CHILDREN'S ART FESTIVAL MAY 6 AT CAPAHA PARK

The first-ever Capaha Capers, a free children's art festival, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Capaha Park.

The event, for children ages 4 to 12 who are accompanied by an adult, will include:

-- Storytelling by the Cape Public Library staff.

-- Music and movement by the Academy of DanceArts.

-- Car painting and mural making by the Parks and Recreation Department.

-- A puppet show presented by the Assembly of God Super Saturday Program.

-- Sand painting without sand.

-- "The Slime Bucket" and visor decorating (for the first 500 kids who register) by the Arts Council.

The idea for Capaha Capers came out of a retreat held in January 1994 by the board of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

"We decided to join with parks and rec and wanted to do something free and accessible to all the kids in the area," said Beverly Strohmeyer, the arts council's executive director.

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring an arts and crafts fair on the same weekend.

Fliers and registration forms will be distributed through the schools, the arts council and parks and recreation.

Registration may be mailed to the arts council office, P.O. Box 901, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0901. Forms also may be dropped off at the A.C. Brase Arena Building, Schnucks, Del Farm or the arts council office.

Registration also will be held at the event in Capaha Park Shelter No. 2.

The event is jointly sponsored by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department.