Southeast Missouri State University will celebrate its second annual community River Campus Summer Arts Festival this Saturday, June 20. “Seussical” the musical will be capping the day with a performance at 7:30pm. Last year’s festival had a record attendance with more than 1,200. This year’s event will feature live music, dance, visual art displays, theatrical performances, an art walk, magic, hands-on family-friendly art expression activities, museum exhibitions, and Plein Art Painting. The festival is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free and open to all ages.

The music line-up has grown extensively since last year. The entertainment will run continually throughout the day featuring the Suzuki players, magician Rob Huff, Mr. Saxophone, Steve Schaffner, Jazz Trio 440’s, the Jerry Ford Combo and Barefoot on Sunday. Children’s activities will be available all day as well, including face painting and hands on activities in the kids’ art tent. The Avenue of Art competition will be back again with a new special category for creating Dr. Seuss art. Additionally, artists of all ages can participate in creating chalk art, with Craig Thomas composing a piece for the festival. Art booths will include demonstrations and art for sale. Ceramics students will demonstrate their craft, and printmaking students will offer a workshop. Students from the Southeast Department of Art and multiple professional artists will have art booths available. In the southwest parking lot, the Southeast Explorer mobile museum will showcase a United States history exhibit and the River City Rodders will display antique and hot rod cars. Bart Williams of the Southeast Department of Theatre and Dance, will present a stage combat exhibition of Quarterstaff fighting outdoors in the Seminary Quad. The River City Players will perform “Sleuth” by Anthony Shaffer.  There will be numerous dance and theater performances, demonstrations, and workshops throughout the day. See SEMO's website for more information.

The all-day event will close with a performance of “Seussical” the musical at 7:30 p.m. in the Wendy Kurka Rust Flexible Theatre. “Seussical” is a musical comedy based on numerous Dr. Seuss books. The musical is written by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.  It is a comedy that will be enjoyed by the entire family. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the River Campus Box Office, located in the Cultural Arts Center, 518 S. Fountain St., weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,  calling (573) 651-2265 or by visiting www.RiverCampusEvents.com. Additional performances will include June 18-19, 25- 27 at 7:30 p.m., 2 p.m. matinees on June 21, 27 and 28, and a special 10 a.m. performance on June 26.  Get tickets now, seats are filling up quickly!

We, at Old Town Cape, are happy to get the opportunity to work with Southeast Missouri State University campuses on events such as this one. It is partnerships like these that help further opportunities for the University and Downtown and offer a variety of activities for the community to take part in.

This post was written by guest blogger, Alyssa Basler, intern at Old Town Cape.

Question and Answer time with Happy Slapowitz's Toy Bash organizer, Ryan Eftink

What happened in 2001 that caused you to make a commitment to recruiting toys for kids at Christmas?
We wanted to have a Christmas party with our friends. My good friend, Davey, and I decided we’d make it a toy donation party. If you brought a toy to the party you could participate in the beverages and food that was provided, if not we asked for a cash donation. That first year at our house we had close to 100 people stop by… It was time to get a venue!

How did you come up with the name “Happy Slapowitz’s Toy Bash”?
We wanted something that gave tribute to the people that helped keep the event going. All the patrons of Rude Dog pub have always helped from the beginning and never asked for anything in return. That first year Mark and Todd wrote a check at the end of the night and gave cash from their tip jars to help. Another friend of ours, Nathan, brought several bags of toys to the event and one gentleman donates a bike every year. So I talked with my friends and decided to name it the “Happy Slapowitz’s Toy Bash” in honor of the unselfishness of the patrons of Rude Dog and the owners from that first year.  It is a name that means something to those that know it. 

What is your relation to Smokin’ Brothers?
Smokin Brothers is my family’s company. I have always been in charge of cooking the food for the event with help from a couple of friends. I am not into name recognition, and thought that it would help the cause if a business was named rather than a person. Smokin Brothers is a Seasoning, Sauce and Grill Manufacture Company. Double D Supply is the distributor for Smokin’ Brothers products. They provide all the supplies needed to cook from the seasonings, sauces and wood pellets, to, most importantly, the bbq grills used to cook the food.

What can we expect on this year’s menu?
We are cooking for all 8 bars this year. We’re providing pulled pork, BBQ baked beans, cole slaw and baked potato casserole. Food will be served before the bands take stage, from a 6-8pm, on December 11th.  

How do you buy tickets? What does it take to enter? 
The admission is a new unwrapped toy or a $10 cash donation at the door. ‘Bashers’ will receive a wristband to wear, allowing them to get into all locations for that one donation. If you purchased a t-shirt ahead of time, wear that and you’ll get in free.

