Artisan talent wanted for Memorial weekend wine and art festival.

Visitors to the 2008 Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Arts Festival enjoy live music from the bandshell of Illinois seventh oldest park.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact:

Jason Pinkston

Friends of Murphysboro Foundation

P.O. Box 795

Murphysboro, IL 62966

(618) 925-0027

jasonpinks10@yahoo.com

Friends of Murphysboro Seek Artisan Talent

Murphysboro, IL- Although planning is well underway for the second annual Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Arts Festival to be held Memorial weekend May 23 and 24th, organizers are still actively seeking art talent to participate in this years event.

With Hickory Ridge and Rustle Hill Winery added to the roster, bringing the total number to twelve wineries, the focus has been on making every aspect of the festival better this year including the number of artisans. The ultimate goal is to make this annual event a showcase of the finest that Southern Illinois has to offer, from wine, food, music and of course the pool of talented people in our artisan community. We would like to see a complete cross section of the diverse talent that our region fosters. In every way this event is not only about Southern illinois, but about or region as a whole and also about helping it prosper.

The event will feature all 12 wineries of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, BBQ from world champion 17th Street Bar and Grill, local artisans displaying their craft, a Vintage baseball tournament on saturday between the Murphysboro Clarkes and the Springfield Long Nines, plus two days of live music from the historic Riverside Park bandshell. Tickets cost $15 and include a souvenir wine glass, a complementary tasting card and a $5 coupon for wine.

Booth spaces for artisans are approximately 10' x 15' and cost $55. Artisans willing to demonstrate their craft at the event may have their booth space waived. Artists can print out an application from the Friends of Murphysboro myspace page at myspace.com/friendsofmurphysboro, or can request an application by emailing befager @friendsofmurphysboro.com.

The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Arts Festival at Riverside Park is hosted by the Friends of Murphysboro, a non-profit group formed to raise funds to preserve and enhance historic Riverside Park. All proceeds from this event directly benefit the nearly one hundred year old park.