Organizers of the City of Roses Music Festival are trying to find ways to keep the festival alive in its 10th year, with less than six months to go before the festival's traditional September date.

Early this year festival organizers approached the Old Town Cape board of directors seeking financial and organizational assistance. Last week organizers learned the board declined the proposal.

"We're still planning on having a festival, but obviously funding is now an issue," said Don Ganim, a member of the festival's organizing committee and the owner of Jeremiah's. "We're hoping that we can find funds or sponsorship somewhere."

The festival's funds were depleted after about $7,000 was set aside to endow a music scholarship at Southeast Missouri State University -- the original purpose of the festival.

Doc Cain, treasurer of the City of Roses Music Heritage Association, said that $5,000 is left in the fund to provide seed money for this year's event.

The festival seeks $10,000 to $15,000.

Steven Hoffman, president of the Old Town Cape board of directors, said his organization doesn't provide funding for events.

"We do fund-raising to accomplish projects, but we don't have any money to give to other people to do projects," Hoffman said.

As for organizational help, Hoffman said Old Town Cape doesn't have the resources because it has events like Tunes at Twilight and LibertyFest to organize.

The Cape Convention and Visitors Bureau does give money to festivals through tourism funds and has given money to the festival in the past, said CVB director Chuck Martin. But last year the festival didn't apply for funding, he said. This year the festival could apply for financing, which would have to be approved by the CVB board after an assessment of economic impact, Martin said.

Festival organizers are already looking at ways to increase the popularity of the festival. Ganim said he wants to market the festival in a tongue-in-cheek fashion as the "alternative white trash" festival.

msanders@semissourian.com

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