Despite the change of venue from downtown to Capaha Park, the organizers of this year's ArtsCape Fine Arts Festival are hoping the event will be the biggest and best ever.

This will be the fifth year the festival, sponsored by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and Old Town Cape, has been held in Cape Girardeau with its mission of bringing an appreciation of the arts to people of all ages.

"The purpose is to demonstrate through a multitude of activities that the arts can be fun for anybody, whether you can or can't draw," said Rebecca Fulgham with the arts council.

Already more artists have signed up for booth space than ever before for the May 21 event. About 25 have registered so far with time still left to go, said Fulgham.

The location of the festival, which was changed due to problems experienced in past years, won't be the only difference ArtsCape patrons will notice this year.

New features like added activities at the Kid's Art Tent and an entertainment stage dedicated solely to children will help enhance the festival's family atmosphere, she said.

Activities at the Kid's Art Tent this year include origami, face painting, bracelets, sand art, an Oreo stacking contest and bubble art.

The Kid's Free Entertainment Stage will feature the music of the Suzuki All-Star Violin Students, a group taught in the Suzuki violin method at the Southeast Missouri Music Academy under the direction of Hays Hendricks. Other activities at the children's stage will include magician Darren Davis, storyteller Sharon Anderson and puppet shows by Charlotte Reed.

Children's stage organizer Dennis Seyer said the acts will be rotated throughout the day so there's always something going on. Something will be offered every 30 minutes for children, Seyer said.

Adults looking for entertainment can find it at the bandshell, where musical acts will be playing throughout the festival. This year's lineup includes national touring acts Cindy Kalmenson, a Nashville folk singer; alt-country singer Bryan Hayes of Cordova, Tenn.; and Keith Sykes, a Memphis singer/songwriter of the Americana genre.

Local acts include Doug Rees, Bruce Zimmerman, Quitman McBride III and Mike Renick.

Another new feature this year will incorporate a different kind of art -- martial arts -- with a display of swordsmanship by Cape Girardeau's Traditional Japanese Martial Arts group.

Returning this year will be the popular Cape street painting competition, which will take place on the sidewalk around the Capaha Park lagoon. Several artists will paint with chalk on the sidewalk. Fulgham said every year visitors enjoy watching the artists decorate the pavement.

Another popular activity is Arts for All, co-sponsored by the SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence, an event that allows people of all ages, including those with disabilities, to participate in the creation of art. Special devices allow even those in wheelchairs to participate, said Fulgham.

Vendors will have art for sale to fit all tastes, said Fulgham, and some will do demonstrations.

Concessions will also be available. In case of rain, most of the activities will take place in tents sheltered from the weather and the main entertainment stage will be moved to Grace Cafe.

For more information or to register for booth space, call the arts council at 334-9233.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182