Capaha Park was soaked with sun and creativity at the eighth annual ArtsCape community arts festival Saturday.

More than 3,000 people attended the festival, according to Delilah Tayloe, director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. Although that figure is down from last year's estimated 5,000, Tayloe said she is still optimistic about the future of ArtsCape.

"It's a gorgeous day, we have wonderful bluegrass music playing and everyone is enjoying themselves here," Tayloe said. "Everywhere you turn you see one of the best arts festivals around in front of you here. St. Louis does a very good one, but it's very metro, and we believe ours has a better family atmosphere to it."

With more than 70 vendors, music and activities like street painting and the Kids' Art Tent, children and adults found something to love about ArtsCape.

"This is just fun for me," said street painter Justin Pruit. "I didn't come here with anything particular in mind, but I found this to be something I just can't get away from. Funny thing is, I had always heard ArtsCape was just for kids, and here I find a couple of things for me and my friends to do."

The Chalk Walk street painting art contest returned to ArtsCape this year. The perimeter of the lake featured chalk drawings such as silhouettes, a jazz musician, abstracts and cartoon characters. Artisan tents were set up along the lake, some selling items like jewelry and hand-made furniture, others offering a hands-on experience and still others selling original pottery and sculpture.

"I've gone around to some of the vendors, and they have said that they are selling less this year," Tayloe said. "But as far as the success of the festival goes, this truly couldn't have gone any better, and we now have something to build on for next year."

At the Shivelbine's Musical Instrument Petting Zoo, which had everything from a gong to brass instruments, booth volunteer Cody Neighbors said many attending children seem to be budding young musicians.

"You hear some of the most interesting stuff sitting here and just listening to the kids feel their way around these instruments," Neighbors said. "I don't know how many will actually end up becoming musicians, but I know they love music because most end up crying a lot when their parents pull them away to leave."

The peaceful path around Capaha Lake in Cape Girardeau will be hit by an "explosion of creative energy," during the eighth annual ArtsCape in Capaha Park.

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri organizes the event every year partly as a fundraiser, but mostly for just plain fun, said Delilah Tayloe, director of the arts council. They usually barely break even, but the opportunity ArtsCape allows is well worth the work, Tayloe said.

"It's really an art in the park event," Tayloe said. "Creative folk who, in their own rights, should have their wares on display to the public."

The sidewalk path through the park will be lined with booths showing different arts and crafts. Artists come from five different states to show pottery, paintings, stained glass and other crafts.

"And there's all kinds of foods that'll be available," Tayloe said.

The arts council already has vendors lined up for the usual fair foods — kettle corn, jams, catfish, fudge.

"That Arndt's fudge is such a big hit," Tayloe said. "Everyone wants their fudge."

Tayloe called ArtsCape "a feast for the senses" with the art to see, the food to smell and taste, the pottery and children's art to hold, "And then hearing, well you've got the music," she said.

Shivelbine's Music Store sets up a stage for the music. Acts range from Louisiana Cajun and blues from Dennis Stroughmatt and Creole Stomp to fiddle playing from the Punches Family and the Link Family, as well as saxophone tones from Saxy Jazz.

For children who want to experiment with music, the petting zoo will be set up under the large pavilion. No goats wander around for petting, but children can beat on bongos, play guitars and even a Chinese gong in the Musical Instrument Petting Zoo.

"There are all kinds of musical instruments so that kids can play with them," Tayloe said. "To see little kids playing with conga drums is really neat."

For the more visual child, dozens of arts and craft stations will be set up in a Kids' Art Pavilion. They can make masks, bubble art or do a space walk.

"We had 900 kids last year," Tayloe said.

The arts council also involved younger artists in a poster contest themed "Fun in the Park." It's already received colored pencil drawings of football games, swimmers and cyclists. For older artists who want to channel their inner child, the Street Painting contest returns this year. For a $10 fee — which garners you a 24 pack of pastels and a T-shirt — participants can block of a section of the pathway and create a "a masterpiece on the sidewalk," Tayloe said.

"It's there until the next rain," she said. "It's ephemeral art."

WANT TO GO?

* What: Eighth annual ArtsCape

* When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

* Where: Capaha Park