The county fair was empty, the animals were exhausted and the Kids Day parade was cancelled as 100-degree temperatures struck Southwest Washington for the third day in a row Wednesday.

The kids parade, sponsored by Kiwanis clubs, “was the longest running parade in Washington State History running over 80 years,” lamented Kiwanis member Alice Robertson.

Robertson and other Kiwanis members were at parade assembly point at Commerce Avenue and Florida street Wednesday morning passing out Popsicles to people who hadn’t heard the bad news yet.

“It will be nice when the heat is over,” Cowlitz Dive Team member Art Johnson said at the fairgrounds. The volunteer search-and-rescue team is managing the first-aid tent at the fair, providing water and sunscreen to exhausted fair patrons.

Joni Cooper, Kelso, was trying to keep cool by sitting in the shade as her kids played in the sprinklers and rode the carnival rides discounted for kids day.

“I feel bad, they do a lot of work, and it’s just dead here. I feel bad for them,” Cooper said.

Cooper went inside the Expo Center to use the restroom, but said even the air-conditioned building was not cool enough for comfort.

Veronica Doble, a Castle Rock 4-H leader, cooled off in the sprinkler after working in the barns through the morning.

“This is perfect,” she said as she pointed to the sprinkler.

This year marked the first year 4-H competitors were allowed to wear shorts and tank tops in the barns, helping to keep competitors cool. However, keeping the animals cool was a bigger challenge.

Some people left cows home, reported 4-H member Kelsey Holborn, Castle Rock, as she re-filled buckets of water for cows. Some cows have consumed 40 gallons of water on these hot days, compared to 15-gallons on a normal day she said.

The rabbits have been most devastated by the heat, said Barbara Rider, a 4-H volunteer. Rider and several other 4-H participants made circuits around the rabbit cages refilling their water bowls with ice. About half the people how had preregistered to bring the bunnies stayed away from the fair, presumably because of the high heat.

“One 4-H boy lost his rabbit last week to the heat,” said 4-H rabbit superintendant Wileen Davidson. No rabbits have died from heat exhaustion at the fairgrounds, Davidson said.

Many other animal owners cared for animals with fans, hoses and spray bottles.