Sure, there are minor irritants — it can be noisy and hot and it’s not always easy to find parking — but the Mid-State Fair, which opens today in Paso Robles, is hands down one of the most entertaining events on the Central Coast.

Consider: At what other venue can you nosh on a deep-fried Snickers bar; register to vote; sing along to Journey; sample local wines and cheeses; watch a Miracle Mop demo; shop for a Jacuzzi; try your luck pitching dimes (or are they quarters now?) to win knickknacks you don’t need; bump into old friends you haven’t seen in 13 years; and then top it all off with a stomach-churning ride on the Tilt-A-Whirl?

In short, there’s something for everyone, and that variety is the heart and soul of the Mid-State Fair.

Over the past few decades, the fair has developed a solid reputation for consistently bringing top recording stars to the grandstand arena. Yet to their credit, those in charge have never lost sight of the event’s agricultural roots. The junior livestock displays and auctions remain a mainstay of the fair, and the exhibit halls holds some of the finest local produce, plants and flowers that you’ll ever see.

That formula — combining grandstand shows with traditional fair attractions — has been a highly successful one. According to a study released last year, the fair generated $52 million in spending in 2009, which ranked it eighth on the list of 78 fairs in California. That’s not bad at all, especially for acounty our size.

If you’re a regular attendee at the fair, we’re preaching to the choir; you’ve seen what the Mid-State Fair has to offer.

If you haven’t been in a while, here’s an added enticement: While the heat in Paso can be daunting, we’re in luck, at least for acouple of days. Today’s high temperature was expected to be 77 in North County, warming to 87 degrees Thursday and 92 Friday.

Our advice? If you can’t stand the heat, take advantage of this cool spell.

And don’t forget the sunscreen.

Editorials are the opinion of The Tribune.