CAIRO TO HOLD RIVERBOAT DAYS; RESTORED GEM THEATER WILL BE UNVEILED

CAIRO, Ill. -- The big paddlewheelers won't be here, but Cairo's Riverboat Days is expected to attract large crowds. The four-day festival kicks off Thursday.

Theme of the ninth extravaganza is "Carnivale." It will feature the excitement of a New Orleans-style Mardi Gras celebration.

Cairo, a town of 4,500, is near the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

Kicking things off will be the Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Symphony Orchestra. It will present a concert Thursday at twilight at the newly restored historic pavilion in St. Mary's Park.

Following the concert, people can drive around the St. Mary's Park residential area, where residents will display flickering luminary displays and yard decorations.

The festival began in July 1991 as a one-day event. A feature of earlier festivals was competition between the crews of the Mississippi Queen and Delta Queen steamboats, which docked at Cairo during the annual New Orleans-to-St. Louis "Race of the Queens." The Queens now dock during the July race at Cape Girardeau.

"We now hold the festivities in October," said Jay Manus, president of First National Bank in Cairo and president of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event. "We have a wide variety of events scheduled over four days."

A highlight, said Manus, will be unveiling of the renovated Gem Theater lobby Friday. Other weekend events include the Little Miss Pageant Friday, the Riverbaot Ball and Queen Coronation Saturday, and a tour of historic churches that will host open houses.

Louisa Kinder, 1997 riverboat queen, will be on hand to crown the 1998 queen.

The schedule includes the Downtown Carnivale Friday evening with entertainment by the Rip Lee Blues Band and Deana's Dancers; and more entertainment Saturday, with the Riverboat-KIM Shrine parade at 1:30 p.m., a Beanie Baby show at 11 a.m. at the Cairo Elks Club, and a daylong, citywide yard sale.

Visitors will have an opportunity to view more than 240 flags in the Avenue of Flags, which stretches along the Ohio River levee.

The city dedicated 191 flags of different nationals during a National Scenic Byway Route celebration in late August. Fifty state flags had been installed along the river levee about two years ago.

"We're really looking forward to the opening of the Gem Theater lobby," said Manus. "Renovation of the theater and other downtown improvements have been under way a long while."

Eighth Street, site of the theater, has been paved with brick. New historic-looking street lights have been added, a new marquee is in place at the old theater, and a town clock has been installed at Eighth and Commercial streets.

"We're looking forward to using the Gem Theater," said Manus. "We'll use it as a cultural center featuring plays, entertainment and movies.

Money is still being raised to complete the theater's interior renovation.

The Gem Theater, which opened almost 90 years ago, staged vaudeville shows when it opened in 1909. It was renovated in 1927, and at one time was owned by Rodgers Theater Group, which operated theaters from Southern Illinois to Florida, including operations at Anna, Carbondale and Cairo, and at Poplar Bluff, Mo.

The theater has been closed 19 years, leaving the city without a movie theater.

Cairo Riverboat Days

Thursday

6:30 p.m. -- Concert in St. Mary's Park. Southern Illinois University Symphony Orchestra.

7:30 to 10 p.m. -- Autumn luminary tour.

Friday

7 p.m. -- Little Miss Pageant, St. Joseph School.

8 to 10 p.m. -- Downtown (8th Street) festivities. Entertainment, Gem Theater Lobby opening, crafts, food and novelty vendors, fireworks on the riverfront.

Saturday

7 a.m. -- Citywide yard sale.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- Beanie Baby Show and Sell, Cairo Elks Club.

1:30 p.m. -- Riverboat-KIM Shrine Parade starts at 20th and Washington.

8 p.m. -- Riverboat Ball and Queen Coronation, Cairo Armory.

Sunday

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. -- Tour of historic churches.