RIVERFEST LINES UP MAINSTAGE ENTERTAINMENT

THE SOUNDS OF YESTERDAY: Yesterday as The Beatles, will perform during Riverfest.

Musical tributes to The Beatles and the Mississippi River will highlight main-stage entertainment at Riverfest '91.

Riverfest, scheduled for June 7-8, is Cape Girardeau's annual celebration of its river heritage.

A nostalgic tribute to The Beatles by the group, Yesterday as The Beatles, will perform June 7 on the main stage.

Singer John Hartford, who is most famous for writing "Gentle on My Mind" and his appearances on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, will perform on the main Riverfest stage June 8. He is also a riverboat enthusiast.

Both concerts are free. The main stage, sponsored by Miller Genuine Draft, will again be situated on Spanish Street at the foot of the Common Pleas Courthouse terraces.

Greg Talbut, Riverfest entertainment chairman, said: "We always look for something that is going to appeal to a wide choice of people. The Beatles group, I had seen and enjoyed them. And I thought they would be good for Riverfest.

"John Hartford ties in real well with the riverboat coming down."

Hartford includes river songs in his repertoire. He has written a book about riverboats, collects riverboat memorabilia and is a licensed riverboat pilot.

"So that all tied in well with Riverfest," Talbut said. "Generally, we look for someone with broad appeal and some name recognition. We also have to consider who is available and in our price range."

The musical group, Yesterday as The Beatles, performed last year at Southeast Missouri State University's homecoming.

The mop-topped quartet prides itself on looking and sounding as much like The Beatles as possible, said Jay Wolz, publicity chairman for Riverfest. The four were cast members from "Beatlemania."

Wolz said the tribute to The Beatles is divided into two parts. They first appear as an early incarnation of the group. The second half of their performance is done in Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band costumes.

While Hartford is best known for writing "Gentle on my Mind," which has been recorded by nearly 500 artists and has enjoyed more than 4 million air plays, he is labeled as a multi-faceted performer.

He's a singer, dancer, songwriter, and author. He plays three instruments and is a clog dancer.

At Riverfest, he will play the banjo, fiddle and guitar, performing a blend of country and bluegrass, traditional and contemporary music.

Talbut said all the entertainment for this year's festival is planned to attract visitors from a wide area.

"We really see that Riverfest has grown to a regional event, not just a local event," Talbut said. "We want to bring as many people into Cape Girardeau that weekend and also have a lot of fun."

A new attraction this year will be a riverboat, which will be docked at the Cape Girardeau waterfront. Cruises are planned aboard the riverboat, which will be temporarily renamed the "Spirit of Riverfest."

Tim Blattner, who is coordinating the riverboat's visit here, said three of 20 boat cruises are already sold out and tickets for other excursions are selling well.

"But there are plenty of tickets still available," he said.

The three cruises that are sold out are: a day trip from Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau on June 6, and hour-long excursions, June 8 and 9 at 4:30 p.m.

"Sales are going pretty good," Blattner said. "So we recommend folks get their tickets early."

The riverboat is normally docked in St. Charles.

Tickets are available at Cape Girardeau Boatmen's Bank locations and through the Show Me Center ticket office.

Talbut said other musical performances are planned throughout the two-day celebration. "We don't have all the talent lined up," he said. "We are looking for a selection of local entertainment."

Other attractions at Riverfest include arts and crafts booths, working crafters, children's activities, carnival rides, a fireworks display, the ninth annual Kohlfeld Riverfest Run, the fourth annual Miss Riverfest Pageant and the second annual Mayoral Tell-A-Tall-Tale contest.

Free parking and shuttle-bus service will be available from the Show Me Center, West Park Mall and Town Plaza Shopping Center. Admission to the Riverfest grounds is free.

Corporate sponsors for Riverfest '91 are Savings of America, Southwestern Bell Telephone, St. Francis Medical Center and Fox 23 KBSI-TV.