FAIR FEATURES JUMPING MULES

ALTENBURG -- For the past 75 years, it's been tradition for Perry County residents to come to the fair.

The 76th annual East Perry County Fair begins at 1 p.m. Friday with a parade; it ends at 9:30 p.m. Saturday with attendance prizes.

Fair attendance last year was down slightly because of rain, said fair committee president Earl Lorenz. The weather is expected to turn cool this weekend.

The fair's noted jumping mule competition will be at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

"I don't know if we got it started, but it's always been known as the world championship mule jump," Lorenz said of the event similar to a high jump for mules.Mules from Perry and Cape Girardeau counties compete.

Other events Friday include a kiddie tractor pull at 3 p.m., an antique tractor pull and a poultry dress-up contest at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday, events begin at 9 a.m. with livestock judging. The steer sale begins at 3:30 p.m. The 4-H and FFA clubs will sponsor a horse show at 10 a.m., which will be followed by an open-class show at 11.