RIVERFEST '92 WILL BRING BACK BOAT, `BEATLES'

Plans for Riverfest '92, Cape Girardeau's annual celebration of its river heritage, include two encores from last year.

Riverfest '92 will be held June 12 and 13 in downtown Cape Girardeau with the theme, "Rollin' on the River."

The Spirit of St. Charles riverboat again will cruise to the Cape Girardeau riverfront to offer excursions throughout the weekend, said Evelyn LeGrand, general chairman of this year's Riverfest.

On the main entertainment stage Saturday, Yesterday the Beatles will return to cap Riverfest activities.

LeGrand said both activities proved successful last year.

"The owners of the boat were pleased with the reception last year and so were members of the Riverfest board," said LeGrand. "The riverboat was extremely well-received. It's a real, natural addition with our focus on the river."

The riverboat will arrive in Cape Girardeau from St. Charles on Thursday before Riverfest begins Friday. Various cruises will be held through the weekend. On Monday the boat will head back north.

"Rarely do we bring a musical group back two years in a row," LeGrand said. "But this group was so phenomenally popular we decided to bring them back.

"Last year we had Yesterday the Beatles on Friday and it was such an overwhelming success," she said. "People were coming up to the stage asking board members if they would be back Saturday.

"We took the hint and negotiated with that group to come back to Riverfest '92.

"They are a Beatles impersonation group," LeGrand said. "It was really fun and a crowd-pleaser last year for all ages. We had kids sitting in front of the stage, their parents on the next level up and their grandparents on the level up, and they all knew the words to the songs."

A rising country group called Dixiana will perform on the main stage Friday. The group currently has a single, "Waiting For The Deal To Go Down," on the country charts.

"We are real excited about having them at Riverfest," LeGrand said. "We also think they will draw a good crowd."

Corporate sponsors for this year's event are St. Francis Medical Center, Southwestern Bell Telephone, Fox 23 KBSI-TV, and Shop-N-Save.

The 10th annual Kohlfeld Riverfest run will be held Friday. It is one of the most popular road races in Southeast Missouri.

In celebration of the fifth year of the Miss Riverfest queen contest, a competition for 5-year-olds, the Little Miss Riverfest contest, will be held in addition to the traditional queen contest.

Contestants in the junior pageant also will participate in a children's parade Saturday starting at Capaha Park and ending at the Riverfest grounds.

"We have not had a children's parade in several years, so we are bringing it back this year," she said.

"The theme is safety, and we already have several children's groups signed up to participate. We expect to have some pretty good crowds for the parade," LeGrand said.

She said registration for working crafts and craft exhibits are ahead of last year. The working crafts will again be at the top of the courthouse park.

"We really think the atmosphere on top of the courthouse lawn is good for the working crafts. It's cool and shady and provides a break from the crowds below."

An expanded carnival will provide entertainment for young people.

Again, shuttle transportation will be offered from the Show Me Center and West Park Mall. "We want to encourage people to park there and use the shuttle service to get to the Riverfest grounds," LeGrand said.

Riverfest is a not-for-profit organization made up of volunteers.

"Our sole purpose is to plan an event that is for all ages and for all citizens of the area," LeGrand said. "We just strive to improve it every year, to draw good crowds and to provide good entertainment.

"Riverfest is set up so, if people want to come without spending any money, they can do that," LeGrand said.

"There are places to spend money: the concessions, carnival rides and the riverboat," she said. "But you can walk the grounds and view the entertainment and not have to spend any money."

LeGrand said a steering committee of about 50 or 60 volunteers is doing preliminary work. "It takes a lot more volunteers to actually put on Riverfest."

She said many of the committee members are new to Riverfest. "We had an informational, recruitment meeting last fall and invited people to come and learn a little about Riverfest," LeGrand said. "From that meeting we have a lot of new committee members."

She said committees started meeting in January.

"We are all geared up for a very successful Riverfest this year," she said.