The 145th edition of the SEMO District Fair begins Sunday at Arena Park promising good country music and plenty of livestock competition and automotive demolition.

Astro Amusements will operate on the midway from 5 to 10 p.m. today, but the fair officially opens Sunday. (See schedule on Page 2A.)

This year's grandstand musical entertainment begins with the Oak Ridge Boys Thursday followed by Toby Keith on Friday and Don Williams on Saturday.

New to the fair this year is a 60-by-90-foot livestock show arena completed just in time for Fair Week. Pete Poe, the fair's publicity director, said workers were finishing the interior of the building Friday. The building is located immediately south of the FFA barn.

Perhaps coincidentally, the number of livestock entries is up dramatically this year, Poe said. There are three times more poultry entries compared to last year, and the number of big animals entered is about 70, which Poe called "a good increase."

About $35,000 in prizes will be awarded in the livestock competitions.

Also new this year is the Mini Car Figure 8 Derby to be held Tuesday in front of the grandstand. Other grandstand events are a horse show Sunday, a demolition derby Monday, and a tractor-truck pull on Wednesday.

Toby Keith was leading the ticket sales Friday with Don Williams running a close second.

Keith is riding high after the hit "How Do You Like Me Now?," which followed earlier hits "Should've Been a Cowboy," "A Little Less Talk," "Who's That Man" and "Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You."

Williams may appeal more to tradition-minded country fans, who lately have been complaining about the pop sound coming from many country radio stations. Hits like "Good Ole Boys Like Me," "I Believe In You," "Love is on a Roll," "Amanda" and "Tulsa Time" brand Williams a country singer after traditionalists' hearts.

The Oak Ridge Boys' harmonies and gospel repertoire are expected to draw families to the grandstand Thursday night.

The SEMO District Fair Parade will follow a different route this year because of street construction. The parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Broadway and Caruthers, following Caruthers south to Independence Street. The parade will go west on independence to Broadview, and then north to the fairgrounds.

Seventeen high school bands, politicians, antique tractors and horses and buggies are expected to participate.

Poe said concrete repairs being made in front of the A.C. Brase Arena building were not completed in time for the beginning of the fair because of some equipment problems. But he said the unfinished spots will not cause any difficulty for fairgoers.

SEMO District Fair Schedule

Today

Astro Amusements, 5-10 p.m.

Sunday

Grandstand: 1:30 p.m., Horse Show.

Special Events

Grandstand: 1 p.m., Pet Parade.

Livestock Show Arena: 2 p.m., Good Life Gospel Sing, The Anchormen, Gary Sheperd and other local favorites

R&R Tent: 3 p.m., SEMO Fair Pageant, Tiny Miss SEMO Fair, Young Miss SEMO Fair, Preteen Miss SEMO Fair, Teen Miss SEMO Fair, Miss SEMO Fair.

Astro Amusements, $14 bands, noon-6 p.m.

Monday

Grandstand: 7:30 p.m., Demolition Derby.

Special event, 5:30 p.m., parade to fairgrounds.

Judging.

4-H entries in exhibit hall.

Astro Amusements, $14 bands, 5-11 p.m.

Tuesday

Grandstand: 7:30 p.m., Mini Car Figure 8 Derby.

Astro Amusements, $14 bands, 5-11 p.m.

Judging: 8:30 a.m., FCE booths; 8:30 a.m., guinea pigs, pigeons and 4-H calves; 9 a.m., field crops, fine arts, crafts and hobbies, floriculture, home ec, horticulture, FFA fruits and vegetables, 4-H poultry, poultry; 1 p.m., FFA field crops; 2 p.m., rabbits, 4-H rabbits; 6 p.m., livestock arrival

R&R Tent: 5:30 p.m., Baby Contest (Girls). Five classes, ages 3-18 months. Child must be pre-registered with proof of birth date by noon Sept. 9 at Fair Board Office.

Wednesday

Grandstand: 7:30 p.m., Tractor-Truck Pull.

Astro Amusements, $14 bands, 5-11 p.m.

Special Event: 1 p.m., Senior Horse/Mules Hitch Challenge.

Judging: 8:30 a.m., 4-H/FFA barrow carcass judging contest, 4-H barrows, FFA barrows, open barrow carcass (on foot), breed and cross breed barrows; 9 a.m., 4-H/FFA steer carcass judging contest, open steer carcass (on foot) , 4-H beef, FFA beef, junior Angus;

9 a.m., 4-H sheep, FFA sheep, R-H goats, sheep; 1 p.m., FFA steers, 4-H steers, all breed steers, 4-H swine, FFA swine.

R&R Tent: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Southeast Missouri Hospital activities for seniors; 2-4 p.m., All Stars Band; 5:30 p.m., Baby Contest (Boys). Five classes, ages 3-18 months. Child must be pre-registered with proof of birth date by noon Sept. 9 at the Fair Board Office

Thursday

Grandstand: 8 p.m., Oak Ridge Boys.

Special Events: Noon, 4-H/FFA Tractor Rodeo; 4:30 p.m., 4-H/FFA Livestock sale-market steers, lambs and barrows.

Astro Amusements, $14 bands, 5-11 p.m.

Judging: 8:30 a.m., Ayrshire; 9 a.m., Hereford then commercial beef heifers; 9 a.m., mini mules, jacks and jennets; 9 a.m., Hampshire, Yorkshire, Duroc, other swine breeds and commercial gilts; 10 a.m., Jersey; 1 p.m., Charolais, other beef breeds; 1 p.m. FFA dairy, 4-H dairy; 1 p.m. draft mules; 3 p.m., milking shorthorn, 4-H draft horse, mule and pony show;

6:30 p.m., mini mules and draft mule hitches.

R&R Tent: 5-7 p.m., Classy Chassy Country; 7-8 p.m., karaoke contest, Limit 15 contestants, pre-register by 5 p.m. at Fair Board Office

Friday

Grandstand: 8 p.m., Toby Keith.

Special Event: 6:30 p.m., Crosscut Saw Contest.

Astro Amusements Tiny Tots Afternoon, $7 bands for kiddie rides only, 1-5 p.m.

Judging: 9 a.m., Brangus, then Simmental; 9 a.m., Brown, Swiss, Guernsey; 9 a.m., draft ponies; 1 p.m., Angus; 1 p.m., Holsteinl; 1 p.m., draft horses, draft horse and mule junior showmanship; 6:30 p.m., Draft horse and draft pony hitches.

R&R Tent: 5 p.m., Elite Express Gymnastics; 6:15 p.m., Smile Contest; SEMO Dental Society, ages 12 and under. 7 p.m., area square dancers

Saturday, Sept. 16

Grandstand: 8 p.m., Don Williams.

Special Events: 8:30 a.m., 4-H/FFA public speaking; 10:30 a.m., Parade of Champions; 11:30 a.m., Quarter Scramble; 1 p.m., Poultry/Rabbit Dress-Up; 2 p.m., Pee Wee Showmanship; 1:30-3 p.m., AG Adventure; 4 p.m., Pedal Tractor Pull.

Judging: Noon, hitch classes, obstacle course; 2 p.m., 4-H horse show; 7 p.m., poultry, field crops release;

8 p.m., livestock release.

R&R Tent: 2 p.m., Fiddlers Contest. Registration noon, no fee; 4:30 p.m., Country and Western dancing; 6-8 p.m., Desert Rain Band.