Gotta Get to the Missouri State Fair

By Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell

	There are few things I enjoy as much as experiencing the sights,
sounds, and tastes of our culturally rich state at the Missouri State Fair.
Every August, I look forward to packing up our family RV and heading to
Sedalia with my wife and two daughters to spend a week enjoying the Missouri
State Fair. 

This year's fair will take place from August 7 to 17, showcasing Missouri's
very best.  The fair was originally established in 1901 to exhibit the Show
Me State's agricultural achievement, and today, over one hundred years
later, the fair has expanded to include Missouri's finest in agri-business,
domestic and fine arts.  

In addition, the Missouri State Fair truly has something for everyone.  The
fair offers 11 days of family fun, including concerts, exhibits,
competitions of every kind, the mile long midway, and of course, all of that
great food.  

My family has attended the State Fair every August for as long as I can
remember.  I always enjoy spending time with my wife and my two daughters,
Megan and Shannen.  At the State Fair, there are so many things for families
to experience together.  My daughters both love the rides, and of course,
the family always enjoys wandering through the many, many exhibits and
observing the tremendous variety of farm animals. The endless selection of
food is enough to make anyone's mouth water, with more BBQ, funnel cakes,
and kettle corn than you can imagine.

As vice-chair of the Missouri Tourism Commission, I am particularly excited
about this year's State Fair.  This year, members of the Missouri Tourism
Commission will be in Sedalia to help officially kick off both the 2003
State Fair and Missouri's fall tourism season.  To help us celebrate our
theme of "Missouri's Drive Into Fall," we hope you will join us at 11:00
a.m. on Thursday, August 7 as we offer you a chance to win a Jeep Wrangler
and one of several vacation packages.

Whether you stay for a day or a week, there is no better way to experience
Missouri than at the 2003 Missouri State Fair.  Just as the fair's theme
suggests, you "Gotta Get There!" To obtain a calendar of events and other
information about the 2003 Missouri State Fair, visit www.mostatefair.com.