ALTENBURG -- For a couple hours on Friday afternoon, Altenburg life came to a standstill.

The local bank closed. Storekeepers sat on lawn chairs outside their shops. Traffic was backed up for what seemed an eternity, and drivers passed the time by reading or chatting with passers-by.

It was the same phenomenon that happens every year when "The Best Little Fair in the Land" opens.

The East Perry Community Fair is easily the biggest event Altenburg has all year. Nobody keeps tabs on attendance, but the fairgrounds are absolutely packed. Folks come from all over the county, and some from even further, to see first-rate entertainment, prize-winning livestock and, of course, the ever popular jumping mules.

Visitors Roy and Dana Pohlman estimate they have been to the fair annually since they were born. Now Friedheim residents, the couple take their two young daughters to Altenburg every year.

"It's very economical," Roy Pohlman said. "Everything is so reasonable, you can come and spend the day without spending your paycheck."

His wife said the low cost is part of the reason East Perry Community Fair earned its unofficial designation as the best. Another reason is the good food -- everything from pork burgers to fried fish to ice cream.

"We wonder what we'll eat first!" Dana Pohlman said. "But we also come down here because we see friends and family that we haven't seen for a long time."

Several businesses in the county use the fair as a promotion, setting up booths to visit and collect giveaways. Angie Wilson, marketing director for the Bank of Perryville, was in charge of giving away a peck of apples from Steffens' Orchard in Altenburg every two hours.

The idea was to promote the bank's "Homegrown in Perry County" slogan.

"Our statistics show that there are almost as many people from the city of Perryville who come down here as from the rest of the county," Wilson said. "This is a place we need to be."

Financial institutions are in the minority of businesses trying to promote themselves. The majority are farms, and farm owners bring their livestock to be judged and hopefully purchased.

"It's not usually a moneymaking proposition," said Lonnie Peetz, owner of Triple P Farms in Jackson. "You like to do as well as possible in the show and maybe sell something."

Peetz had Simmental cattle ready for show and sale.

Fred Eggers, publicity chairman for the fair, smiled Friday afternoon as the opening ceremonies progressed. He is one of Perry County's biggest promoters and perhaps one who helped perpetuate "The Best Little Fair in the Land" slogan.

"We don't try to be a big, weeklong fair," Eggers said. "We're not a big commercial thing with high-dollar entertainment. Almost everything is free."

Because parking and entrance is free, there's no way to estimate the number of people who come every year, he said.

The first fair was held in 1919, but the annual tradition stopped in the 1920s. It picked up in 1938, stopped again for World War II and has been held continuously since 1946.

Today's Events

9 a.m. -- FFA and 4-H market steer show.

9:30 a.m. -- 4-H horse show.

10 a.m. -- Judging of beef cattle, swine and sheep.

10:30 a.m. -- Dairy cattle show.

11 a.m. -- Judging of draft horses and mules, followed by the saddle horse show.

1 p.m. -- Country dancing.

3:30 p.m. -- 4-H and FFA steer sale.

4:30-8:30 p.m. -- "Little Rock" performs.

5:30 p.m. -- Jumping mule competition.

9:30 p.m. -- Fair closes.