The Mokane Fall Festival this weekend probably won't have carnival rides, according to Terry Howard, president of the Mokane Lions Club. But the rest of the "World's Fair" will continue as scheduled.
Howard said the owner of the carnival canceled the Mokane booking because he needed to have surgery.
"We are still trying to book a carnival, and at this late date that's unlikely. However, the 64th annual Mokane Fall Festival will go on as scheduled with all events still in place this weekend," Howard said.
He said other carnivals are either already booked or have left the area for their winter homes.
"We hope the community will still support us. The money we make from this event is used to purchase eye glasses for those who cannot afford them, along with other needs in the community," Howard said.
The Mokane Lions Club will be serving mutton, beef and pulled pork along with other side dishes and regular fare of hamburgers, hot dogs, soda and beer.
Howard said a new event, added on Monday, is a washer board tournament set at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
There will be bingo and softball competitions on Friday and Saturday.
Friday evening will feature a demolition derby and a performance by the band Safari. The Little Mr. and Miss South Callaway
contest will be at 7 p.m.
On Saturday morning there will be softball competition and a parade.
The children's tractor pull and the Mule Kickers dancers will entertain in the afternoon. Missouri Farm Pullers will have tractors and trucks competing in pulling events during the evening along with performances of the Black Water band.
On Sunday, the Flat Foot Follies will entertain in the afternoon and the antique tractor and truck pulling competition will be in the evening. The Coveralls band also will entertain.
One of the long-standing traditions of the annual festival, which is also known as the Mokane World's Fair, is the Jake Hockemeyer Memorial Old Time Fiddlers Contest on Sunday afternoon.
That event at the Mokane Lions Club Park begins at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Registration for the competition begins an hour before the event at 2 p.m.
The fiddlers contest is named after the late master fiddler Jake Hockemeyer of Mokane.
Jim Buffington, event chairman, said more than $800 in cash prizes will be offered at this year's contest.