What else is happening the evening of the 11th to support Toys for Tots
We’re having raffles for each bar that will be drawn at 12:30 at each location. Only 100 tickets will be sold at each bar for $5 apiece. It will be winner takes all. Each bar will have their own raffle box that will be given away, and the tickets can be purchased only at that bar that is giving that raffle away. The raffle boxes are made up of donations from our awesome sponsors. We’ll post on our FB page what each bar will have in their box.

New this year, we have one big prize to be raffled off. For a $20 entry you can win a Smokin Brothers BBQ grill valued at $900. Or, if you manage to make it to all eight venues and get your grill card punched at each location, you can enter for $10. The grill punch cards will be handed out at all venues, but Bel Air Bar and Grill will be where you can enter for the grill only. If you would like to purchase a chance to win the grill but are unable to attend, head over to Smokin Brothers at 1923 N. Kingshighway and enter there until Thursday, December 11th, at noon. We will be giving the grill away the following day on K103.

So you grew from changing the location from your home to Rude Dog to 8 pubs this year-is this correct?
We started in our home the first year and then quickly realized that it was too large of an event to have there. I’m good friends with the owners of Rude Dog Pub (Mark and Todd) and approached them about helping me out and having it at their location. The event changed from a Saturday night to a Thursday night. Also the free drinks went away, but we kept the food and added entertainment.

I have some good friends in several bands who came to help by donating their time. Jeremy Burford and Mike Renick were key contributors that first year at Rude Dog with their music connection.

That first year is when I got my right hand man on the cooking to start helping me, Kieth Seyer (Jr.).  2011 was the first year we added t-shirts and 2 other bars as well: Pour House & The Library. And this year we have committees helping with everything and we are an official 501C3! We also have had several businesses step forward and donate money and products to be given to the raffles.

We can’t wait for this year’s night - December 11th. 8 bars and 10 bands – don’t miss it!

'Like' our Facebook page to stay up-to-date on the latest Toy Bash information.

This post is written by guest blogger, Lydia Ness, Student Worker at Old Town Cape.

A few weeks ago some of my friends and I made the decision to spend our Friday night checking out Tunes at Twilight. So, after work we packed our lawn chairs, picnic basket full of cheese and fruit, and a bottle of wine and headed down to the Common Pleas Courthouse Gazebo in downtown Cape.

We arrived around 6:45 and I was immediately blown away - people of all ages, including couples, families and friends filled the lawn surrounding the gazebo. It was clear to me that this event was loved by many and it was sure to be a great night! We scoped out a spot near a large shade tree, planted our chairs and got ready for Coles Whalen, a Tunes at Twilight regular, to take the stage. Whalen is from Denver, CO and has toured all over the country with big names such Pat Benatar, Joan Jett and Kellie Pickler. A few minutes later she took the stage and I immediately fell in love.

My friends and I cracked open the wine and got out the snacks and settled in for a nice, relaxing evening. As I sat there, I thought to myself that this very moment is the reason I love downtown. The weather and atmosphere was perfect, the crowd was fun, and Whalen was just as good as I expected her to be.

I also couldn't help but to think of how perfect of an example of Placemaking this is. Old Town Cape has been really strategic in creating and designing places downtown for people to go and has transformed the area into a destination. Tunes at Twilight is a creative event that invites and encourages people to enjoy all that downtown Cape has to offer. I learned that many people visit the downtown shops and restaurants before or after the event and we did just that once the concert was over. We took the short walk to Broadway Biergarten to grab some dinner and drinks before ending the night.

I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a Friday night that was as relaxing as this one was. I was fortunate enough to spend it with great friends while enjoying excellent music. If you haven't had the chance to check out Tunes at Twilight, I highly encourage you to do so! Wil Maring is the performer scheduled for tonight, but there are two more spring concerts after this one and the fall season will begin on August 15. For more information about this event, click here.

This post is written by guest blogger, Steven Amrhein, Intern at Old Town Cape.

I'll admit that I like to go out downtown every now and then. My nights usually begin pretty early though because I don't stay up too late. One thing that I've discovered in my senior year of college is that the bars downtown have a lot more to offer than just bottomless pitcher nights - they have music, and a lot of it!

The first band I ever heard perform downtown was Old School Hype, the house cover band for The Library. They play every Thursday night at 8 and normally take breaks during their show to chat with the audience. One night while listening to them play, I decided to strike up a conversation with their guitar player, Caleb, since I too am a guitarist. He told me that the band is pretty busy, playing over 250 shows since they formed in 2010, and have booked an additional 145 show this year! Caleb started playing the guitar when he was just 8 years old, and after a few years of improvement, he got together with his brother, Alex, and decided to start a band. Chris, the drummer, joined the band after meeting Alex through the Southeast Missouri State University music program, while Skyler, the bassist, joined after being introduced by a friend.

