(Missourinet) – Thousands of people are expected to travel Thursday to west-central Missouri’s Sedalia for the opening of the 2018 State Fair.
Governor Mike Parson is expected to speak at Thursday’s noon opening ceremony, on the fairgrounds. State Fair Director Mark Wolfe says one of the biggest changes involves SIX nights of fireworks, which are being funded by Bryant Motors of Sedalia.
Visitors will also notice four new photo stations at the fairgrounds, along with four new solar cell phone charging stations. The theme for the 116th Missouri State Fair is “Come Home.”
Wolfe says one in five Missourians are hungry and that in parts of rural Missouri, one in three children face being hungry on a regular basis. Wolfe says the 2018 goal is for Missouri FFA members and volunteers to pack 100-thousand meals at the State Fair in Sedalia.
Wolfe says because of those 2017 efforts, 900 pounds of nutritious, fresh produce were donated to a “Feeding Missouri” regional food bank. Children struggling with food insecurity are at greater risk of health problems and lower school test scores.
