BENTON NEIGHBOR DAY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

BENTON -- Every year about this time the citizens of Benton welcome about 3,000 new friends to their neighborhood.

Beginning around 1941 and resuming in the mid 1960s after a 20-year absence, Benton has had a Neighbor Day celebration. This year's, the 28th annual, will feature only one significant change over that of years past -- there will be a mini-tractor pull for the kids Saturday at 2 p.m.

One change might not seem like much until you consider the number of activities the Benton Chamber of Commerce is already planning for Friday and Saturday. There will be sky divers, a beauty contest, a parade, a live band, foot races, sack races, three-legged races, wheelbarrow races, piggy-back races, tug-of-war, bicycle races, egg throwing, pie eating, nail driving, watermelon seed spitting, greased pole climbing, a greased pig chase, the Tour Air Evac Lifeteam Helicopter, horseshoes, an antique car show and the midway.

Most of the races and contests will be held Saturday afternoon. The midway opens at 5 p.m. Friday. The sky divers make appearances at 6:30 p.m. both days. The Miss Neighbor Day contest will be held immediately following the Little Mister and Miss Neighbor Day contest Friday at 7 p.m.

Saturday will feature a parade at 10:30 a.m., antique car show at 11:30 a.m., horseshoe tournament at 1 p.m., the Tour Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter at 4 p.m., the greased pole climb at 6 p.m., talent show at 7 p.m. and the sounds of entertainers Southland and Charlie's Music Revue Sound System.

Benton Chamber of Commerce President Jim Wade said the size of Neighbor Day is extraordinary considering the size of Benton itself. He is expecting 3,000 people will visit Benton, a town of 500, over the Neighbor Day weekend.

"We have a lot of contests. We have one of the nicest parades in the area," Wade said. "We'll also have a 3-on-3 basketball tournament right after the parade. We've also got one of the best talent shows between St. Louis and Memphis."

The big winners of Neighbor Day are the Chamber of Commerce, the Catholic church, the Methodist church and the school. All of them benefit in some way from the Neighbor Day draw.