Southeast River Campus to host annual restaurant hop Tuesday

The following story has been edited to include the time of the restaurant hop.

Twelve restaurants -- and Mississippi Mutts -- in Cape Girardeau have teamed up with the Conservatory of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University to offer signature menu items in exchange for a ticket from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Ticket sales will benefit the department's annual Senior Showcase in May.

"It's very popular, I can tell you that," said Kenn Stilson, professor of acting and chairman of theater and dance at Southeast.

Stilson said it's "such a simple idea" that began a long time ago with the support of local restaurants.

Attendees will buy one ticket and stop at each one of the restaurants for a sampling of food.

According to Stilson, the restaurants involved donate the food to the cause.

He jokingly added ticket holders are unable to get to all the restaurants within the time frame before they are stuffed.

"These places, they put out very nice spreads," Stilson said. "Jimmy John's, they give, like, half a sandwich, drinks, chips and cookies."

And the same goes for all the restaurants on the list, he said, which include Gabriel's Food and Wine, Minglewood Brewery, Ebb and Flow Fermentations, Baristas Coffee Bar, Primo Vino, Bistro Saffron, Andy's Frozen Custard, Sugar Chic Creamery and Pho 8.

And every year, he said nearly 400 people participate.

Stilson said, "We have people that call us ahead asking, 'OK, when can I get my restaurant hop tickets?'"

He said the Theater and Dance Society produce the event, which is the department's community organization.

Both work in conjunction with Southeast students to put on the restaurant hop and the annual Extravaganza event in March.

"We don't make a ton of money," he said, "but if you sell 300 or 400 tickets, that's $3,000 or $4,000 that goes along [with the proceeds] from the Extravaganza.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased through the River Campus or at any of the locations during the event.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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