PHOENIX — Thursday was the calm before the storm at the Arizona State Fair, but the quiet is about to turn into mayhem come Friday.
"It’s crazy, we work here 24-7. We live here and we’re just happy to be here. It's so much fun," said Arizona State Fair Assistant Marketing Director Brianda Martinez.
Martinez says this year’s fair will have much of the same fun, including cuddly bunnies that were involved in a fierce competition Thursday morning. There's also a petting zoo filled with goats, cows and llamas. The kids can also see giant pumpkins and potbelly pigs.
"The kids will really love it, they can even learn how to milk a cow," said Martinez.
This year's fair will have your usual rides and lots of people. More than 1.4 million people are expect to pass through the gates this year.
Two new rides include the Jumbo for the kiddos; it looks a lot like Dumbo, but it's more of a cousin to the famous character.
There's also the Konga ride for the big kids.
If you want to get away from some of the heat, visit an artist who makes works of art from masking tape that he calls Tapagami.
Gary Allen kicks off the concert series Friday night. Other big acts like Pitbull and the Flaming Lips will be coming to the arena on Oct. 17—a show that's sure to be packed.
"People don’t know that they’re free. So if you want to see Pitbull Wednesday Oct. 17, it’s totally free. You can go up the coliseum concourse. But if you do want reserved seating that’s a small cost," said Martinez.
Ticket prices for rides will vary, but you can score some deals on Groupon or go to azstatefair.com/deals.
You can also bring five canned food items on Wednesdays before 6:00 p.m. and get into the fair for free. All the food will go to St. Mary's Food Bank.
As for Bri Martinez, she says it’s going to be a long but really fun fair season, and it's truly a labor of love.
"I really love this. This is my fifth year. I don’t see myself doing anything else. It's really so much fun," she said.