No mud volleyball at Jackson's July Fourth celebration; Homecomers uncertain

Health experts say social distancing and proper personal hygiene are two ways to avoid COVID-19, but neither of these measures is possible when playing mud volleyball.

Therefore, the annual mud volleyball tournament during Jackson’s Fourth of July celebration has been canceled for the first time in the event’s 31-year history.

“We couldn’t figure that one out,” Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs told the Southeast Missourian, explaining there was no way for participants to stay clean and maintain distance from each other in the mud volleyball pits.

Hahs and the Jackson Board of Aldermen met during their Monday night study session with Jackson parks and recreation director Shane Anderson, who said he and the park board are recommending cancellation of several Independence Day events including mud volleyball. Other canceled activities will include helicopter rides, the Jaycee’s slip ’n’ slide and the golf ball drop.

He said other activities, including a 5K walk/run and children’s fun run that morning and the Elks’ Lodge beer garden, are tentatively planned, but not definite.

All other Independence Day events will take place in the city park as scheduled, including a car show, duck races in Hubble Creek and musical entertainment that evening in the park bandshell by the Jackson Municipal Band and a “special guest,” followed by fireworks visible throughout the park at 9:30 p.m.

Signage will be posted in the park reminding those attending July Fourth activities to maintain social distancing and “encouraging” the use of face masks, Anderson said.

Homecomers uncertain

While Jackson will host a “modified” version of it’s Fourth of July celebration, organizers of the annual Jackson Homecomers aren’t sure it will take place as planned next month.

Larry Koehler, representing American Legion Post 158, which sponsors the annual event in uptown Jackson, gave the aldermen a Homecomers status report Monday night.

“We’re proceeding under the assumption we’ll be having Homecomers,” Koehler said. “I was going to say ‘as usual’ but at this point, I don’t know what ‘as usual’ means.”

As of now, Homecomers is scheduled for July 21 through 25, but Koehler said no one knows at this point whether the state’s “reopening” plans will allow for street festivals, which can draw hundreds, even thousands, of attendees in close proximity to each other, making social distancing difficult, if not impossible.

“I’m trying to stay positive, but there are many questions here,” he said. “I can’t stand here and say I have all the answers. We’re looking at the end of July and that’s coming up pretty quick.”

He said a final decision on whether Homecomers will take place this year may have to wait until a few weeks, if not days, before the event.

Do you crave business news? Check out B Magazine, and the B Magazine email newsletter. Check it out at www.semissourian.com/newsletters to find out more.