Winners all at the 2013 Manatee County Fair

Final countdown is running for the official opening of the Manatee County Fair at 5 p.m. today -- but we've been in fair mode all week. And we didn't have to check with the weather service before grabbing umbrellas and jackets. Rainy skies and cooler temps are synonymous with the fair's first day!

Herald reporters, photographers and editors will be sure you're getting the highlights from the fairgrounds in Palmetto for the next 10 days. All the stories, photos, videos and more will be one click away at bradenton.com/manatee-county-fair/

If you have fair photos we can post, email them to metro@bradenton.com Send your tweets with the hashtag #ManateeFair and join the fun.

Reporter Katy Bergen and photographer Grant Jefferies were under the big tent at noon to capture Manatee's 2013 Distinguished Citizen: Ken Burton Sr. 

What a resume this humble gentleman has! And there were four generations of Burtons there to honor him. Our community owes him so much.

Just across from that tent is the Arts & Crafts' Chaires building, filled with more than 2,000 entries -- jewelry, artwork, crochet, quilting, photographs, you name it. Plenty of competition, which is why I have to brag on our Metro Editor Marc Masferrer.

He sent a nonchalant email to me with a photo -- check it out! Marc is now a proud member of the 2013 Manatee County Fair Ribbon Winners.
 

Here's what he has to say about his entries:

During the summer months, I spend a lot of time out of Anna Maria Island, including early Saturday mornings accompanying my wife Marie as she patrols the beach for Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch. On one of the walks, I photographed a fisherman casting a net as the rising sun illuminated clouds in the western sky. (this is the blue ribbon winner).

I also spend a lot of sunsets on the beach, and one occasion I captured the second image. The challenge always is to make a sunset photo as unique as possible. (red ribbon)

Both photographs were shot with my iPhone and enhanced using Instagram.

First time I had entered any photo contest. -- Marc

There's nothing that says "community" more than our annual fair. And there's nothing more beautiful than Anna Maria Island at sunset. How lucky am I -- they're both on my calendar this weekend.