VARIETY: VENDORS OF ALL VENUES

In her spare time, Daina Rae Eyler likes to twist beads onto leather and mold silver "peace" signs into unique jewelry, 1960s style. This weekend she plans to sell the fruits of her hobby at Riverfest '94.

"I thought it might be nice just to have something different for me and for the people at Riverfest," said Eyler, who owns a Victorian shop, Daina Rae's, 130 N. Main.

Eyler and almost 50 other arts and crafts vendors are expected to set up booths in downtown Cape Girardeau this weekend, hoping to sell their wares to browsing Riverfest-goers.

Nancy Ross, chairman of the Riverfest Arts and Crafts Committee, said vendors will have booths along two blocks of Main Street between Broadway and Independence, showing and selling items ranging from native American pipes to tie-dyed bed sheets.

Vendors are expected to come to Riverfest from as far away as Texas and Mississippi, said Benita Curtis, Riverfest office manager.

"We advertise in arts and crafts books across the country, so we get a lot of interesting items from all over," Curtis said.

One interesting item is Kimberly Bowers' nostalgic line of country clothing. Bowers, of Cape Girardeau, will include calico and gingham dresses and jumpers with hand-painted ceramic buttons.

Riverfest-goers will be pleased to see Nadine Greenlee's cacti booth returning. Greenlee has been bringing her various cacti and other succulents to Riverfest for years. "She sells every variety of cacti that there is, and everyone just loves them," Ross said.

Another popular booth, one selling bird houses, will be back. Some of the bird houses will even be painted black and red, the colors of Southeast Missouri State University.

Also returning this year are Larry and Cathy Hughes of Springfield with their antique peanut roaster. The couple dress up in authentic clothing from the 1800s to sell their peanuts and old-fashioned sarsaparilla.

Just up the hill from the arts and crafts booths will be a working arts demonstration. Broom-makers, potters, and welders will also be dressed in authentic clothing, performing their crafts. "It's really going to be something neat this year," said Ross. "There are more people and they all have to dress to fit the part."

Of course, the old favorites like wooden toys and furniture, teddy bears in lacy dresses, southwestern pottery and a variety of antiques will also be at Riverfest.