Whidbey’s biggest event of the summer kicked off with flurries of fun Thursday morning, and there’s still plenty of time to pack more excitement in this weekend.

Animal lovers will go crazy for the abundance of feathered and furry friends, adrenaline junkies can get their fix on the Skymaster or Twizzler, foodies can indulge in a cornucopia of flavors and, with entertainers from flamenco guitarists to an Elvis impersonator, everybody has something to dance to at this year’s Island County Fair.

It’s been nonstop action at the fair so far.

The kick-off

Matt Chambers was a man of few words at the fair’s opening ceremony.

“That was the shortest prayer at the fair, ever,” said fair president Diane Divelbess.

Chambers isn’t usually found on the main stage. He usually cooks curly fries and buffalo burgers in his church’s booth only a few steps away.

But on the first day of the fair, the pastor of South Whidbey Assembly of God had to perform his duties as grand marshal. Chambers will also lead the parade today.

Stop the music

Danny Ward had lit up morning on the midway, the opening entertainer on the Eva Mae Gabelein stage, with his familiar yet fantastic saxophone skills.

Part way through his third song, an elderly man approached the foot of the stage, dropped $30 there, and picked up one each of the three CDs that Ward had fanned out in a little display.

Ward pulled the saxophone away from his lips, and the little lines at the corners of his eyes stretched out with his smile, much like they do when he pushes his heart into his horn.

“You’re kind, man. Thank you very much,” he said to the stranger.

Then it was on with the show, with Ward bookending each tune with a little between-songs banter.

“C’mon, boys, get out your instruments!” he called out to three teens in blue “Team Clean!” T-shirts pulling a garbage cart past the midway stage.

Then it was back to the music.

Here was “What a Difference a Day Makes,” the song that gave Doris Day her name.

Al Jarreau’s hit “We’re In This Love Together” came quickly behind, and Ward took a turn with Frank Sinatra’s first smash, “Polka Dots and Moonbeams.” Then he dipped into a few Stan Getz standards, including “Desafinado” from his “The Girl from Ipanema” days.

Ward told the crowd how he came to Whidbey many, many years ago.

“It’s finally paying off. I’m on the main stage,” he said.

Not everyone stayed for the complete show, as work elsewhere at the fairgrounds beckoned.

“Keep playing, I can hear you from my booth!” one man yelled out.

People clogged the doorway of the Warren Burrier Building to cheer Ward as he finished his set. I’ll be back tomorrow, he told them, each day at 9:30 a.m.

Ward has been the morning music man at the fair for a decade now. He came to Whidbey in 1979 for a show at Top of the Island in Clinton, now Hong Kong City, when the building was brand-new. He recalled standing on a bluff overlooking the water during that visit.

“I said, ‘What am I doing on the mainland?’”

“I love playing mornings. There’s no pressure,” he said after his set, while packing up his saxophone, tapes and gear.

The set list? Whatever sounds good.

“I just pick whatever tunes I feel like playing at the time.”

Usually, for dinner performances at local restaurants, he has to play soft and low.

Not so at the fair.

“I get to play those same tunes, and I get to crank them up. I normally wouldn’t get to play loud like that, except at home.”

Let’s get pretty

Eli Johnson grabbed what looked like a black, boxy cheese grater and then, the back right hoof of his goat.

It was time the LaMancha got la manicure.

Eli, 8, was getting ready for the showmanship competition, where judges examine the animals that 4-H members have brought to the fair, to see how well they have been groomed — and also test the kids on their knowledge and handling skills.

“If the judges like what they see, they’ll give you a blue ribbon,” Eli explained.

Time was running out, though, and Eli still had three hooves left to do before show time. He wasn’t going to think about standing in front of a judge just yet; that’s pretty rough stuff.

“I sometimes get a little nervous,” he said.

Still, he made quick work of the hooves and grabbed a spray bottle to put a little shine on his goat. Thankfully, his goat was super spiffy before they came to the fairgrounds in Langley, as most goats get a full body clipping before coming to the fair.

That’s the harder work, because it includes flipping a goat over, to shave their armpits.

“It’s like WrestleMania, with goats,” said Sara Lewellen, a 4-H goat club’s leader.

A few feet away, Eli’s sister, Erika Campbell, 16, was getting ready, too, putting body sheen on her 6-year-old Alpine goat, Sophie.

“That’s a milking goat,” Eli said.

What’s the hardest part of milking?

