Shipyard Music Festival to add 'children's area'

Cape Girardeau�s daylong, family friendly Shipyard Music Festival will feature seven nationally touring bands, local food vendors and, as of this week, plans are in the works for a special area catering to children.

�We understand that 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for a babysitter is a long day, when you couple that with your ticket, food and drink. So we just wanted to make it where as many people in the community will come, and feel like they can afford to come,� said Shipyard representative Jamie Phillips, project and event manager for rustmedia, who is presenting the festival.

She said different activities are still being decided upon, such as art projects, drawing, coloring, crafts and face painting, to offer �a place where kids can show off their inner artist.�

One of the goals for the day, she said, is to provide music, while encompassing �all the arts,� generating a true �cultural festival.�

The children�s area will be open � and staffed with a few Southeast Missourian employees � from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. concert day, according to Phillips.

The area will be centrally located and tented, with tables for activities, she said. And children 10 and younger can attend the festival for free when accompanying someone with a paid adult ticket.

But the designated area for children is not going to be �over in a tucked away corner,� Phillips said.

�If you wanted to stay with your kids, if you aren�t comfortable with dropping them off, you�ll be able to see the show, hear the show and you�ll be by the food vendors,� she said. �You�d still be in the middle of the action.�

Vendors will be offering �kid-friendly foods,� Phillips said, such as toasted ravioli from Imo�s Pizza and tacos from Lemonade House Grille.

Phillips said the goal is to introduce children to the festival�s �community experience,� where music, art, attendees and musicians abound.

She said believes there will be several artists that have songs with good beats, that regardless of whether the children are listening to the lyrics, �it�s still danceable.�

�I could see kids enjoying a lot of it,� Phillips said.

Isle Casino Cape Girardeau will provide activities, such as plinko and miniature golf, she added.

So it will be a �pretty big� backyard game area, she said.

�I think it�s a good addition. I just felt like it was a component that we needed to add,� Phillips said.

Shipyard Music Festival will begin at 11 a.m. Sept. 22 at Ivers Square in downtown Cape Girardeau. More information about the festival and tickets can be found at www.shipyardfest.com.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632

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Shipyard Festival artist lineup

• Jamestown Revival
• Vinyl Theatre
• A Thousand Horses
• *repeat repeat
• Royal Teeth
• Ryan Corn
• Tow�rs