Ten tips and tricks you need to know for the County fair

• Reduced-price Cascade Amusements carnival bracelets must be purchased before 5 p.m. on July 27, at stores around the county, or at the fair. They cost $17 before the deadline, $22 after that.

• Fair admission does not include ride bracelets.

• Remember, no pets allowed on the fairgrounds.

• Thursday is Senior Day – admission $5 for those over 62.

• Friday brings the 4-H/FFA Livestock Auction, starting at 4:30 p.m. in the Ralph Kirby Arena.

• Friday and Saturday Griffith Stage (Wy’east field) concerts are sure to draw big crowds: Groupo Antifaz and Los CArnarious de Michoacan on Friday and Brewers Grade and Tracy Lawrence on Saturday.

• Fair gates open at noon, and volunteers will staff the gates for an hour longer this year – until 11 p.m.

• Open Class entry time is passed, except for flowers, due Wednesday 9-11 a.m. in the Horticulture Building. For details, check the Fair Book (available at the fairgrounds and businesses throughout the county).

Open Class entry judging happens Tuesday from 1-7 p.m.

• Premiums (yes, there are cash rewards for entering) may be picked up from 9-10 p.m. Saturday or 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

• For a bit of off-beat color, check out the Columbia River Gorge Quilters Guild “lime challenge,” in the Community Building. Guild members created two-foot-square quilts all using lime green fabrics and the result is a wide variety of traditional patterns along with pictorial and whimsical images in cloth. “Lime challenge” is displayed next to the main Open Class quilts. Several Hood River County members’ “lime” quilts will be judged as part of the Open Class competition. The “lime challenge” display was also shown in Stevenson and The Dalles.