Hats off to the SEMO District Fair organizers, volunteers

Despite heavy rain on opening day, the SEMO District Fair welcomed 93,000 people over eight days, according to numbers released by the fair recently. That was about the same turnout as last year.

This year's fair had new rides and entertainment, but mostly it was a repeat of what we love about the fair: Great food, a close look at the farm animals and the overall ambiance of the lights and sounds.

Few of us actually consider the amount of work that goes into putting on the fair. Hosting a party for 93,000 people is no small feat.

Last week Mark Bliss wrote a story on some of the numbers of the fair. We'll repeat some of them here:

• It takes an army of 600 volunteers to man the fair.
• There were 870 "big animals" at the fair, from horses and mules, to cows, sheep and goats.
• Additionally there were 1,400 smaller animals like chickens, rabbits, ducks and geese.
• Forty portable potties were dispersed around the fair grounds.
• Those volunteers used 30 golf carts to get around.
• Trash filled up 36 dumpsters on the fairgrounds.

It took a small army of dedicated people to put on the fair, which generally takes in some $1.5 million in eight days.

Congratulations and thank you to all the workers who make the fair what it is.