TUNES AT THE PARTY

The theme for the 1994 Riverfest, "Jammin' on the River," will come alive with an ambitious schedule of entertainment, all of which is free.

"Martina McBride is the headliner, but we've got plenty of entertainment leading up to her Saturday night concert," said Tracy Childers, who is working with the entertainment phase of Riverfest.

"The Riverfest will live up to the theme with wall-to-wall entertainment," said Childers.

Patti and the Hitmen will take the main stage at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The Cape Girardeau Municipal Band will follow at 7:30. Then, Yesterday, a quartet whose impersonations of the Beatles have won them national acclaim, are scheduled to top the night off when they take the stage at 9.

The tribute to the Beatles is divided into two parts. The band first appears as an early incarnation of the Fab Four, complete with mop tops and collarless jackets. The second half of the performance is done in their Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band costumes.

Based in Los Angeles, the group will take the Riverfest audience on a "Magical Mystery Tour" back to the '60s and early '70s, when the Beatles rewrote musical history.

Flipping back the pages of musical history are group members Don Bellezzo as John, Tim Piper as Paul, Greg Piper (Tim's brother) as George, and Neil Burg as Ringo.

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils have sold over two million records and worldwide hits like "Jackie Blue" and "If you Want to Get to Heaven." The Daredevils consist of three of the original members: bass player Supe Granda, harp player and vocalist Steve Cash and vocalist and guitarist John Dillon. Guitarist D. Clinton Thompson and drummer Ron Gremp, friends of the band and fellow Springfield, Mo., residents, recently joined the band.

All Riverfest performances are provided free of charge and will take place on the main stage at Themis and Spanish streets at the foot of the Common Pleas Courthouse terrace.

There will be roving musicians on both days. Pocket The Clown will perform in the children's area Friday from 4-6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

The Southeast Squaredancers will be on hand Friday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. in the food tent area. Steve and Stevie will be playing on Friday from 5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Cape German Band will be in the food tent from 6-7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Cour de Terre brass band, comprised of local professionals, will offer sounds from the golden age of American band music.

The skies above Riverfest will light up at approximately 9 p.m. Saturday for a fireworks spectacular.