GO FOURTH: AREA CELEBRATES HOLIDAY

JACKSON -- Thousands of people flocked to the Jackson Jaycees Fourth of July Celebration in the City Park Tuesday, the seventh annual event for food, folks and fun.

Forty-eight teams competed for about 12 hours Tuesday to determine the champion seven-man mud volleyball team. And the games proved entertaining whether you were a participant in the ankle-deep mud or a spectator. About 100 people lined the bleachers and surrounded the mud courts during the games.

Cindy Morey, partially covered in mud, played just for the fun of it. "I'd do it again," she said.

Ned Ackman, who played with co-workers from Saueressig Co., agreed: "I just came out for the first time with a team from work. And I'll do it again; it's a good time."

Event co-chair Kevin Payne said Jaycees worked for two days constructing the three mud courts.

"It's fun, it's dirty and it's competitive," he said.

Teams from Ironton, Farmington, Altenburg, Cape Girardeau, Scott City and Jackson registered for the event. One team consisted of area law enforcement officers.

Top Cops had players from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department and Jackson City Police.

"We watched one year and liked it, so we're back," said Capt. Bud Proffer of the sheriff's department.

Other events included a craft fair, pie- and watermelon-eating contests, children's games, a magic show, horse rides, dunking stand, horseshoe tournament, a regatta on Hubble Creek, a children's tractor pull (the pedal kind) and a Muny Band performance.

Also on the celebration agenda was the car, truck and motorcycle show which has been judged since the event's first year in 1988.

"This is better than a lot of them I've been to," said Ken Condict of Sikeston, who entered a 1966 Chevrolet. "It turned out to be a nice day and there's plenty of shade. I've been to a lot of these that didn't have any shade."

Event co-chairman Donnie Glueck said the Jaycees celebration is the cheapest place to go on the Fourth of July.

"It doesn't cost anything unless you want something to eat or drink, and the stands are reasonable," he said.

The event started as a celebration of the 175th anniversary of the city of Jackson.

"We thought we'd do the 175th and that would be it," said co-chairman Jeff McClanahan. "We never thought it would get this big."

"It's a break-even event," he said. "We do this for the community so the community will have something to do on the Fourth."

Almost 10,000 spectators were anticipated for the fireworks display which began at 9:30 p.m. A good crowd was also expected at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau Tuesday night for a fireworks show sponsored by area veterans organizations.