“Pretty much nothing,” he said.

“You take your hand like you’re holding a pencil,” he explained, “and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze.”

“Oh, and aim for the bowl,” Eli added.

The family can get about two gallons a day from one of their goats, but Eli admits he’s a fan of moo juice. Goat milk is another story.

“I haven’t tried it. I’m thinking about it,” he said.

Simply the best

Shannon Kinskie made history at the fair on Wednesday, or close to it.

When the American Legion Post 141 opened its food booth, the first of the fair food vendors to open, she was there to get the first burger off the grill.

Or maybe it was the second; the volunteers behind the counter couldn’t exactly recall who walked off with the first.

It didn’t matter much, however.

“They have the best burgers here, ever,” Kinskie said.

The reason was pretty simple, actually.

“Their sauce,” she said.

Workers at the Legion booth said they were ready for big crowds during the four-day fair. They brought in 250 pounds of onions, 2,000 hamburger patties, 960 hot dogs, 480 kielbasa, 12 gallons of biscuits and gravy, and 300 pound of fries (they added those to the menu last year).

Behind the music

There’s pop, rock, country.

And then there’s New Age Flamenco.

“Our music is unique; our style is unique, like organic food,” said Oleg Ruvinov, the leader of the traveling band of three Russian guitarists.

Ruvinov, 46, the group’s bass player, has been a professional musician since he was 15, but started playing the tuba when he was 10.

Why music?

“Ask my parents. Huge mistake,” he laughed.

Thursday marked the group’s first-ever performance at the Island County Fair. The group plays fairs, festivals, church gatherings, weddings, you name it. The trio —  which includes father and son Sergey and Ilya Ignatov — had just performed the night before at a big private party in Seattle.

Backstage, Ruvinov looked over their playlist, packed thick with songs from Santana, the Gypsy Kings, and, here in the Pacific Northwest home of DjangoFest, a few Rosenberg Trio songs for gypsy jazz fans. There were a few of Sergey Ignatov’s originals in the mix, as well: “Mood Changes,” “Barcelona Afternoon.”

Ruvinov marked the set list with a yellow highlighter, then put it down. From one end of the green room to the other, up the stairs to the stage then back again, Ruvinov looked eager for the band to take the stage.

“I can’t exist. I can’t live without it,” he said of the music. “It’s my life. It’s like air for me.”

Ilya Ignatov sat on the couch as his dad fiddled with a digital camera.

He plays “the git-tar,” he said with a smile.

It was his first festival gig with the band, which usually has a few older and more established players.

Ruvinov waved off the inexperience of youth.

“He is doing a wonderful job as a substitute,” he said.

Ignatov said he liked performing with his dad.

“It’s fun, it’s a good feeling.”

But there was a bit of pressure to play well, he admitted. “It’s intimidating, because he overshadows me.”

His dad was the picture of pride, though, a few minutes later. He scooted down to stand at center stage during the sound check so he could take a dozen or so photos of his son on stage.

Time to fly

The rides were so close, the line of more than 50 patient people could almost hop onto the Yo-Yo or Skymaster.

It began forming about 11:30 a.m., as the crowd waited to buy tickets for the carnival’s dozen or so rides.

Some of the first people in line were a handful of youths from over town; Nick Podell, a 10-year-old from San Francisco, Max, 9, and Mike Baldwin, 12, brothers from Seattle — and Silas Batiste, 11, from Langley waited more than 30 minutes for their first rides.

Despite all that time to plan, they were conflicted about the spinning, metal mechanical bronco they’d bust first. Such choices: the Yo-Yo, the Skymaster, the Twizzler, or the nausea-inducing Gravitron.

“I’m excited for the Gravitron,” Mike said. “It’s really fun.”

Part of the fun, he explained, was trying to climb out as the ride spins around, using centrifugal force to pin riders to the wall, ceiling or floor.

Unbelievable, Nick said.

“You can crawl up the wall and not fall down?” Nick asked.

Mike, though, warned his pals that trying to escape the pull of the Gravitron usually means a few harsh words from the carny at the controls.

Maybe getting food first would help them decide. Nick, visiting South Whidbey for the summer, suggested finding a Philly cheesteak stand.

But how about curly fries instead? Corn dogs? An elephant ear?

“What’s an elephant ear?” Nick asked.

“It’s basically a pancake covered in sugar,” Mike said.

The fair has its ups and downs for kids this year, but that’s OK.

