Agriculture celebrated at state fair

SEDALIA, MO. -- Celebrating a century of showcasing agriculture, the Missouri State Fair opened its 10-day run on Thursday with a parade through Sedalia and country music on the grandstand stage.

Fair officials predicted some 350,000 people will come through the gates between Thursday and Aug. 18, attending one of the nation's oldest continuously run expositions.

The fair has been held every year since 1901 except for two years during World War II, making this the centennial year. Doris Van Baale of Sedalia has attended the fair for 42 of those years, savoring funnel cakes and even helping friends run a Kettle Korn booth.

"I think the best part of the fair is just watching the people from all over, because this is the crossroads of Missouri," said Van Baale, 69, who relaxed on a shady bench just outside the coliseum building.

Mel Willard, the fair's director, noted that the immediate rewards for fair participation by livestock exhibitors and other contestants are ribbons, premium money and recognition.

"But the long-term effect of this healthy competition has been steady improvement in Missouri agriculture," Willard said, calling the fair "the barometer of the state's economic health and a documentary of the history of Missouri agriculture."

Through the decades, the fair's focus has been constant: promoting agriculture, from early displays of steam-powered tractors to today's costly massive equipment boasting computers, air conditioning and global positioning satellite guidance.

Officials opened a state fair history museum on Thursday, with the featured exhibit honoring women in Missouri.

The fair's Frontier Building included an exhibit of a 33-foot canoe dug out from a cottonwood trunk, a replica of dugouts used by early traders. Also on display was a half-scale replica of the keelboat used by Lewis and Clark to explore the Missouri River; its 18-foot mast was still so tall that ceiling tiles had to be removed to accommodate the height.

Reminders of fairs past were everywhere. Contests include riding high-wheeled old-fashioned bicycles, spitting watermelon seeds, eating whole pies, calling hogs and husking ears of corn.

"The fair is always about agriculture and rural life and I like that a lot," said Dave Moriarty, 67, of Sedalia, who said he has attended the fair for six decades. Opening day honored residents of Sedalia, the fair's hometown throughout its history.

The Oak Ridge Boys were performing on opening night. Other country music acts performing at the fair include Brad Paisley and Toby Keith. For rock'n'roll fans, there will be a concert by Ted Nugent. Smaller shows, including many featuring young people from Missouri, happen several times daily on various stages around the fairgrounds.

Gov. Bob Holden was ceremonially opening the fair Thursday evening. He said the fair would "continue the tradition of bringing the best of agriculture to our state's citizens." Holden joined the fair parade, which started in downtown Sedalia and wound through the fairgrounds, with marching bands and antique tractors chugging along.

The parade's grand marshal was Sen. James Mathewson, D-Sedalia, statehouse protector of the state fair's interests. Mathewson attends the fair every day and has his own tradition -- devouring a corn dog and lemonade before departing the fairgrounds each evening. He said leftovers go to his dog, Muggsy.

Mathewson joined Lt. Gov. Joe Maxwell to promote the fair as a tourist destination for Missourians who may be staying closer to home in an uncertain economy since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Maxwell, vice chairman of the Missouri Tourism Commission, announced a state-run contest for fair visitors to win one of five Missouri vacation packages or a 100th anniversary edition Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle.

"Today we renew our efforts to encourage Missourians to get out and see our great state," Maxwell declared.