northwest, but one of the largest in the world. Hundreds of thousands of visitors each day have so much to experience from concerts in the Umpqua Bank Grandstands, a showcase of agriculture and farming, and 13 plus buildings to walk through all offering a variety of activities.
 
This year, the fair had something that has never been offered before – the Pierce County Business Accelerator vendor section. Every three days, six new PCBA program graduates had the chance to share their unique businesses with Fair guests. Located in the Pavilion Marketplace right inside the Gold Gate on the fairgrounds, it was the perfect venue for these booths. The Pavilion Marketplace historically hosts small ‘maker’ businesses, 4-H contestants, and much more.
 
PCBA vendors offered a variety of products including custom painted glassware, season-trendy clothing, handknit plushies, self/body care products, jam-filled jars, laser cut wood ornaments, handmade jewelry, beard oil, perfumes, Croc charms, and more! If you were unable to walk-through the Pavilion Marketplace and shop these PCBA vendors, then head over to the PCBA Website, Pierce County Business Accelerator (pcbamap.biz), to check out not only these grads, but also the other 450+ graduates.
 
The PCBA is a program of the Pierce County Economic Development Department funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and administered by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. The City of Lakewood is a municipal partner. The PCBA is managed in partnership with Next Consulting, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, The Black Collective, Mi Centro, and Korean Women’s Association. To learn more visit PCBA.biz.