Interactive shows get fairgoers involved
Published 1:30 am Friday, July 31, 2026
Throughout the Grays Harbor County Fair, fairgoers have had the opportunity to take in interactive shows designed to entertain, and in some cases, educate. From prop comedians to lizards and snakes, and a cryptid or two, bleachers were filled with children and adults who took time out from walking the fairgrounds to enjoy something different.
On Wednesday, the Jodesha stage featured first-time Grays Harbor County Fair performer Alex Zerbe, also known as Zaniac. Zerbe, who has appeared on America’s Got Talent and Last Comic Standing, delivered his own brand of comedy with a mix of rapping, juggling and interactivity. The lyrics and jokes were aimed at kids as well as adults.
“I try to do a family show, I love performing for kids. That’s my jam. I really try to make my show like Shrek, where it’s like it’s a kids movie but they’re lobbing stuff over the kids’ heads to the adults,” Zerbe said. “The community is great, I’m like 29 minutes away. I spend a lot of time driving. Just this month I’ve been out to Pullman and Walla Walla and Oregon. It is nice to be pretty local.”
Zerbe feels it is important to connect with people in person and that his show offers an opportunity for interaction.
“No one wants to just watch me for the whole show. That’s the great thing about live entertainment, as opposed to being on your screen,” Zerbe said. “We’re here together, it’s a community event, that’s what’s so great about fairs. It brings people together. We spend so much of our time on these devices. Scrolling is not life. You gotta get out there and meet real people and have a real life.”
Aside from the Zaniac and Leapin’ Louie comedy shows, Northwest Wildlife Sanctuary has been thrilling fairgoers with an array of exotic reptiles including venomous snakes. And, for the second year in a row, Jodesha radio personality Johnny Manson served as the master of ceremonies for the Bigfoot Olympics. Bigfoot Bae also put in an appearance.
“We do the Bigfoot Olympics because we’re in the heart of Bigfoot country, as you know Grays Harbor, Pacific County, Pacific Northwest, we are ground zero, so why not have the Bigfoot Olympics where people get a chance to participate in these fun contents and they get a chance to win cool, fabulous prizes while doing it,” Manson said.
Five contestants, who all received swag bags for their trouble, had the opportunity to compete in a variety of challenges such as a “log” loss for distance, a bean bag toss for accuracy, “woop” calls for audience reaction, Bigfoot trivia and a pie eating contest for the chance to win concert tickets.
Manson added, “I get to meet a lot of great people. Last year, our Superior Court Clerk Kym Foster entered, and that’s how we met, her entering the Bigfoot Olympics, and we’re best chums ever since. Everybody wins something, the grand prize is a big pile of concert tickets.”
In addition to the headliner concerts on the Pepsi Stage, other performances included the Dancehouse Dancers, Dancers Unlimited, a cheerleading exposition, and a music looping demonstration.
