River City Music Festival makes changes for 2009

The River City Music Festival has undergone a number of additions and changes this year. The festival will feature roaming street performers, a public speaking competition and a theme.

"We're definitely starting earlier on Saturday and making it more family-oriented," said Tammy Maddock, director of marketing and advertising. "During the day and early evening hours we really want people to be able to bring their families down and have a good time."

Jugglers, balloon artists and face painters are expected at the festival, and the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri will be doing chalk drawings and will have a booth set up with local artists. There will be a public speaking competition, which Maddock said is geared toward junior high and high school audience.

"We decided it would be something fun that would get young people involved," she said.

Attendees young and old can also participate by dressing up for the festival's beach party theme. Anyone wearing bold and obnoxious beach wear will get $1 off admission.

"The theme will make it more of a party atmosphere, and each year we want to do something different," Maddock said. "It's another way for people to get involved and feel they are participating in the festival more than just walking around and enjoying the music."

To prevent a repeat of the angst over drink tickets and beer shortages in past years, the festival has done away with the ticket system. Maddock said Jodi Simmons, who has run the Optimist Club's beer stand at the SEMO District Fair for many years, will run the festival's beer stand. And all three local beer distributing companies will supply products.

"The festival has gotten big enough that the ticket method doesn't work, and we have enough trustworthy volunteers who we can trust with their own cash box," Maddock said. "By having really dedicated people from the community who are willing to take the work and divvy it up, makes this festival run a whole lot smoother."