LAST-MINUTE PREPARATIONS PUT FINISHING TOUCHES ON FAIR

Absent from the SEMO District Fairgrounds Saturday were the children screaming in delight, blaring music from brightly colored rides and crowds of talking, laughing people. It may have looked quiet, but there was plenty of activity behind the scenes as more than 100 people put the finishing touches on the area's biggest fair.

The fairgrounds won't be so quiet today as the 142nd SEMO District fair opens at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. Admission today is free, and events include a pet parade at 1 p.m., horse show at 1:30, gospel sing, circus, fair pageant and midway rides.

Pete Poe, fair director, said Saturday was "detail day" where the last pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are put into place. "The hard work is certainly not over. We're getting everything into place and making a little sense out of the chaos," he said.

Poe said many of the concession booths and attractions are placed at the last minute. The frenetic pace of the last day doesn't worry Poe or make him miss any sleep. He said the preparations would be completed by no later than 10 p.m.

Wandering the fair's midway Saturday afternoon were representatives from the Cape Girardeau police and fire departments, fair security and the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. They were doing the last inspection of the game booths before the fair opens.

Dick Knaup, director of fair security, said the inspection is to make sure the rules of the games are understandable. The games must all have some element of skill as well.

"Games of chance are considered gambling in Missouri," Knaup said.

He said one booth a few years ago had to be closed down because participants did not have any control over the outcome of the game.

Inspectors shot baskets and water guns, pitched baseballs and went fishing -- all in the name of the law. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Scott Lipke said the booths all checked out.

Lipke said some booths were still in the process of displaying their game rules. He said checks would continue throughout the week to see if these rules had been posted. "We don't want any controversy at the end of a game because the rules were not properly displayed," he said.

Cape Girardeau police Capt. Steve Strong said for the police department, the fair is like another little city to take care of. Strong said between 10 and 14 uniformed officers will work the fair each day this week, in addition to the department's regular force patrolling the city streets.

He said traffic, theft and disturbances are the major concerns for officers at the fair.

"Those are the types of things you would expect when you have large crowds. I think last year more than 100,000 people passed through this fair," he said.

Police presence will be its strongest Friday and Saturday as the crowds are expected to be their largest. Fourteen uniformed officers will work both those nights and Strong said plain-clothes officers will also be on hand.

"We go through a lot of effort to make sure they have a good, safe fair," he said. "I can't recall when we've had a real major incident."