Elephant ears. Carnival rides. Corn dogs. Rabbit races.

Yes, August has indeed arrived and with a quick look at the calendar we’re reminded that opening day of the San Juan County Fair is just two weeks away.

Its four-day run begins Aug. 15 at the fairgrounds in Friday Harbor.

The theme of the 2012 County Fair is simply put. It sums up what this annual showcase of the best of what the San Juans has to offer fairly well: “Food. Fun. Fair.”

Of course, there’s much more to it than that. In fact, we’ll venture that most fair-goers carry home in their gift bag of memories something more than a day’s worth of enjoyment of the endearing spectacle of activity, entertainment and exhibits.

That something is a sense of community. Plain and simple.

The fair offers each of us an opportunity to discover and admire the creativity, passion and enterprise of our neighbors. It’s a time when we play together, compete against one another, cheer each other on, and celebrate the achievements of friends, neighbors and islanders that we have yet to meet. This annual county-wide event grounds us in a way that no other occasion does.

It’s a pretty good bargain, too.

Adults can purchase a season pass for $22, which equates to $5.50 per day for admission; seniors get a $4 discount, and the cost of a season pass for children ages 5-16 is just $10. On “Kids Day,” children can climb aboard as many amusement rides as they can stomach, from noon to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday, for $22.

Islanders are not alone in their appreciation of the fair. While it remains a community event at heart and soul, the San Juan County Fair has become increasingly popular with visitors as well. According to fair officials, of the 20,000 or so people who attended the 2011 festivities, 10 percent live outside the county and, of those, 1,000 came specifically for the fair. That interest grows year after year.

So we’ll see you in a few weeks, wandering through the fair booths, fingers sticky from caramel popcorn and hay stuck to the soles of our shoes.