Warm Welcome for AQHA & Fleetwood

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA["We are grateful for the business and we take care of them," said Steven Haynes of the Du Quoin Kroger management team as hundreds of horsemen and Fleetwood RV owners call Du Quoin "home" for the week.

Alongi's Restaurant business grew by between 75 and 100 guests a day over the weekend because of the American Quarterhorse Association show here. Croessman Wholesale in Du Quoin opened up after hours so Guy Alongi could restock supplies. Runners drove several miles to pick up extra cases of refrigerated food items, as well.

Alongi thanks horse event promoter Mark Harrel for giving Du Quoin and the fair some of its finest hours--and weekends-this summer. It is definitely an economic engine.

The week-long AQHA show is an extraordinary show.

Haynes said hotdogs, hamburgers, buns, bottled water, cases of soft drinks and grab 'n go items like rolls, cupcakes, cookies and deli items fly off the shelves.

"We try and coordinate our schedules on both the front end and in the departments," Haynes said.

The Du Quoin Mc Donald's said the restaurant is always busy, but employees there can see an increase in the number of out-of-state license plates coming through the drive-up.

"Our motel has pretty well been full every night," said a spokeswoman at the Fairgrounds Inn on Rt. 51 south of Du Quoin. She said the staff knows how to accommodate guests when events at the fair spike.

Dozens of Fleetwood RVs will pull onto the grounds Tuesday for the start of Wednesday's national campvention. About 500 of the beautiful rigs will be seen all across the grounds.

The fair this week put its parking staff in place to help the Fleetwood road warriors get these pricey RVs safely parked.

Fred Huff of the fair's publicity staff has provided the newspaper with the fair's schedule of non-fair events over the next several weeks:

JUNE

19-27 AQHA Horse Show (Horse Show Arena).

23-30 Fleetwood RV Motor Home Rally (total grounds).

JULY

4 Flea Market (Expo Hall)

9-11 Show-Me Little Equine Club Horse Show (Southern Illinois Center).

10-11 Illinois Junior Rodeo (Horse Show Arena).

17-23 AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship (Inside and Outside Tracks).

24-25 Cowboy Mounted Shooting (Horse Show Arena).

31-1 Cutting Horse Show (Horse Show Arena).

AUGUST

1 Flea Market (Expo Hall)

14-15 IMHOA Spring Fling Miniature Horse & Pony Show.

20-22 Multi-State Jr. & High School Rodeo (Horse Show Arena).

August 27 to September 6 Du Quoin State Fair