Fair fun for free

I'll get this out of the way right now: My favorite part of the SEMO District Fair is the fried Snickers. I get one a year, and I thoroughly enjoy it. You know you do, too.

But the fair has come a long way to get to fried candy bars and Heartland Idol. The first fair in the area was held in 1855. It survived a few name changes and a brief pause in action during the Civil War.

The "First Annual Fair of the Cape Girardeau County Fair and Park Association" in 1898 had contests and bicycle races according to the original program, though "no gambling, drunkenness or other immorality" was permitted as per the booklet.

Scott Shivelbine collects Cape Girardeau memorabilia and quickly bought the program when he found it in an antique store downtown. He found it again in his office recently and decided to share it with me.

Aside from the ads that promote businesses of yore, the program has the activities and prices of the fair in the 1800s. It lists dozens of categories for contests with quilts, livestock and "Fancy Work" contests. Categories under "Fancy Work" included Best Specimen Toilet Cushion and Best Specimen Tissue Paper Lamp Shade.

Admission was 25 cents per person or 50 cents for horse and rider. The fair now costs $4 for entry, but the bucks could stop there, if you're educated. Check Tuesday's Southeast Missourian for the latest issue of TBY, which has a list of 10 free things to do at the fair -- after you've paid at the gate.

Certain grandstand events, like the antique tractor pull Saturday or Heartland Idol on Wednesday, are free with admission. The livestock viewing and judging -- sure to be a hit with children who like farm animals -- are open and free.

Horses are still involved in the fair for The Midwest Classic Horse Show and the Draft Horse & Mule Obstacle Course -- both free events -- but their uses and showing differ from the 1800s when the animals were raced for entertainment.

TBY is special publication that runs in the Southeast Missourian the first Monday of each month. Because Monday is Labor Day, the September issue will be in Tuesday's paper. Find more things to do at the fair, along with stories on volunteerism and activities for The Best Years.