Editorial

IT'S TIME TO ENJOY SEMO DISTRICT FAIR

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Get ready. Get set. Go to the SEMO District Fair this week.

In its 142nd year, this extraordinary celebration of agriculture and ingenuity is one of the region's favored pastimes.

The fair opens Sunday with free admission. The fair board has worked hard to keep regular admission and parking prices static. The excitement and entertainment stretch over seven days.

As always, the fair has a definite family persuasion. And perhaps that's been the perennial secret to the fair's booming success. There are activities for all ages -- including a number of free exhibits and displays including a big top circus.

The fair allows the region to return to its agricultural roots. City-folk can enjoy a bevy of livestock and crops. Where else can a youngster look eye-to-eye with a Brangus bull or a champion Missouri mule? Visitors can talk to the farmers of tomorrow as they prepare their cows, pigs, sheep and chickens for show. It is here that the SEMO District Fair all began 142 years ago. The animals arrive Tuesday, and the agriculture shows and competitions are well worth the time.

The fair board has also worked hard to bring a winning lineup of grandstand entertainment this year. The old favorites remain: the demolition derby on Monday, the tractor pull on Tuesday and the truck pull on Wednesday.

The grandstand will also shine with country stars for the remainder of the week: The Buffalo Club and Mila Mason on Thursday, Sweethearts of the Rodeo and the Statler Brothers on Friday, and David Kersh and David Lee Murphy on Saturday. Good seats for all grandstand events still remain.

It is no accident that the fair operations run smoothly each year. Dedicated fair board members and more than 80 volunteers are to be thanked. But most keep in the background and don't receive the appreciation they deserve. Amazingly, many are second and third-generation volunteers. The fair board operates as a not-for-profit agency, plowing thousands of dollars back into Arena Park upkeep and improvements each year.

The fair is also much more than a local celebration. It's one of the best tourist attractions of the year, drawing in visitors from a wide region. There are few hometown fairs anymore, and even fewer of this magnitude.

The SEMO District Fair is an opportunity for the region and its people to shine, a proud moment for us all each September. Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri is fortunate to share in this yearly trek to the fairgrounds.

Get ready. It all begins tomorrow.