LYNDEN - Ice cream sandwiches softening in the sun, the stomach-flipping feeling of the rides and getting to see several farms' worth of animals: That's what fair memories are made of.

Families came from all over the county and beyond Monday, Aug. 13, to have a good time at the Northwest Washington Fair's opening day in Lynden.

Bellingham resident Cyndi McClary was enjoying the first day of the fair with friends and family.

"It's something for childhood memories to be built on for all the kids," she said, adding that she still fondly looks back on trips to other fairs with her grandparents as a child. "It's just one of those things you always remember, the rides and how much fun it is as a kid."

She and the kids love the rides and the good food and the perfectly balmy weather. Later this week, it's forecasted to get up to 85 degrees, but she plans on heading to the Birch Bay Waterslides for that heat.

With temperatures hovering in the mid-70s Monday, people were lined up for ice cream and Moo-Wiches at the Whatcom County Dairy Women booth. Siblings Nicholas, 8, and Logan Hamson, 6, were taking a snack break nearby with their mom, Leslie Hamson, and grandparents, Peter and Martha Border, digging into their cups of bubblegum ice cream. The Hamsons came down from Vancouver for a day of fair fun. Logan said she loves to see the cows and animals, and Nicholas is a fan of the Ferris wheel.

"We love coming to visit the fair," Leslie Hamson said. "It's just sort of the thing to do in the summertime."

For Lynden resident Patrick Jones, the fair is a family tradition that spans the generations. He and his grandsons Colton and Trevor Kornelis planned to go to the fair every day and fill up on all the fair has to offer: turkey legs and burgers, rides, friends and animals.

"It's something you can do together as a family," Jones said. "We visit all the displays. We manage to eat one of everything."

FAIR PHOTOS

Photo galleries, updated daily, from the fair are online at bellinghamherald.com/northwest-washington-fair-photos.

FAIR TICKETS

Admission to the Northwest Washington Fair is $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6 to 12 and $8 for seniors 65 and over. Children 5 and under are admitted free.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online at nwwafair.com.

Grandstand event ticket costs vary but include fair admission. For details on shows and prices, go to nwwafair.com.

TAKE THE SHUTTLE

Fair visitors can park for free in downtown Lynden and ride a free shuttle to and from the fairgrounds. The routes operate 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day of the fair, with pickup roughly every 15 minutes. Look for the shuttle signs downtown. Make sure to note whether you're on the blue or red route so you can find your car after the fair.

Reach ZOE FRALEY at zoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com or call 756-2803.