The roller coaster in the middle of the fairgrounds was exactly what a pair of South Whidbey girls wanted.

Netty Jurriaans and Laila Gmerek, both 8, rode the front car with smiles on their faces for all six laps of the track.

“It was really fun,” Laila said.

The excitement of the coaster’s speed had the pair poised to return later.

“I like the first drop,” Laila said. “I like the ups and downs.”

Laila is a veteran of the attractions at the carnival. By 3 p.m., she had already gone through the Glass House nine times, swung round on the Yo-Yo and spun about on the Twizzler.

Flush with the thrill of turns and drops, the girls were nowhere near done.

“I wanna do the Yo-Yo,” Netty said. “I wanna do a bunch of them. I wanna do all of them.”

Brent Dewolf, a 10-year-old from Freeland, worked in the chicken barn for a few hours before taking a break to ride the Yo-Yo.

“It’s like my 20th ride,” Brent said.

Nearby, Olivia Bolding was with her friends Kate Bradford, Brianna Anderson, Hannah Grady and Rhylie Frye. They had been at the fair three hours and had been on the Skymaster four times — their favorite ride.

“It’s thrilling,” Bolding said. “It’s adventureful.”

Taking the reins

It was all about rider control at the horse arena Thursday. During the 4-H equitation over fences, a dozen riders were judged on their ability to direct and jump their horses over 18- and 24-inch obstacles.

Ardea Batiste, a 14-year-old Clinton resident, won the grand prize in the 24-inch event.

“I felt it was amazing,” Ardea said. “And it was the best course we’ve ever done.”

Ardea and her steed, Snickers, competed solely for practice, though. This is the first year Island County 4-H hosted an equitation over fences event, so it didn’t qualify Ardea and Snickers for further fairs as with other 4-H contests.

It would have been a qualifier had 4-H been able to host two competitions before the fair. Rainy weather and the threat of equine flu nixed those plans, though.

For now, Ardea was content with winning on her new horse; she got Snickers a year-and-a-half ago. The pair will compete in the gaming events this weekend, too.

Cara Mathews, 16, won the grand ribbon for the 18-inch equitation over fences on Dakota Red.

Feathers fly

They spin on a wheel, they walk across a teeter-totter, they run on a barrel and, this year, they even surf.

Spectators flocked to the Clucky Stage Thursday for the first of several Chicken Olympics performances in the poultry barn throughout the fair.

Matt Hoar, decked out in colorful coattails and a foam chicken comb hat, entertained the animated audience with egg juggling and lots of corny chicken puns.

With the help of his “star player,” Caelen Coe, 12, Hoar even balanced a chicken on a wooden platform held in his mouth.

Hannah Weirich, 10, borrowed a Belgian Bearded d’Uccle named Merlin to perform because her own chicken, Beautiful, isn’t quite tame enough yet. Merlin wasn’t a fan of the teeter-totter, but he surfed like a California pro.

“It’s fun,” said Hannah, who lives in Coupeville and has been in poultry 4-H for a year. “You get to hold the chickens.”

After a knock-out performance with her Rhode Island Red, Ruby, 14-year-old Meaghan de Wolf of Freeland said she’s enjoyed her three years of 4-H because chickens are simpler than other animals.

“They’re pretty easy to handle and take places,” she said. “They’re really friendly.”

This little piggy goes to market

Whidbey Island Hogs 4-H member Caterina Amsler of Oak Harbor has had too many pigs to count in her eight years with the club.

That’s because club members raise their hogs for about six months — then they’re off to market.

Club members and their pigs compete in showmanship and market classes. Showmanship is judged based on how well kids train and handle their pigs, while market classes are more about the hogs having a nice weight and appearance.

Amsler, 15, said she likes showmanship a little better.

“I get to work a lot more with my animals,” she said.

Three-year-old Cailyn Murray has been going to the fair every year since she was born.

Petting a little gray Mini Teacup pig named Jimmy Dean, Murray said her favorite parts of the fair are going on rides and “meeting the nice, friendly pig.”

Milking it

The juices were flowing Friday morning as children and adults faced off in this year’s goat milking competition.

Two Alpine goats named Amber and Sophy stood side by side with a cup under their full udders, as competitors prepared to milk.

With the click of a stopwatch, the squeezing began.

Depending on the milker’s skills, the liquid squirted into the paper cups or sprayed away.

Some milkers cried, “New cup!” as an assistant raced to switch out the full one.

