FAIR: FUN BEGINS WITH RIDES SATURDAY

Those anxious to experience the 1991 SEMO District Fair can venture to the fairgrounds Saturday for carnival rides and a limited number of other fair activities.

The fair officially kicks off Monday, but Sneak-A-Peak Day, with free admission, is Sunday.

Gayle Hendrix, public relations chairman for the fair, said that on Saturday there will be free admission and free parking. Parking on Sunday will be $2.

She said because the carnival came into town early, fair officials decided to add Saturday to the fair calendar.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to get a head start on the week," she said. The fair will last through Sept. 14.

The fair has been held at Cape Girardeau's Arena Park since 1940 and prior to that at Capaha Park. Last year, attendance for the week-long event reached more than 78,000.

Hendrix said attendance is expected to be high again this year. And in an effort to help plan next year's fair, some fairgoers will be asked to take part in a survey as they leave the park.

"It will give them an opportunity to provide input about the fair," Hendrix said. "The surveys will be taken randomly and anonymously at each exit gate."

Hendrix said only about 400 people will be asked to take part in the survey. They will be asked 16 questions, including their home town, number of miles traveled to attend the fair, their age and what attracted them to the fair.

"We're asking that people take a few minutes if they're approached by a survey taker," she said.

The survey was compiled and pretested by a business research class in the department of marketing at Southeast Missouri State University.

"This is the most comprehensive type of survey ever done at the fair. We're just trying to find out more about the audience we are serving," Hendrix said.

The class has agreed to compile the survey results, she said.

The tents and carnival rides are being constructed on the fairgrounds now for Saturday's opening. Work began over the Labor Day weekend.

The gates open at 1 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, gates open at 11 a.m.

"The Sunday events have been real successful," Hendrix said. "We have the Freedom Celebration, the horse show and the pet parade, which are real fun family events."

The Freedom Celebration, presented by First General Baptist Church, begins at 5:30 p.m. in the R & R Tent. The horse show begins at 1 p.m. in the grandstand.

The district fair annually draws people from all parts of Southeast Missouri, but this year, two nationally-televised morning shows will air short segments on the fair next week.

ABC's "Good Morning America" will air a greeting from fair officials Sept. 12 at 8:30 a.m. An ABC crew will film the greeting today at 11 a.m. at the fairgrounds.

CBS's morning show, "CBS This Morning," will also air a segment from the fair sometime next week. The spot, which is being taped at 10 a.m. this morning, will feature the Cape Girardeau Central High School Chamber Choir singing "Oh What a Beautiful Morning."

Fair Board President Pete Poe said it will be the first time the fair has been featured on a nationally-televised morning program.

"It's a perk. Every bit of exposure you can get lends credibility to the fair," he said.

Judy Williams, choir director at Central High School, said choir members found out Tuesday they would be featured on the segment.

Williams said even thought the 32-member group has had little time to rehearse its version of the song, "it sounds pretty good. I'm pleased with it."

Staff writer Peggy Scott contributed information for this story.