Hello everyone, and welcome to the Whidbey Island Area Fair!  The fair opens Thursday, July 31, and runs through Sunday, August 3.  This is our 90th anniversary and we are very proud and excited.

We are opening early this year for a very good reason:  we are bringing in a new carnival — Davis Amusement Cascadia —and these were the only dates available. They will bring the Zipper, Typhoon, Sizzler and Ferris Wheel rides as well as their Kiddie Carnival. They will also sell funnel cakes along with candy apples and cotton candy!

In addition to the carnival, however, we offer other areas where activities for young children and youths are provided.  The Fiddle Faddle Farm has supervised games and fun activities including Lego contests, and the Pottery Shack provides clay modeling and hand building. New this year, in the back of the Pole Building Fine Arts Exhibit area, will be scheduled hands-on youth arts activities in origami, wire sculpture and group murals. And don’t forget our Passport Game and the Pony Rides.

The Malone Building will be a beehive of demonstrations in the needle and fiber arts, including ink block designs for fabric, early weaving techniques, Kumihimo braiding, great wheel spinning and others. Since these were so popular last year, more demonstrations have been added.

The primary function of our fair is education, and all our buildings, barns, sheds and arenas will present exhibits, demonstrations and judging events meant for your greater understanding.

Fairs are also meant to be fun and entertaining. Check out our new bingo games in the afternoons in the Pole Building dining room. We will have walk-about entertainers, Eva Mae Main Stage performances, use of the BlackBox Theater, animal events in all the show rings, horse events in the arena and the log show on Sunday.

Fairs are also about eating, so this year look for several new food vendors in addition to our regulars.

Please remember to check the daily schedule of events so you won’t be disappointed. Also remember to visit every building as each one is loaded with great exhibits.

We are a community —supported, family—friendly fair and we are so proud of our 90 years here in Island County! So welcome, and please come and enjoy!

DIANE DIVELBESS,

president

Island County Fair Association