JUNE 9-10 RIVERFEST HAPPENINGS ANNOUNCED

Downtown Cape Girardeau will be rocking around the clock June 9 and 10 for the annual Riverfest celebration.

Plans for Riverfest '95 were announced Wednesday. Riverfest is a two-day celebration of Cape Girardeau's Mississippi River heritage.

The theme for this year's festival is "Rocking Around the Clock." An ornamental clock stands in the intersection of Main and Themis, at the center of Riverfest activities.

On Friday, Rare Earth, a vintage rock 'n' roll band, will perform its blend of blues and soul with brass and percussion. The concert is sponsored by Boyd Gaming Corp.

On Saturday night, country music will be performed by Joy Lynn White and Daron Norwood.

All of Riverfest's headline entertainment is free.

Tom Ross, president of the Riverfest Association board of directors, said this year's T-shirt design and new limited-edition posters capture the diversity of Riverfest activities.

This is the first year for posters, which feature the T-shirt design. The posters will cost $5 and only one printing is planned. Organizers say the posters should be collectible.

Fireworks are planned Saturday following Norwood's concert.

Aerobatic hall of fame pilot Leo Loudenslager's new Bud Light 200 features a 220-horsepower engine with a top speed of 230 mph.

The Bud Light Air Show will be presented several times Friday and Saturday.

Ride-n-Grind stunt bicycle team from Glenview, Ill., will also perform both days. In addition to bicycle tricks, the group offers an anti-drug message.

A Civil War encampment in the Common Pleas Courthouse Park is expected to attract up to 300 re-enactors.

Other activities include midway rides, strolling entertainment, arts and crafts, food, children's activities, the Miss Riverfest Pageant, the Riverfest Run and Midnight Bicycle Ramble.

Corporate sponsors for Riverfest are KFVS 12, St. Francis Medical Center and Southwestern Bell Telephone.

Associate Riverfest sponsors are Bluff City Beer, Biokyowa, Broussard's Cajun Cuisine, Dejoy's Inc. (Royal N'Orleans), Mercantile Bank of Cape Girardeau and the Southeast Missourian.

AmeriFirst Bank is a patron sponsor. Southwestern Bell Mobile Communications is providing communication equipment for the festival. Union Electric is sponsoring children's activities.

In-kind sponsors include Cape Boat and Motor, sponsoring a pontoon for the fireworks display; Ervin's Metalsmiths and Jayson Jewelers providing space to house Riverfest headquarters; Kohlfeld Distributing helping with the Riverfest Run; and Southeast Missouri Hospital providing first aid.

For information, call the Riverfest Association at 335-1388.