Cowgirl comedian Karen Quest makes a return visit to the Island County Fair this week.

Quest, a one-woman Vaudeville-style Western act, will perform at noon and 4 p.m. today on the Pole stage.

Her trick-rope show will be repeated at noon and 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday on the Pole stage, and also at noon and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Quest has previously performed at county fairs across the American West and Canada, and the quirky cowgirl can really lasso in the laughs with her family-friendly show of expert roping.

At the 2001 Wild West Arts International Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., Quest competed and won the Women’s Big Loop competition and the “Most Unusual Trick.”

She earlier won the “Whipcracker of the Year” award at the Wild West convention, as well as the “Comedy Award” for her skit, “The All Cowbell Orchestra.”

Quest has also appeared on National Public Radio’s “Whad’ya Know?” with Michael Feldman, and on “The News Hour” with Jim Lehrer on PBS, as well as “The Love Boat,” “Streets of Fire” and “Brewster’s Millions.”

Other entertainment highlights today:

Saxophone musician and local favorite Danny Ward performs on the Midway stage at 9:30 a.m.

Island Strings will play at 10:30 a.m., also on the Midway stage.

Whitefish, Mont. singer/songwriter John Dunnigan takes the Midway stage at 11:30 a.m.

The opening ceremony for the fair starts at 12:30 p.m. on the Midway stage.

And ooh la la! Famed gardening guru Ciscoe Morris will speak on “Island Gardening” at 1 p.m. on the Pole stage.

The African Allstars perform at 1:30 p.m. on the Midway stage.

Also today: Local musician Zach Steward on the Midway stage at 2:30 p.m., and One World Taiko on the Midway stage at 3:30 p.m.

Tonight’s headliners are Free Rain, known as “Seattle’s Number 1 Rock Party Band.”