Grilled cheese and jumping mules: Your Guide to East Perry Community Fair

They call it "the best little fair in the land," and that's big talk for the annual The East Perry Community Fair in Altenburg, Missouri — but it does offer the locally famous grilled-cheese sandwiches, fish sandwiches and jumping mules, after all.

The annual parade is set for 1:30 p.m. Friday, followed by the 4X4 truck pull at 7 p.m.

Founded in 1937, The East Perry Community Fair is held the third Friday and Saturday after Labor Day — a mainstay in Southeast Missouri for more than 50 years. Publicity co-chairman Fred Eggers said nearly 30,000 attendees travel from Perry, Cape Girardeau and Bollinger counties each year.

Admission and parking are free. The fair will be providing transportation using 6-passenger golf carts to and from various locations on the fairgrounds from noon to 9 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.

For the complete schedule, visit www.semoevents.com.

4-H and FFA exhibits

Livestock judging (including one of the 10 largest beef cattle shows in Missouri, according to the fair) kicks off at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Peoples Bank Show Barn.

The large draft horse and mule show — including hitch classes — begins at 10 a.m., followed by the always popular "World Championship" mule jumping at 4:30 p.m. — "one of the biggest draws," Eggers said — and the Lawn & Garden Tractor Pull at 7 p.m.

Entertainment

Opening ceremonies Friday will feature live music by the Backstreet Cruisers — a mix of rock and roll classics from the 1950s and 1960s. Live music Saturday includes performances by father-daughter duo of Randy and Dani Preston, Generation, at 1 p.m. The White Lightning Band from the Cape Girardeau and Jackson areas will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. performing country, road house blues and classic rock and roll.

Clay County Amusements of Flora, Illinois, is providing the carnival rides this year, including the Dragon Wagon, Octopus, Loop O Plane, Ferris Wheel, Super Slide, Berry-Go-Round and one new ride: The Heart Flip.

Concessions

Most of the food stands — 17 total — will open around 10 a.m Friday, providing attendees ample time to grab a snack before heading to the parade route Friday afternoon. Available cuisine includes hamburgers, corn dogs, catfish fillets, funnel cakes, bratwurst, gizzards, philly cheesesteak, pork tacos, pork steaks, ribbon potatoes, caramel apples and mini pizzas. For the famous grilled cheese sandwiches, Eggers said a special kind of white cheese is used. And the fish sandwiches are made of a whole whiting fish with the bone left in and are dipped in cornmeal and deep-fried, he said.

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