Returning to Southeast Missouri after having lived most of his adult life in Oklahoma, Bill Martin, an investment broker for Montgomery Bank, said he'd never been to a Jackson Homecomers festival before this year.

Wednesday night marked the effective start of the 101st annual Homecomers city reunion celebration, as Tuesday's events were mostly rained out.

Martin, who volunteered to help judge the Senior Idol competition, said he offered to help because it seemed like a good chance to give something back to the community he'd been away from for so long.

"It's a really neat community event, one of those things that should always continue because it brings people together," Martin said of Homecomers.

Despite the rain at the beginning of the five-day festival, Wednesday saw a large turnout, Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr said.

People stood in long lines for rides, and there were waits at nearby food stands as people milled about the lawn of the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse before Lohr's welcome speech.

By 6 p.m., the Jackson Optimist Club's stand was already backed up on orders for its fish platter, fried in a homemade batter, said Samantha Kinder, 15, of Jackson.

It was Kinder's first year volunteering during Homecomers, but she said she's never missed a year of the festival.

"Once you get a certain age, you can't really do the rides anymore but you can definitely come here and see your friends," Kinder said.

Lohr said she's always been unable to decide her favorite Homecomers treat, and called it a three-way tie between the homemade ice cream, corn dogs with mustard and the fish platter.

During her welcome speech, Lohr said this year's celebration was noteworthy because of Jackson's recent nomination by CNN's Money magazine as the 59th best small American town to live in.

"My only thought is to wonder why they didn't know we should be No. 1." Lohr said.

The Senior Idol competition is new to Homecomers this year, though a selection of area winners from the regional contests sponsored by Montgomery Bank performed last year.

The contests started as part of the bank's senior activities, said Wendy Hayes, group banking coordinator and senior club volunteer.

Soon, the bank started getting requests for the contestants to perform at community events, Hayes said.

The 11 entrees in Wednesday's contest were vocalists, but some people perform comedy routines or instrumental pieces, Hayes said.

Martin said that as a judge, his main criteria will be looking for someone who's enjoying themselves on the stage.

"Most important is, are they having fun? No matter if they're really good or really bad, are they having fun?" he said.

bdicsomo@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent addresses

1 Barton Square, Jackson, Mo