From Lego contests and lawnmower races to gymnastic chickens and a singing politician, this year’s fair is sure to delight with a fun mix of old favorites and new thrills.

“It’s been a really crummy economic year on the island, but that’s not reflected in the fair,” said Leandra Reuble, chairwoman of the fair board.

“People are volunteering, the community is coming together, people put their time and energy into the fair, and they’re all looking forward to having a really good time,” she said. “It’s sort of this little oasis of normal.”

Doors to the 87th annual Island County Fair open at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, and those who bring two cans of food to donate to the Good Cheer Food Bank before 1 p.m. will get their tickets at half price.

Later on, Washington state Rep. Norma Smith of Clinton will sing “America, the Beautiful” at this year’s opening ceremony on the midway stage.

“That ought to be fun. She has a beautiful voice as a matter of fact,” said Diane Divelbess, president of the fair association.

But Divelbess is especially excited for the Chicken Olympics, which take place on the Clucky Stage several times a day throughout the fair.

“That’s absolutely a knock-out show,” she said. “They have a chicken that does a bull ride, which is hilarious, and they have them go up a teeter-totter and have them go around the wing of death, where the wing spins and the chicken is supposed to go around the whole revolution, and the kid hopes the chicken doesn’t fly off.”

“It’s one of those goofy things that’s absolutely charming.”

The fine arts competition may not be as entertaining as the Clucky Stage festivities, but it’s certainly worthwhile if you ask Divelbess.

“We have a terrific, really a great fine arts show,” Divelbess said. “I can say that because I just put it up.”

Blue-ribbon winners from the competition will have the opportunity to show their work again at DjangoFest Northwest in Langley next month.

Other fun competitions include the birdhouse contest, the mobile design challenge, the fifth annual zucchini contest and the kids’ Lego contest.

And this year’s new Sheeple People competition reflects the 2011 slogan: “See EWE at the fair!” Competitors were invited to create ewes, lambs or rams out of any material imaginable.

There are papier-mâché sheep, wooden sheep, sheep made of yarn and sheep covered with “found objects” — and even a 3-foot-tall welded sheep with bed springs for wool.

“People got really into it and they did some really clever stuff,” Reuble said. “Some are really small and some are really huge, and they’re super cute.”

The flock will be on display in the sheep barn, of course. Visitors can vote for their favorites Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and the winner will be announced before noon Sunday, Aug. 21.

Fairgoers will have to wait until Sunday for what may be the most exhilarating new addition to this year’s fair: the lawnmower races.

“We may be in for a wild ride here,” Reuble said, adding that emergency personnel will be on hand.

“People like the blood and guts,” said Lloyd Crouse, the 69-year-old president of the Super Stock Lawn Mower Racing Association setting up Sunday’s race, which will run from noon to 3 p.m. in the horse arena.

Crouse has been racing lawnmowers for about six years now. He said spills are common, and he’s flipped his mower twice since he started — but it’s not a big deal.

“You’ll notice when you see me, I’m 69 years old and I’m a little short and a little chubby, so I roll like a barrel,” Crouse said, letting out a howl of laughter.

While speeds of 40 mph are common for the stock mowers, Crouse predicted the arena footing at the fair would prevent them from going quite that fast.

“It’ll be pretty soft material so we won’t be going as fast as we normally do,” he said. “I would imagine probably 30 on your track, but that’s still pretty fast on a lawnmower.”

Crouse has never raced in Langley, but he’ll be competing Sunday on his “Number 12 machine,” an orange mower with a groundhog painted on the side.

“I’m probably the oldest. I have a mower called the Groundhog because I was born on Groundhog’s Day, Feb. 2, 1942,” he said.

“And I win my share.”

The mowers are divided into three classes based on engine size. All the engines are stock, Crouse said, except the “outlaws” class for the old mowers with handlebars.

And all the mowers are lowered four inches to help prevent tipping.

Crouse said spectators can expect eight races Sunday, with three to four heat races per class. The heat races generally run eight to 10 laps.

“There’ll be races going all the time to keep the crowd into it,” he said.

All but a few of the 60-70 statewide members of the Super Stock Lawn Mower Racing Association members live off-island, so Crouse guessed 20-30 racers might show.

Reuble is excited for the races and is hoping to pull a few local figures into a “celebrity heat.”

“People get really into it,” she said. “It’s a very accessible sport — everyone understands lawnmowers.”

Whether in it for the adrenaline of the lawnmower races or the charm of the chickens, the Island County Fair continues in its nearly 90-year history with a little something for everyone.

“I grew up going to the fairs and showing when I was a kid,” Reuble said. “And it’s still that same sense of community togetherness and commitment and being there for the kids and seeing cool things.”