M is for Museum: the South County Museum’s director, Jim Crothers, is giving blacksmithing demonstrations.

The Providence Journal / John Freidah

There’s an alphabet full of fun at this year’s Washington County Fair, the 42nd to grace the fairgrounds in Richmond.

Don’t believe me?

Here goes — and I’m only scratching the surface.

A is for the Ashaway Apiary, selling its honey and honey butter, and bringing an observation hive that includes a queen bee and a couple of thousand workers. And A is for the dozen or so pretty Antique Autos, including a yellow Studebaker Lark VI convertible, on display yesterday only.

B is for the Bunny Race, being held at 9 a.m. tomorrow. B is for beautiful Butterfly Gardens, created by several chapters of the Future Farmers of America. (Congratulations, Chariho, on the blue ribbon.) And B is for Barbecue, delicious smoked chicken, beef and other delicacies being sold again this year by the South Kingstown Athletic Booster Club, but in a new, more conspicuous location. “We’re right by the corn dogs,” said a delighted Mary Lou Morisette. “You can’t beat that.”

C is for Corn Chowder and delicious Corn Fritters — greasy, perfectly brown, and full of corn — both being sold by the West Kingston Fire Department. And C is for Canes with wooden animal heads — elephants, ducks or cows — as their heads, for sale at the Hand Tools booth.

D is for Deep Fried Twinkies, artery-clogging indulgences being sold, ironically enough, by the Westerly Ambulance Corps. D is for Doughboys, sold by the Richmond Volunteer Fire Association, and topped with your choice of cinnamon, sugar, or a mixture thereof. And D is for the Dunking Booth sponsored by the Chariho Cowboys football and cheerleaders.

E is for Embryology, one of several 4-H curricula available for classrooms or groups, a poster at the fair advises — contact your local 4-H office. And E is for the Egg Toss, at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

F is for the Ferris wheel that greets you when you drive in off Route 112. F is for the Rhode Island FFA Alumni, selling a delightfully simple dessert that’s just a sliced, tart Granny Smith apple with caramel sauce poured over it. And F is for Fireworks, at 9:15 tonight.

G is for the Grove of trees that form a natural, shady amphitheater facing the fair’s main stage. And G is for Josh Gracin, the American Idol second-season finalist who sings on that stage at 1 and 9 p.m. Saturday.

H is for the Hope Valley Ambulance Squad, standing by to provide first aid. H is for Holsteins, the cows being shown yesterday morning in Ring #1. And H is for Hosmer Mountain white birch beer, a refreshing drink like a clear root beer, being sold at the Forty-Niner Corn Dog booth.

I is for Ice Cream, made by DeCiantis, being sold in nine flavors (including one that’s sugar-free) by Perryville Grange. Brownies and sundae toppings are also available.

J is for Jonnycakes, those little cornmeal fritters full of both flavor and Rhode Island history, being sold once again by the Carolina Volunteer Fire Association.

K is for Kettle Korn, sweet popcorn sold by Cub Scout Pack 1 of Ashaway. K is for Kielbasa, Polish sausage sold with sauerkraut by the Hope Valley Fire Department. And K is for Kiddie Land, a collection of rides for the little ones.

L is for Livestock — all the cows, goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys and other creatures that help give the fair its farm-country character.

M is for Museum — the South County Museum, whose director, Jim Crothers, is giving blacksmithing demonstrations using a portable forge that looks very much like the bottom of a Weber grill. And M is for the Midway, run by Rockwell Amusements, the same folks who run the midway for Bristol’s Fourth of July celebrations. Ride the “Wild Wind,” “1001 Nights” or “Pirate Paradise;” have a man guess your weight and age; throw a dart to win a giant stuffed bear, tiger or Spider-Man.

N is for the National Anthem, played over the fair’s loudspeakers yesterday at noon. Commerce did not stop, but many people stood with their hands over their hearts, and a soldier in desert fatigues and beret saluted one of several flags displayed around the grounds.

O is for Old Time Photos, the kind where you pose in cowboy gear, flapper finery or Civil War uniforms, and are shot in sepia tones. O is for an ancient Oliver tractor that’s part of an exhibit of antique farm equipment in the Washington County Pomona Grange Industrial Building. And O is for Onion Blossoms, deep-fried onions being sold by the Rhode Island State Grange.

P is for the Portuguese American Club, selling cacoila (Portuguese braised beef), as well as chourico and pierogies.

Q is for the fair Queen, being named last night after press time. And Q is for Quince Jelly, sold in the general store under the Washington County Fair label.

R is for Restrooms — the kind that are clean and indoors, in permanent buildings, not in rows of portapotties. And R is for the Rhode Island Division of Agriculture booth, where signs implore, “Save RI Farms …Buy Rhody Fresh,” and “Consider Becoming a Beekeeper — Ask Us How.”

S is for Sun, a welcome sight yesterday after two days of rain started the week for those setting up the fair. S is for Shade, in generous amounts, given by trees that have stood for generations. And S is for 14-year-old Sammy Dallas of West Greenwich, youngest member of the Rhode Island Spinners, who yesterday were in the Industrial Building demonstrating the arts of spinning thread from wool and weaving cloth from thread.

T is for Turkey Legs, being sold by the Cross Mills Volunteer Fire Department. And T is for the Tractor Pull, so popular that there are two: yesterday’s, featuring the Connecticut State Tractor Pullers, and tomorrow’s 6 p.m. New England Garden Tractor Pull.

U is for Udder Space, the fanciful name for a barn where cows from Remington Farm of West Greenwich are on blissful display. And U is for the URI / CELS 4-H Youth Program, whose building includes nine holes of indoor mini-golf (play all day for $1), kids’ artwork, and displays on animals (an exhibit lauding “My Goat Candy” took a blue ribbon, and justly so).

V is for Virginia and Vermont, both of which sent residents to enjoy the fair, if the license plates in the parking lot yesterday were to be believed. It’s also for Volunteers, the dozens and dozens of folks without whom this event couldn’t run.

W is for a 1924 Wurlitzer Band Organ that makes its circusy sound with that era’s version of computerization — a perforated paper roll that tells the instrument what sounds to make. And W is for Waxed Hands, for sale along one of the fair’s shady lanes. You dip your hands in cold, soapy water, so you won’t feel the heat, and then into any of six colors of hot wax, explained 16-year-old Kristina Knapp of Wyndham, Conn. You can choose any combination of colors, Knapp said, and any pose, “except for the middle finger itself.”

X is for Row X in the parking lot, which can probably hold 2,000 cars, according to fair vice chairman Thomas Buck. Now, technically, the signs on the light poles stop when the poles do, at Row O — but the parking lot continues on back a good way after that.

Y is for Youth, all the Future Farmers and 4-H members whose work adorns the fair’s buildings and barns, and who help staff the food booths. They’re everywhere at the fair, and it’s a pleasure to see.

Z is for the Zipper, one of the rides on the midway, a sort of vertical Ferris wheel. And Z is for Zero — the chance that you won’t have fun if you go to the Washington County Fair.

Alan Rosenberg is The Journal’s South County regional editor.

arosenbe@projo.com