The East Perry Community Fair continues its tradition as a down-home country fair at Altenburg, Mo., Friday and Saturday. Great food, free parking, entertainment and admission continue as trademarks of the "Best Little Fair in the Land."

Activities include:

Friday

8 a.m. poultry and rabbit judging

8:30 a.m. pheasant and quail judging

10 a.m. 4-H class, home economics department, field and forage and horticulture judging

1:30 p.m. official opening of fair with parade featuring Meadow Heights, Oak Ridge, Perryville, St. Vincent and Woodland High School bands and the Saxony Hills Community Band.

3 p.m. pedal tractor pull

5 p.m. antique tractor pull

5:30 p.m. poultry "dress up" show

6:30 p.m. music by the classic rock band "Trademark"

Saturday

9 a.m. River Hills Run; 4-H and FFA steer show followed by other departments throughout the day; judging of all other livestock

11 a.m. open saddle horse show

12 p.m. Saxony Hills Community Band

3:30 p.m. the Apple Creek Style Hee-Haw Show

5:30 p.m. mule jumping competition

6 p.m. Jackson Municipal Band

8:30 p.m. awarding of several hundred attendance prizes

Commemoration of the bicentennial visit of the Lewis and Clark expedition to the area in November 1803 will be the theme of the parade that officially opens the fair at 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Frank Nickell, director of the Center for Regional History at Southeast Missouri State University, will serve as grand marshal. The Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery visited what is now Perry County as they traveled up the Mississippi River. They camped just north of Tower Rock on Nov. 25, 1803.

Special guests at the parade will be the "Texas Thunder" Percheron draft horse hitch owned by the Priefert Corporation, sponsored by Buchheit Inc. The massive hitch will be on display following the parade Friday until late Saturday morning.

For more information call (573) 824-5271 weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; (573) 824-5513 evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. or e-mail eastperryfair@aol.com

Directions to the fair: From the Interstate 55 Fruitland exit take U.S. 61 North to Highway C, make a right; follow Highway C through Pocahontas, New Wells, arriving in Altenburg. Make a right on Main Street, follow about 7/10 mile, make a right on Church Street. Fairgrounds are on Church Street.