My biggest question was why they played so many shows in bars rather than branching out to venues, wineries, etc. Caleb explained that they play downtown so much because they enjoy the atmosphere and they feel right at home. However, the band is willing to contribute their service to local charitable causes by playing benefit shows when asked. "The best thing about playing locally is the decent following that we have. A few die hard fans come to every show and cheer us on," explained Caleb. During one show, Old School Hype rocked so hard that they threw a breaker in the middle of a song and the building's power went out! Their fan base is so great, though, that they kept the show going even when disaster struck.

The last thing Caleb left with me before I headed home for the night, besides to follow them on Facebook for upcoming shows, was a great story about the band's favorite memory of a show downtown. "One night while playing at The Library when 'Gone Girl' was being filmed, a few people from the movie came in while we were playing 'Feel Like Making Love' by Bad Company. Actress Lola Kirke, daughter of Bad Company's drummer, Simon Kirke, was amongst the crowd and danced away. After she returned home from shooting the movie, she sent us autographed pictures of the band and her as well as autographs from her father," said Caleb.

As I was walking down Main Street just about to wrap up my night, I heard hard rock music coming out of Rude Dog. I'm a huge fan of 90s rock and that grunge feel, so I figured I'd pop my head in and listen for a minute with a couple of friends. The band on stage was Seems Legit, one that I had never heard of. I only intended to stay for a few minutes, but the mix of rock, country, and blues kept my interest and I ended up staying until last call.

The band then began tearing down the stage and putting away their instruments, but I had the opportunity to have a quick chat with lead singer, Jason. Beyond my belief, he told me that Seems Legit had only played about 10 shows. I was shocked because their sound was so professional for being a newbie. "We take pride in good, tight sound and try to learn something new at every show," Jason explained.

I thanked Jason for his time and let the band finish packing up their equipment and began heading home. It was the first night since I turned 21 that I had stayed out until closing time, and I couldn't be happier. I met two great bands, made some new friends, and learned from aspiring musicians that one day will be headlining in St. Louis. Sign up for the What's Up Downtown weekly update to find out where Old School Hype and Seems Legit will play downtown next!

This post is co-written by guest bloggers, Lydia Ness and Steven Amrhein, students at Southeast Missouri State University.

With work and school, it had been a while since my boyfriend and I had been on a date. Since Valentine's Day is fast approaching, what better time to plan a date? We came together and decided on the perfect downtown date.

A key ingredient for the perfect date is perfect outfits for each, so being the awesome girlfriend that I am, I helped him pick out an outfit for the date. We made a trip to one of the newest stores downtown, Southern Style, where they have a great selection of both casual and dressy attire. After shopping around for a while, we decided on a Southern Tide button up shirt, Polo Ralph Lauren khaki jeans, and a Collared Greens belt.

I, however, wanted to keep my outfit a surprise, so after finishing up at Southern Style, I sent him on his way and made a trip to Main Street to visit my favorite boutique, Stash. A friend helped me pick out the perfect little black dress by Fable paired with a handmade necklace by Shira Melody and a pair of neutral heels by Gomax. Now with the outfits chosen, the date could not come soon enough!

To begin the day together, we visited eDen Spa and Salon for the VIP Couples Massage, which included a one hour massage and one hour in the sauna. It was nice to just relax and spend time together. Afterwards, we headed over to Cup N Cork for a light lunch and took a stroll afterwards since the weather was so nice. We came across Cream of the Crust, located on Spanish Street, and I just had to get a strawberry milkshake! Come to find out, their ice cream is homemade along with the other pastries, cakes, etc. that they now carry. The perfect afternoon was only getting better.

Now it was my turn to be surprised, and I definitely was. After walking by the gorgeous river, looking at the murals, and hopping along the train tracks, the sun began to set and we made our way to Bellevue Street. I was curious as to where we were headed, until I saw the sign on the outside of a unique house - Celebrations.

I always wanted to try the elegant restaurant, and now I was so lucky to get to share the experience with my boyfriend. We were seated by a very personable host who introduced us to their award winning wine list with wines from small artisan producers. He also explained that the owners buy most of the food from local farmers so the food is guaranteed to be fresh. My boyfriend ordered the main dish of Sautéed Pacific Rockfish, but I went with a smaller dish, the Housemade Fettuccini.

