The Island County Fair in Langley doesn’t officially open until 9:30 a.m. Thursday, but on the day before, expectations are high and the energy level is off the charts.

Some fair snapshots:

At the cavy barn, Clinton’s Ava Johnson, 4, introduced her teddy bear guinea pig, Jasmine, to the world. “She’s colored tortoise shell and white and very cuddly,” she said.

Whidbey Children Theater director Martha Murphy said there’s a change to the shows at the Pole Building on Thursday. “Nickelodeon has been replaced with selections from the concert ‘This,’ sung and danced by local, talented young people who want to give something back to WCT before they go off to college and their futures,” she said.

A giant tent over the stands across from the main stage on the midway has been set up to protect folks checking out this year’s entertainment.

That bright, shiny, yellow school bus near the 4-H headquarters has a little something extra under the hood: batteries. The South Whidbey School District’s new bus employs hybrid technology, running on a diesel engine coupled with two sets of 12-volt lithium-ion batteries that will save big bucks for the district in the years ahead.

The new bus cost $216,000. The state will reimburse $187,000 of that and, thanks to transportation director Veronica Schmidt’s successful $40,000 grant request to the Department of Ecology, the bus is pretty much paid off.

Volunteers were hard at work getting the new ticket booth — a simulated barn entrance flanked by grain silos — ready for the next day’s crowds.

“We’re working to have it occupied and ready to go by tomorrow,” said organizer Gary Kay.

Spreading the good word on new composting rules, WSU Waste Wise program coordinator Janet Hall explained to members of the Whidbey Shepards Club — Amanda Brager, Maria Leese, Grace LaPoint and Hayley Lundstrom — the value of collecting manure, shavings and straw into a central collection point. Every day.

What’s the fair without food? Fred and Barbara Bennett of Sho-Nuff Foods spent the day applying their “magic” dry spice rubs on giant pork shoulders.

“We put them into the smoker (designed by Bennett and built by Freeland’s Dave Buzzard), fired up by a secret wood mixture at a secret temperature all night, then add my secret sauce,” Bennett said with a big grin. “You gotta’ try it.”

At the horse arena, splendidly-dressed equestriennes put their game faces on as they showed off their fancy steeds before steely-eyed judges.

While the kids prepared their booths or got their animals ready for the rigors ahead, they cast a furtive eye on the carnies, hard at work setting up the Ferris wheel, Gravitron and Octopus rides.

At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, the fair will observe opening ceremonies with remarks by Island County Commissioner John Dean and Langley Mayor Paul Samuelson. Best advice? Grab a corn dog and hear what they have to say — both promise to be brief.

Get the latest skinny on this year’s fair at the Record’s new blog, The Fair Flash.