Post-holiday weekend chock full of activities

In this file photo, Jefferson City resident Jennifer Neff details her street chalk artwork depicting her son Eli and a local firefighter during the Street Art Fair in 2011. The 2012 fair will be held Saturday, Sept. 8.
In this file photo, Jefferson City resident Jennifer Neff details her street chalk artwork depicting her son Eli and a local firefighter during the Street Art Fair in 2011. The 2012 fair will be held Saturday, Sept. 8.

The weekend after Labor Day in downtown Jefferson City usually provides many opportunities for family fun and entertainment. Saturday will be no exception, beginning with the annual Labor Parade.

Labor Parade

It starts at 11 a.m., heading east on High Street after forming between the Truman State Office Building and St. Peter Church and School.

It will travel east to Adams Street, turn left and pass by the library, then turn left again and head west on Capitol Avenue. The parade will then go around the north side of the Capitol and end in the state parking lots in the Millbottom area.

There are trucks and some of the heavy equipment the union members use in their daily work. And there are floats - some just trailers pulled behind a truck, and others more fancy.

For years, the Jefferson City parade has been on the Saturday after Labor Day, and many newcomers ask why. Organizers explain it's so there's no conflict with similar parades on Labor Day in St. Louis.

Capital Arts Street Fair

Any time after noon - after the Labor Parade has passed by - artists can begin making the 100 and 200 blocks of East High Street's pavement their temporary "canvas." It's the sixth annual Street Art Fair, sponsored by Capital Arts.

"It's just been a really fun time, where people can come out and listen to the jazz music and see the artists working," said Jessica Dulle, Capital Arts' executive director, "and it's in the downtown area, so they can shop and eat."

The Saturday contest is open to contestants from middle school through adult, and ends at 5 p.m. The rules also say: "Drawing is done directly on the pavement - just like graffiti." Each artist is given a 4-by-6 area to work in, using only pastel chalk provided by Capital Arts.

Previous works can be viewed on the Capital Arts website, www.capitalarts.org, and on the Jefferson City Cultural Arts Commission's website, www.artsinjc.com.

On Friday, elementary school students will draw on the sidewalks in the 100 block of West High Street around the Post Office and Capitol.

Capital Jazzfest

Saturday's concerts run from 2-9 p.m. at the corner of High and Madison streets.

The Jazzfest began in 1992 with "a lot of good support and they were bringing in internationally known musicians," said Jeff Bassinson, one of several volunteer organizers.

"By calling it jazz, it's more of what they're doing with the music - it involves a lot of improvisation - so people can be creative and express themselves however they see fit," he said.

This year's lineup is:

• 2 p.m. - University of Missouri Concert Jazz Band, which the university describes as "the flagship ensemble of the MU Jazz Performance program. The quality of past performances has resulted in Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Soloist awards at" a number of collegiate jazz festivals.

• 3:25 p.m. - Tom Andes Trio, the "house band" at Columbia's Murry's Restaurant, with Margaret Bianchetta.

• 4:50 p.m. - Michael Terry Group, fronted by a St. Louis-based blues/rock singer, songwriter and guitarist.

• 6:15 p.m. - Sons of Brasil, a Kansas City-based group that has "performed every week since their inception in 1991" - playing nothing but Brazilian jazz.

• 7:35 p.m. - Erin Bode, a Minnesota native and Webster University graduate. Her band began forming while she still was in college, and currently includes three other members.

  1. Florida (21-2) beat Tennessee 94-78. Next: at Georgia, Wednesday.
  2. Wisconsin (22-2) beat Northwestern 69-52. Next: at Penn State, Wednesday.
  3. North Carolina (20-3) lost to N.C. State 83-79. Next: at No. 8 Duke, Wednesday.
  4. Ohio State (20-3) beat Michigan State 63-54. Next: vs. Michigan, Tuesday.
  5. UCLA (20-2) beat Oregon State 82-35. Next: vs. Southern California, Wednesday.
  6. Kansas (19-3) vs. No. 10 Texas A&M. Next: vs. Kansas State, Wednesday.
  7. Pittsburgh (20-3) did not play. Next: at West Virginia, Wednesday.
  8. Duke (18-4) did not play. Next: vs. Florida State, Sunday.
  9. Oregon (19-4) lost to Southern California 71-68. Next: vs. Arizona State, Thursday.
  10. Texas A&M (18-3) at No. 6 Kansas. Next: vs. No. 22 Texas, Monday.
  11. Memphis (19-3) beat SMU 88-52. Next: at UAB, Thursday.
  12. Oklahoma State (18-4) lost to Colorado 89-77. Next: at Oklahoma, Wednesday.
  13. Butler (22-2) beat Wisconsin-Milwaukee 66-47. Next: at Cleveland State, Thursday.
  14. Marquette (20-4) beat Providence 69-62. Next: vs. Rutgers, Wednesday.
  15. Nevada (20-2) vs. Hawaii. Next: at Fresno State, Thursday.
  16. Virginia Tech (16-7) lost to Boston College 80-59. Next: vs. Virginia, Saturday.
  17. Air Force (20-3) beat Wyoming 88-43. Next: at San Diego State, Tuesday.
  18. Washington State (18-4) at Arizona State. Next: vs. No. 23 Stanford, Thursday.
  19. Alabama (17-5) beat South Carolina 64-61. Next: vs. Mississippi State, Wednesday.
  20. Arizona (15-7) beat Washington 84-54. Next: at Arizona State, Thursday.
  21. Notre Dame (18-4) at South Florida. Next: at DePaul, Thursday.
  22. Texas (16-6) lost to Kansas State 73-72. Next: at No. 10 Texas A&M, Saturday.
  23. Stanford (14-6) at California. Next: at No. 18 Washington State, Thursday.
  24. Vanderbilt (15-7) vs. Georgia. Next: at Tennessee, Saturday.
  25. Clemson (18-5) lost to Georgia Tech 80-62. Next: vs. Florida State, Wednesday.