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    Alice Pitt of Manila reconfigured many elements from her huge collection of Kinetic Grand Championship Race memorabilia into a design on her straw hat for this year’s Ladies Hat Day at the Races event.
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    “Bud” (Brett Leonardo of Loleta) and his “Bud’s Tender” assistant showed up with a familiar Humboldt agricultural connection for the Ladies Hat Day at the Races event.
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    McKenna Andrews of McKinleyville chose not to participate in the Ladies Hat Day competition and enjoyed watching the horse races from the grandstands in her stylish look.
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    Stephanie Souter of Eureka paused while perusing the Fair’s official program in the grandstands; she also chose to simply dress for the occasion and not compete.
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    Ellie Green of Ferndale was recognized with an Honorable Mention award for her hat design and colorful clothing from her head to her toes.
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    Jacquelyn Bolman of Eureka brought polka dots and a lovely hat to the Ladies Hat Day at the Races event.
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    This huge, hand-made, horse race-themed hat worn by Madison Kinneman of Arcata was destined to win the Best Racing Theme award. She also took home the People’s Choice prizes.
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    Willow Seely of Eureka said she created her Medusa-like hat creation at the last minute before coming to the Fair. Thankfully, to look directly at her did not turn one into stone.
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    The Duke and Duchess (aka Tom and Jo Wattle of Eureka) stood out in the crowd for their costumes and hats and won Honorable Mention for their efforts.
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    In a the midst of a busy day registering participants for the Ladies Hat Day at the Races event, event organizer Cindy Olsen (center) gathered her judges together for a group photo (from left, Brian Senteney, Debbie Retzloff-Olson, Rendy Walund and Sharon Yost).
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    Vada Trott and Horacio Cufre of Eureka reprised their dragonfly hat ornaments from their team-member costumes worn in support of long-time Kinetic racer June Moxon.
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    Tracey Van Emmerik (right) of Ferndale carried balloons celebrating the “128” years of the Fair as she joined Hat Day participants parading onto the track after the fifth race. Later she was winner of Most Glamorous and also the runner-up prize with her beautiful low-cut dress.
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    This panoramic view from the grandstands included about a third of the Ladies Hat Day participants parading onto the track after the fifth race.
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    Honorable Mention recipient Sandra Levinson (left center, of Arcata) joined Willow Seely of Eureka and other Hat Day participants in the Hat Parade after the fifth race.
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    Carolyn Polasek of Ferndale with her creatively designed red/white/blue dress, accessories and huge hat took home the Most Original award this year.
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    Kim Hackett of Carlotta managed to keep her towering cake hat upright all afternoon and was given the Funniest or Most Outrageous award.
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    The Best Couple or Group award went to this Fantasy Football team consisting of six costumed NFL fans plus a mini-Travis Kelce mascot
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    Tracey Van Emmerik (right) of Ferndale celebrated her Most Glamorous award and her runner-up winner prize of $1,000 after the sixth race.
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    Madison Kinneman of Arcata, wearing her huge, wide-brimmed hat with a miniature horse track on it and a big smile, celebrated her $2,000 People’s Choice Award prize as well as a beautiful trophy, a flower bouquet and a bottle of Champagne; she had earlier won the Best Racing Theme award for that hat. She was joined by Moira Kenny (left), CEO of the Humboldt County Fair; Cindy Olsen, the founder of Ladies Hat Day at the Races; and Sharon Yost, one of the four event judges.
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    When not checking out the Ladies Hat Day creations in front of the grandstands, horse-racing fans before each race watched the horses in the next race being led around in the warm-up area.
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    Jockey Jose Rodriguez wore these distinctive silks as he prepared for his next race start on Saturday. The lightweight, form-fitting racing silks are designed for aerodynamics, ease of identification and keeping jockeys cool and safe throughout the race.