ArtsCape draws 3,000

Capaha Park was soaked with sun and creativity at the eighth annual ArtsCape community arts festival Saturday.

More than 3,000 people attended the festival, according to Delilah Tayloe, director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. Although that figure is down from last year's estimated 5,000, Tayloe said she is still optimistic about the future of ArtsCape.

"It's a gorgeous day, we have wonderful bluegrass music playing and everyone is enjoying themselves here," Tayloe said. "Everywhere you turn you see one of the best arts festivals around in front of you here. St. Louis does a very good one, but it's very metro, and we believe ours has a better family atmosphere to it."

With more than 70 vendors, music and activities like street painting and the Kids' Art Tent, children and adults found something to love about ArtsCape.

"This is just fun for me," said street painter Justin Pruit. "I didn't come here with anything particular in mind, but I found this to be something I just can't get away from. Funny thing is, I had always heard ArtsCape was just for kids, and here I find a couple of things for me and my friends to do."

The Chalk Walk street painting art contest returned to ArtsCape this year. The perimeter of the lake featured chalk drawings such as silhouettes, a jazz musician, abstracts and cartoon characters. Artisan tents were set up along the lake, some selling items like jewelry and hand-made furniture, others offering a hands-on experience and still others selling original pottery and sculpture.

"I've gone around to some of the vendors, and they have said that they are selling less this year," Tayloe said. "But as far as the success of the festival goes, this truly couldn't have gone any better, and we now have something to build on for next year."

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Emery Naeter, left, Katherine Morton and Zach Brock, all 9 years old, worked on their sidewalk sections Saturday morning during ArtsCape at Capaha Park.

At the Shivelbine's Musical Instrument Petting Zoo, which had everything from a gong to brass instruments, booth volunteer Cody Neighbors said many attending children seem to be budding young musicians.

"You hear some of the most interesting stuff sitting here and just listening to the kids feel their way around these instruments," Neighbors said. "I don't know how many will actually end up becoming musicians, but I know they love music because most end up crying a lot when their parents pull them away to leave."