With only a slight chance of scattered showers in the forecast for the next five days, Bob Silliman, president of the Carbon County Fair said he is looking forward to a terrific run.

The Carbon County Fair, located along the Little Gap Road in Palmerton, opens today at 3 p.m. and the grounds are ready for the crowd.On Tuesday, the animals and exhibits arrived, making the fairgrounds a blur of activity. Last minute glitches, decorations and supplies were being addressed by volunteers."We'd had a lot of extra help this year," said Silliman. "A lot of people stepped up to the plate and we will have a fair."Silliman added that the vendor space at the fair was a sellout this year.Silliman said that the volunteers were challenged for the last three days to set up in the rain."We got wet," he chuckled, "but we got it done."All across the fairgrounds, there was activity.In the rabbit display area, Tess McCormick of Lehighton, a member of the Carbon County Bunny Busters, was brushing Alice, a Jersey wooly doe, which she is displaying in the 4-H division. In the background, other club members were settling in with their bunnies.On the other side of the animal display area, where steer, cows, calves and sheep are housed, Alyssa Wentz, 16, of Lehighton, was unloading her 15-month-old 1,200-pound short horn steer, Spanx, who will be judged in the market steer and then sold during the auction. Wentz has had a 4-H steer project for the past four years."We got him in October," she said. "I've spent a lot of time with him. It's a great project. It's going to be so hard to see him go. I'll miss him. It will be such a sad day."At the tractor display, Lou Seibert of Danielsville was putting the finishing touches on his wife's tractor, a 1954 Allis Chambers. Seibert said his tractor is also on display, a 1945 John Deere.All around the fairgrounds, there was the bustle of activity, such as the display area, where volunteers were busy tagging projects, setting up display tents and decorating their vendor areas.This year's theme for the fair is "Going Hot Wild at the Barnyard Boogie," and many of the displays used the theme to liven the vendor areas and vie for discounts on next year's registration costs.A ceremony will formally open the fair at 4 p.m. at the main tent area. That is when volunteers, sponsors and dignitaries are thanked for their role in helping the fair. Also the fair queen will be crowned. At 7 and 9 p.m., Nicole Donatone will perform and there will be a huge fireworks spectacular at 10:15 p.m.Tomorrow is children's day, with a bicycle give away, ride specials, entertainment by Remember When and a demolition derby.