After 30 seconds, the fresh, frothy milk was measured. In the children’s division, Celia Jacobson-Ross of Clinton took away the glory with one and a quarter cups.

“I just do it fast and I practice a lot,” said Celia, 8, who has been around goats since she was born and is in her first year of 4-H with the Kidding Around Goat 4-H Club. She loves the goats because they’re “so sweet and nice.”

With over three cups of milk, the winner of the adult’s division came as no surprise.

Linda Adesanya of Clinton has been milking goats for more than 25 years — and she’s won every goat milking competition at the fair since they began three years ago.

Adesanya’s family started raising the animals when her dad’s doctor suggested he drink goat milk to help alleviate his ulcers.

“I love their temperaments,” she said of her goats. “They have a calming effect on me. I go out and hang with the goats when I’m stressed.”

Time for tofu puffs

Kym Saephan has been coming to the fair for 15 years, but this is her first time working it, and she says it’s hot.

In the kitchen, that is.

Saephan, who lives in Langley, is cooking up fried tofu puffs and other delicious southeast Asian cuisine at the fair this week, taking a break from her usual location in the Ken’s Korner mall.

“It’s pretty warm in here, but business has been steady, which is nice,” she said, adding that she’s enjoyed being able to meet the customers.

Saephan started Whidbey Rice in May of last year. Despite tough economic times, the restaurant seems to be doing well.

“Business has been very kind to me. Everyone is very encouraging and supportive.”

Saephan said she has many vegetarian friends who influenced her in making the tofu puffs, which are deep fried in soybean oil.

The puffs are made of a light, fluffy tofu and can be dressed up with hot or sweet sauce or cut and added to other dishes.

“They’re very versatile.”

A cavy quiz

Mallory Hunt knows her guinea pig facts.

During the cavy showmanship competition, 14-year-old Mallory answered the judge’s questions about her American breed guinea pig, Pig, with ease.

She explained that Pig has agouti coloring, meaning the tips of her hair are a different color than the roots; she demonstrated the proper way to examine Pig if she might be sick; and she gave a slightly perplexed laugh when the judge asked her whether a nice bath could turn a non-Silkie guinea pig into a Silkie — because it so obviously isn’t so.

Mallory, who lives in Oak Harbor, said she studies a little, but after eight years in cavy 4-H, the knowledge builds up.

She likes competing in 4-H with guinea pigs because it’s a little unusual and it’s fun.

“They do have a lot of personality. They’re really cute,” she said, adding that the guinea pigs don’t take a lot of work.

During cavy showmanship classes, 4-H kids are judged on their guinea pig knowledge, while typing classes judge the guinea pigs’ condition and appearance based on their breed standards.

The fair had been open for 30 minutes, and fair administrator Sandey Brandon has heard it all, usually in the form of a question.

At the center of it all

“Are bubble guns OK to sell,” a vendor asks.

Yes.

“Can I bring a cart in right now and go to the alpaca barn,” asks someone who has already made her way inside the gate with a vehicle after 9 a.m., a no-no.

Yes, but…

“Can we still get presale tickets?”

No.

“Do you know where the stamps are?”

What kind?

“It’s just one crisis from one crisis to the next,” Brandon said.

Luckily, she has help, a lot. Hundreds of volunteers make the fair possible, Brandon notes, and she estimates they probably put in 3,000 to 5,000 hours for the South End’s biggest event of the summer.

Here’s one now, volunteer Brian McKenna, the guy affectionately known as “Da Man.”

Really, everyone has taken to calling him The Go-To Guy. They even put the title on the badge he wears.

“I don’t know how it happened,” McKenna said of his status.

He started volunteering for the fair in 2004, the year the kerfuffle broke out over political stands at the fair, and he’s been helping out ever since.

He’s a neighbor to the fairgrounds: “I live right through the trees,” he points.

McKenna gets called on for pretty much everything. Organizing the passport program, working with local chambers, maintaining the flower beds, watering the plants. If it’s go-to stuff, he’s the go-to guy.

“I did not choose the title,” McKenna said, but it’s clear he’s accepted it in good humor, and because it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“They were so happy to give me the laminated badge,” he said.

That’s not the real reason why he’s found scrambling from one end of the fairgrounds to the other.

“It’s community. That’s what I like about it,” McKenna said.

This report was written by Record writers Brian Kelly, Rebecca Leisher and Ben Watanabe.