SIGHTS & SOUNDS OF THE SEMO DISTRICT FAIR; LOOKING BACK ON WEEK OF FUN

Good weather helped bring out the crowds during the seven-day event.

Derek Reiminger, 9, of Delta, scratched his nose while he held his Simmental cross-bred steer "Thunder" in the under 14 4-H Showmanship Class at the SEMO District Fair.

Holly Dunn performed Thursday night.

The SEMO District Fair is a montage of sights and sounds.

It is too big to capture in a single snapshot.

The fair has been a part of Cape Girardeau since 1855. Area residents keep coming back to it like an old friend.

This year's fair offered everything from cotton candy to funnel cakes. Cows and chickens were judged. So were cakes and canned foods.

There was plenty of poultry and parking.

Crowds thrilled to the neon-lit carnival rides, which carried names like Firedancer, Pharaoh's Fury and Backlash.

The fair had burgers, grandstand bands, baby contests and countless balloons for the kids.

Striped tents dotted the fairgrounds, offering everything from livestock to entertainment inside.

From pigeons to the pet parade, animals were a big part of the fair.

Camels cooled their heels under a tent. Sheep were sheltered under another tent.

Rabbits, ducks and chickens could be viewed, with the winners' wire cages sporting bright ribbons.

There were barrows, boars and other swine showed.

Horses had their day on the first day of the fair. More than 400 people competed in the horse show. Children even competed in a "stick horse" class.

But none of the animals could show up the mule for state attention. Lawmakers last spring declared the mule Missouri's state animal.

The SEMO District Fair had a whole herd of the tall-eared animals.

Tractors were a common site at the fairgrounds, with everything from a tractor pull to antique tractors harvesting attention.

There were lots of games on the Midway for young and old.

The Missouri National Guard had its own brand of fun as Guardsmen participated in war games throughout the week along Cape LaCroix Creek.

The 1995 edition of the fair ended Saturday. But as always, it left behind blue-ribbon memories of fair fun.