PAVING PROJECT WILL BETTER FAIRGROUNDS

A paving project under way at Arena Park will eliminate all gravel streets and roadways, and the project should be finished before the Southeast Missouri District Fair, Sept. 8-14.

Pete Poe, president of the district fair board, said, "Crews are asphalting the rest of the gravel areas in the park."

Eliminating gravel areas, Poe said, offers several benefits to the fair.

"It keeps the dust down and in the event of rain, eliminates a lot of standing water and mud," he said.

"People enjoy the time they spend at the fair more if the grounds are better. It makes for a safer place and it helps with the traffic."

Poe said the city and the fair board are sharing the cost of the paving work.

"The city is contributing on some, and we're paying for our area," he said. "It makes for a better fair."

Paving work is just one improvement being made at the fairgrounds in preparation for the coming exposition.

A three-and-a-half-year project to upgrade the electrical system at the fairgrounds has also been completed.

"We are pretty well up to standards," Poe said. "We have eliminated about 75 percent of the cords on the ground. And we eliminated some dangerous overhead wiring and some old electric boxes."

Sales of box seats are up this year, Poe said. The box seat area of the grandstand was one of the areas improved this summer.

Ticket sales for the fair grandstand entertainment began Aug. 5.

"Sales started real strong," Poe said. "We had the first surge of people who have to be first in line, as we expected."

Stephen Curtis Chapman, who sings contemporary Christian music, has been a strong seller for the fair. He will perform Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m.

The headliners, Ricky Skaggs and Shenandoah, are also selling well, Poe said. Skaggs will perform Friday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m. and Shenandoah will perform Saturday, Sept. 14, also at 7:30 p.m.

"They are neck and neck," he said. "I was very pleasantly surprised on how close they are."

While the final numbers are not in, Poe said concessions at the fair are up from last year.

"Inside concessions, inside the Arena Building, are sold out," he said. "And we are scratching for ground on the outside."

The racing pigs are being replaced this year with Dave Hale's camel rides.

Another new concession this year is "Animal Actors and Friends." "A lady who trains animals for Universal Pictures will be putting on a show," Poe said. "It's very youth oriented."

Agriculture and livestock entries are still being received. Entries, he said, have been strong.

Volunteers are gearing up for the district fair. Poe said additional volunteers are needed. "You don't have to be a member of the association and you don't have to attend meetings to volunteer," he said.

For information about fair events or to volunteer call the fair office at 334-9250 or 1-800-455-FAIR.