PHOTO BY LISA CARNLEY Crystal Bunch fills out mandatory paperwork prior to taking her goodies for judging upstairs at the community room of First Texas Bank. The County Fair is open for visitors today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The past four days were a prelude to the excitement and fun that await visitors during the final three days of the 2008 Spring Ho Festival. Break out the sunscreen and bring a hat, as the remainder of the week promises to be a scorcher.

Arts and crafts to carnival and rides, country and western dances to a school-wide reunion are just some of the myriad of events offered this weekend for festival-goers.

Today begins with activities that encourage participation by the younger set -- but involve all ages of spectators. Headline events include the Pet Parade and Diaper Derby, and Kids' Day Activities at Gavin Garrett Soccer Park, along with face painting, water polo and a corn-shucking contest.

The BBQ Cookoff gets under way at its new location, and cookers will bring their grills to the parking lot behind the Lampasas County Office Building for the popular competition. Visitors are admitted at no charge.

Arts and crafts and concessions are available at the numerous booths that line both sides of Sulphur Creek at W.M. Brook Park, and the carnival will be open at 6 p.m. Boy Scouts will ferry customers across the creek for a nominal fee each way.

A country and western dance will close the night's activities, featuring Bleu Edmondson and Johnny Cooper on Courtyard Square at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the gate, and the event concludes at midnight.

Runners will lace up their sneakers for the annual 10K and one-mile runs that kick off early Saturday morning at Hancock Park.

The Spring Ho Grand Parade, featuring Clementine Walker as parade marshal, will begin at 11 a.m., with floats, clowns, horses and plenty of music.

The Arts and Crafts Fair will continue Saturday at W.M. Brook Park.

Lampasas Association for the Arts will host a picnic at Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden, and Preservation Lampasas will sponsor a class reunion at Lampasas Colored School, both from 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Water sports competition and the Great Duck Race, sponsored by local Scouts, will take place Saturday, along with washer pitching and horseshoe pitching.

The Saturday night Kiwanis Club Street Dance, featuring Jarrett Schaub of Lampasas, will begin at 8 p.m. at the courthouse bandstand. Tickets are $10 at the gate.

To close out the festival, the carnival will offer rides and games beginning at noon Sunday, and shoppers will have their final chance to peruse the offerings at the Arts and Crafts Fair.