The West End fairgrounds was slowly coming to life Friday, in the last days before the opening of the fair Sunday.

The rides are all assembled except for one last ride.

Most of the food vendors booths are in place, but many of the vendors wait until Saturday, according to Tom Scheffner who was setting up his balloon stand with the help of his son, Justin Scheffner.

“We just set it up, it’s my wife who will come later and decorate the booth before the fair opens,” said the elder Scheffner. This is our fifth year at the West End Fair,” he added.

Sue and Rich Howell, owners of Shady Creek Country Gourds in Mount Bethel came early on Friday to setup their stand of gourds and Norwex scrubby pads. “The pads are made of a micro fiber with silver embedded in the fibers and you don’t need any cleaning product when you use them,” she said. The couple are first time vendors at the West End Fair.

Two girls in there teens, Kathryn David and Courtney Richard, were busy cleaning setting

up an ice cream stand for David’s great aunt, who also has a waffle stand at the fair.

Food stands are always an attraction at the fair. The West End Food Pantry is counting on that.

The organization posted, “Looking forward to our biggest fundraiser of the year that thankfully (hopefully) pays our annual rent!”

Their new menu includes gyros, smoked turkey legs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers and California burgers, mac and cheese bites, corn dogs, hot dogs and fried pickles.

Dessert choices include the ever-popular Pleasant Valley PTO’s funnel cake stand.

Today will be busier at the fairgrounds. In addition to vendors putting last minute touches on their stands, exhibitors will be entering fruits, vegetables, flowers and crafts, all hoping to win a blue ribbon. Judging takes place Sunday. The agricultural buildings open Monday.

The rest of the fair opens at 3 p.m. Sunday with the queen coronation, followed by the vesper service at 4 p.m. Cartesion Dance Academy will be in the band shell at 7 p.m. with Joe Bonson & Coffee Run on stage at 6 and 8 p.m.

Fireworks will go off at 9:30 p.m.

The fair is located at 570 Fairgrounds Road in Gilbert. Admission is $6 for 11 and older. Wednesday is senior citizen day so those 65 and older will be admitted for $3.