Bring your appetite to the Oregon Country Fair

Yes, the entertainment, ambience, and crafts are a huge part of the draw for the Oregon Country Fair.

But give the food its due. And though “fair” is part of the name, Oregon Country Fair food is far beyond the fried food on a stick that you probably think of as fair food.

At the Oregon Country Fair, attendees can get food from local favorite restaurants, as well as at booths that set up only for the fair. Other food booths are from out of the area. Many spots have special menus they offer only at the fair.

“I would say an easy number is 75% of our food booths only do Oregon Country Fair,” said Vanessa Roy, Oregon Country Fair marketing manager. “And that’s why it’s really important when you come out here to eat, because it’s literally the only weekend of the entire year on the entire planet that you’re going to get some of the food that we have here.”

All vendors go through an application process. Food vendors, as well as the crafters, come from Oregon, of course, but also from all over the country. 

In 2024, six new food vendors were added: Lettuce Inn, Captain Duranzo’s Galley, the Corn Cart, Palace Coffee Nitro Bar, Panna Cotta Grotto, and Pure Love Chocolate. And in 2025, some of those vendors have new menu items — as do returning vendors.

“We had about 60 to 80 new food menu additions,” Roy said, “so whenever people are out here eating, they should check out their favorite spots and check out what’s new there.”

Roy said Cafe Lafayette added new proteins to its menu, and La Familia Mexican Foods has an entirely new menu this year. The Oregon Country Fair website provides a complete list of food vendors as well as a map of the grounds. A printed guide is available at the fair site.

Sean Bonsell, Pure Love Chocolate co-founder, said the cart will have the same three items on the menu as last year, but this time will be serving from a new spot in the fair grounds: rolling cart F17 in the Xavanadu area. Last year’s booth near Main Stage was a temporary location. 

Choose from a chocolate-covered cherry made with coconut oil, a bit of vanilla, and Bing cherries; the Oregon Hazelnut Meltaway, made with fresh-roasted Oregon hazelnuts; and the Black Lava Macadamia Melts with black lava salt and a macadamia nut inside. 

All chocolates are served cold.

“They won’t be at risk of melting as long as people eat them fairly quickly,” Bonsell said with a laugh. 

Bonsell and Pure Love’s other co-founder, Lydia Love, started out in Olympia, Washington, and moved to Eugene about six years ago, because they fell in love with Eugene. 

“We wanted to be in the food community here,” Bonsell said.

Love founded the business in 2011, after she started having allergic reactions to some food items and wanted a treat she could safely enjoy. Now, they prepare more than 20 flavors of chocolates with organic ingredients that are sweetened with stevia. The treats are safe for diabetics or folks on sugar-elimination diets. The chocolates use no sugar alcohols such as erythritol or xylitol and are keto-friendly. And because they are made with dark chocolate, they are vegan-friendly.

“The chocolates are a really good option for people that are looking to cut down on sugar and looking for a healthy treat at fair that’s also really affordable,” Bonsell said. “Our menu is $3 for a chocolate, and it’s one of the cheapest things at the fair.” 

Roy, the fair marketing manager, says her favorites include the Reuben sandwiches from Viva Vegetarian Grill and Blazing Salads’ Avocado Dreamboat, which is an avocado cut in half and topped with lemon, Moroccan seasonings and hummus. India House sells samosas, which are another favorite, as are egg rolls, which can be had from Roll On Egg Rolls. 

My personal favorite is Rising Moon Ravioli, which joined the fair in 1992, the year after I attended the fair for the first time. Rising Moon Ravioli was a local favorite pasta company that ceased operations here after being acquired by food distribution company UNFI in 2006. I loved their pasta, and for years looked forward to getting a heaping plate with pesto from the fair. 

Dump City Dumplings, based in Bend, joined the fair in 2023. They make a pad thai dumpling that Roy said is “mind-blowing” as well as a unique pizza dumpling. Dump City Dumplings was featured on Food Network’s TV show “Diners, Drive-ins & Dives” on Nov. 5, 2021.

“I have so many favorites,” Roy said. “Whenever I was coming out as a ticket buyer, I came out to eat. I would eat my way through the fair and end with some sort of ice cream. That’s always a good way to go.”

What are your favorite things to eat at the Oregon Country Fair? Share them with us! Email or text anything you’d like to share to vanessa@lookoutlocal.com, 541-315-3775. 

Want to go?
See details at oregoncountryfair.org