The date was going so well that we just weren't ready for it to end. We were all dressed up so we decided to take a leisurely drive down Broadway on our way back home and I instantly saw the bright lights of Isle Casino Cape Girardeau. We figured it was a way to have some more fun and a chance to win back some of that date money, right? When we walked in, the live band was rocking loud music, playing all of today's hits and even some oldies. Not only were people pressing their luck at the machines, but a crowd was forming on the dance floor. We ended up dancing the night away and the band just so happened to play our song, "Treasure," by Bruno Mars.

The perfect date was a success! I was so happy to explore downtown with the best boyfriend around. I look forward to spending even more time downtown in the future and I encourage you to do the same. Who knows? You could convince your other half to take you on a date like ours!

Disclaimer: Lydia and Steven are only friends, but pretended to be dating for the purpose of this blog post.

This post is written by guest blogger, Stacy Lane, Director of Public Relations at the Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Mark your calendars for Tunes & Tales on Friday, September 6th at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus! Michael Reno Harrell and the Reverend Robert Jones will present good 'ol "Appalachian grit and wit" meets gutsy Detroit folk and blues for an evening of spirited storytelling told with American roots music.

Michael Reno Harrell is an award winning songwriter as well as a veteran storyteller and entertainer, and he's from the South...the Southern Appalachian Mountains, to hone it a bit finer. His humor and wit, as well as the emotional depth of his work, keep his fan base growing and staying tuned in for whatever comes next.

For over 30 years, Reverend Robert B. Jones, Sr. has performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe with the message that traditional American songs and stories have much to teach us. He loves songs that tell stories, and finds that many of his songs and stories are inspired by people he's known. Often too, Jones finds that the Bible provides great poetic language and imagery for song writing and storytelling.

Tickets are available for Tunes & Tales by calling 651-2265 or by visiting the Special Events page at RiverCampusEvents.com.
   
Make a weekend in Cape Girardeau's historic downtown out of the event! The Cape Riverfront Market will be hopping on Saturday, and on Sunday September 8th the Merling Piano Trio will perform at the River Campus. Need a place to stay or eat? We've got you covered at VisitCape.com.

We look forward to seeing you for Tunes & Tales at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus on Friday, September 6th. We are so excited to partner with Southeast Missouri State University to present this wonderful evening of storytelling at such an incredible venue!

If you were downtown on June 25 for the Great Race, you know that there was quite the buzz going on amongst the Great Racers, downtown businesses, and everyone who came out for the show. If you didn't make it down, you missed out on an outstanding, one-time event. Downtown Cape was filled with about 5,000 people and more than 300 classic cars!

While the Great Racers were in town, we heard whispers between them that this was the best stop they had ever had...in history. They were so grateful for the hospitality that they received during their stay and impressed by the huge crowd downtown and spectators that lined the streets for miles.

In fact, they were so impressed that Cape Girardeau was presented with the 2013 Best Overnight City Award on the Hemmings Motor News Great Race. Race director Jeff Stumb stated that "All of hte overnight stops were fantastic, but Cape Girardeau was one of those stops that will be talked about for years to come by the participants.

A key part to a successful event downtown is the involvement of the businesses. The Great Race committee encouraged businesses along the route to host Pit Stop Parties and businesses in the Riverfront District to host Welcome Parties to help with the huge welcome into Cape.

Mississippi Mutts captured the Pit Stop Party award and owner Sherry Jennings said that "Our Pit Stop Party was an opportunity to get the community excited for the event. It benefits us to participate in things like this because it brings in new people and keeps our customers happy."

Kyleigh Baliva of Pastimes Antiques, winner of the Welcome Party award, said "The Great Race literally stopped in front of our store, so hosting a party was a positive experience for the business, our customers and our dealers."

Sometimes it truly does take an army. When the army works together as well as it did for this event, that's an army worth keeping. Thank you to all of the sponsors, volunteers, business owners, spectators and everyone else who played a key part in helping us successfully welcome the Great Race to Cape Girardeau.

Tunes at Twilight is back!

Grab your family, friends (even if they're four-legged and furry), comfiest lawn chairs, a picnic basket full of snacks, and come on down to the Common Pleas Courthouse Gazebo (Lorimier and Broadway) in Cape Girardeau to enjoy a brand new season of musical talent. Our all-star lineup of musical talent this year includes many returning fan favorites, as well as new musical talent sure to captivate and impress. If you love good music, an inviting atmosphere, and friendly people, Tunes at Twilight on Friday evenings is where you need to be!

This Friday showcases the talent of Corinne Chapman. She is an extraordinary musician who last performed at Tunes in 2010 has opened for Don Williams, Montgomery Gentry, Jason Aldean, and Little Big Town among others. We’re very excited to hear her perform and hope you’ll come on down and join us in the fun this Friday at 7pm!