Superhero Adventure, FairCon attract fans of all ages

If You Go

• What: Clark County Fair.

• Hours Sunday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Where: 17402 N.E. Delfel Road, Ridgefield.

• Admission: Adults, $11; seniors 62 and older, $9; kids 7-12, $8; kids 6 and younger, free. Parking, $6. C-Tran shuttle, free from area Park & Ride lots.

• Carnival: Opens at noon.

• Highlights: Montgomery Gentry performs in the grandstands, free with fair admission, at 7 p.m.

• Other: Kaleinani o ke Kukui Hawaiian/Polynesian Dance at 6 p.m.; 4-H/FFA goat cracker-eating contest at 3 p.m.

• Pets: Not permitted, except for personal service animals or those on exhibition or in competition.

• Information: www.clarkcofair.com or 360-397-6180.

RIDGEFIELD — When Alex Taylor, 7, saw Captain America, he made his wheelchair fly toward him.

Alex wasn’t alone in his enthusiasm for meeting superheroes. People of all ages gathered at the Superhero Adventure exhibit and FairCon at the Clark County Fair to greet their favorite superheroes and sci-fi characters on Saturday.

“Alex loves The Avengers. He saw Captain America and wheeled over there so fast!” said his mom, Teresa Taylor.

Alex and his sister Emma Taylor, 5 and Eli Taylor, 9, stood by Captain America while his mom snapped their photo with her smartphone.

Exactly a week earlier, Taylor had moved her family to Vancouver to be near her sister, Mindy Fontanini and brother-in-law Chad Fontanini, who stood next to her.

It was the newcomer family’s first time visiting the fair.

The young at heart lined up to meet their favorite superheroes, too. Helen Van Lockett, 86, was so enthusiastic about meeting Batman that she pushed herself up from her wheelchair to stand next to him to get her photo taken.

“I love Batman!” she beamed as she eased herself back down into her wheelchair.

Then her daughter whisked her off for another adventure at the fair.

The Superheroes Adventure set was built by Vendetta Productions, which is co-owned by Kyle Paradis, a 2005 Evergreen High School graduate and his business partner, Jason Greeley-Roberts.

Paradis and Greeley-Roberts were busy troubleshooting their laser tag game. Someone had turned off the building’s power Friday night. A staff member had been sent to purchase batteries.

Nearby kids and parents stepped into another Vendetta-built set, a transporter operated by “Big Hero 6” villain Yokai and assisted by Agent Flynn, a Marvel Comic character.

Paradis referred to that set as “an old Houdini gag with mirrors.”

As Brian Ross and his son Lincoln Ross, 8, emerged from the transformer, Yokai asked: “Are you tingling? Did you gain any super powers?”

“Yeah!” Brian Ross said, gathering his kids and pushing a stroller. “I have the power to be a dad!”

For younger kids, Dragon Theater provides four puppet shows daily. Kids also can make superhero masks and other crafts.

FairCon gaming

The FairCon gaming area attracted people mostly younger than 30 who sat at screens playing games from Minecraft, FIFA soccer, Harry Potter Lego and more.

College students Brandon Rasmusson, 19, Emilie Urick, 19, and Savannah Briley, 20, played Lego Harry Potter together in the relaxed, laid-back FairCon area.

The trio had toured the animal barns in the morning and were hanging out waiting for the carnival to open. Urick plays the Harry Potter game at home. It was her birthday, and going to the fair seemed a good way to celebrate with friends.

Outside the building, a Stormtrooper stopped to chat with families and pose for photo opportunities. The costumed character was one of several volunteers from Cloud City Garrison of the 501st Legion making an appearance at FairCon.

As a family lingered near a lemonade stand, the mom asked the boy: “Do you want a lemonade?”

But then he spotted the “Star Wars” character in the distance.

“Look! A Stormtrooper!” he said with enthusiasm as he pointed.

Suddenly, he didn’t seem thirsty anymore.