Arts Council to host popular Trick-Art-Treat event Friday

Halloween will begin early when the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri hosts its second annual Trick-Art-Treat event Friday.

Liz Montgomery, gallery manager for the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, said First Friday Art events tend to focus on visual arts. But for the larger “stampcard” events such as Trick-Art-Treat, where attendees can collect stamps at participating locations to potentially trade in for free food or drink, the council likes to branch out.

“We’re trying to bring in some of the other types of arts as well, like creating your own costumes or textile artwork. There’s storytelling for the literarian, and there will be a play going on around downtown,” Montgomery said.

The music of Bill Bradley and Ken Keller will be heard at a backyard bash at the Indie House on Broadway.

“So we’re really trying to get a little bit of everything,” Montgomery said.

The festivities begin at 5 p.m., with hayrides down Broadway.

On Cue Performing Arts Studio will host a costume contest for children and adults from 6 to 7 p.m.

Montgomery encourages visitors to wear costumes.

“It will be a great way for people to use their old costumes from last year, or maybe break out this year’s costume a little bit early,” Montgomery said.

“Scary stories are a pretty integral part of Halloween and Halloween tradition,” Montgomery said, so at Cup ’n’ Cork on Spanish Street, Southeast Missouri State University professor Joel Rhodes will tell a family-friendly but spooky story at 6:30 p.m. At 8:30 p.m., he will tell a story more suitable for an older crowd.

Galleries throughout downtown Cape Girardeau will feature a variety of artwork. The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri will host an exhibition called “Dark Wonders” featuring the painting, puppets and installation artwork of Michael Baird and Justin Henry Miller.

Montgomery said more than 500 people made their way into the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri’s gallery for last year’s Halloween-themed event, making it the busiest First Friday of 2015. She said the Arts Council has high hopes for both the weather and turnout for the 2016 event.

“We’re really looking forward to it,” Montgomery said. “It’s one of our favorite events.”

A full schedule of events and a list of participating businesses may be found at capearts.org/TrickArtTreat.aspx.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

16 N. Spanish St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.