Artifacts

Week of August 30

Labor Day festival at Olive Branch

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- The annual Labor Day Festival will be held Monday at the Horseshoe Lake Community Center.

The day will begin with a pancake breakfast at 6:30 a.m.. A barbecue will begin at 10 a.m., homemade cakes and pies will be sold throughout the day, and attendance prizes will be awarded every hour.

The event will include music, raffle prizes and a baby contest.

Author to sign 'My World is Gone'

George Suggs, a professor emeritus of history at Southeast Missouri State University, will sign copies of his new book, "My World is Gone: Memories of Life in a Southern Cotton Mill Town," Saturday at Barnes & Noble.

Suggs is the author of several books, including "Water Mills of the Missouri Ozarks."

The book signing and discussion will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Adkins, Urban at Six Flags St. Louis

ST. LOUIS -- Country stars Trace Adkins and Keith Urban will perform at 5 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Old Glory Amphitheater at St. Flags St. Louis.

Blues festival Sept. 6-7 in KC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The first ever Kansas City Blues & Heritage Festival will be held Sept. 6-7 on the north lawn of Liberty Memorial across from Kansas City's Union Station.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. Sept. 6 and at 11 a.m. Sept. 7.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $20 at the gate each day. An advance two-day pass is $15. A two-day pass is $25 at the gate.

For information, phone (800) 511-1552 or visit www.KCBluesandHeritage .com.

Readying for 'A Christmas Carol'

ULLIN, Ill. -- Auditions for the Shawnee Community College Children's Theatre production of "A Christmas Carol" will be held 3 to 7 p.m. Sept. 13 and 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 14.

Those who audition should be prepared with a song (with accompaniment CD, cassette or sheet music), be ready to read from the script and wear dancing shoes. For more information, call Gae Morris at (800) 481-2242, ext. 3323.

-- From staff reports