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A rat named Nickle, a horse named Flynn and a turkey named Blaine are among 11 finalists vying for "royal critter" honors at the King County Fair.
The 142nd edition of the annual fair kicks off today (Wednesday) at the King County Fairgrounds in Enumclaw. The fair draws to a close Sunday evening.
Today's critter crowning marks the grand opening of the King County Fair. A grand menagerie will compete to be crowned the fair’s official mascot, or Royal Critter, at high noon. The winner will replace Jeffrey the Sheep, who in 2003 was deemed by judges as the animal best exemplifying the spirit of the fair.
The noon ceremony will also feature 14-year-old Enumclaw singer Anya Holte performing the national anthem and a tribute to Tom and Jerry Black, who have staged their popular logging show at the fair for 35 years.
Also in store for the grand opening is the highly popular King Pickle contest, where getting "in a pickle" is a good thing. All fairgoers dressed as a pickle receive free admission to the fair (today only). The winner not only presides as the fair’s 2004 King Pickle, but will receive the coveted jar of Farman's pickles and a King County Fair Treasure Chest. Nathan Craven, 4, is the defending "king of the dill."
The critter judging will have a local flavor, as judges will include Enumclaw Mayor John Wise and King County Councilman Steve Hammond, an Enumclaw resident. Aside from Nickle, Flynn and Blaine, they'll also select from critter finalists Millie the dog, Ginger the guinea pig, Austen the rabbit, Laddie the dog, Lightning the chicken, Greta the goat, Nookie the ferret, and Charlie the llama. KMPS radio host Tony Thomas will serve as master of ceremonies.
When the King County Fair opens at 10 a.m. today, fairgoers will see everything they have come to expect from the oldest county fair west of the Mississippi - summer concerts, rides, farm animals, rodeo, logging show, blue-ribbon competitions, green grass and hot buttered scones with jelly. But they'll also see something very new: a more user-friendly fair layout and food court, a new entertainment stage, a circus, and reduced entry fees.
General admission prices are $6 (down from $8 last year) for adults, $3 for children ages 6-15 and $4 for seniors 62 and older. A Sunday family pass ($12 for one adult and three children or two adults and two children) and a Friday military discount ($5 per adult, $2 per child) are also available. The fair also features a Dollar Day today, which means admission is not only $1; so is parking, carnival rides and tonight's concert with country music star Chris Cagle. Taking the stage before Cagle is rising star Blaine Larsen, who graduated from White River High School last month and now has a debut CD on store shelves.
Entertainment
€ Concerts include Blaine Larsen and Chris Cagle (tonight, $1); Rachel Lampa (Thursday, $5 advance, $7 door); KMPS concert, Restless Heart reunion (Friday, free); Hit Explosion and RockARaoke (Saturday, free); La Onda (Sunday, $5 advance, $7 door).
€ Professional Cowboy Rodeo - bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, team roping, steer wrestling, calf roping and barrel racing competitions, Friday and Saturday.
€ Logger Rodeo - Real-life lumberjacks compete in traditional events such as log rolling, ax throwing and speed climbing. Tom Black, former Seattle SuperSonic, has coordinated the Logger rodeo for 35 years. It begins at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
€ Family Entertainment - Watch a master hypnotist as he guides volunteers with his creative suggestions, see amazing unicycle-riding comedians juggle machetes, and enjoy in magic shows, stiltwalking, balloon sculptors, marionnetes and more.
€ Circus - Tommy Hanneford presents a European-style circus in a spacious and colorful state-of-the-art circular tent. The program features aerialists, acrobats, trained animals and clowns. Up to three 45-minute performances per day, always free.
For more information, call the King County Fairgrounds at 206-296-8888. To learn more about the 2004 King County Fair, visit the fair Web site at: www.metrokc.gov/fair
