"Fall Into Arts" Festival previews new highlights

Preparations are in full swing for this year's "Fall Into Arts" Festival, being held in downtown Kennett, September 5 through 7. Two new features join the festival line-up this year, a video contest and a mini film festival. The film festival will celebrate the recent re-opening of the Kennett Palace Theater and will feature the winning entries from the festival's new Video/Short Film Competition.

The contest will include two levels, a Youth category (entrants through 12th grade level) and an Adult category. The entries must represent an original idea, created by the entrant within the past three years. They must not include any obscene or graphic content, and the "Fall Into Arts" committee will reserve the right to reject entries deemed unsuitable for the competition. A total of $400 in prize money will be awarded, and winners will be selected at the discretion of the contest judges. The competition is sponsored by the Kennett Palace Theater.

Following the screening of the winning entries in the Video/Short Film Competition, the mini film festival will also show a full-length film or documentary, yet to be selected by the "Fall Into Arts" committee. It will be held on Sunday, September 7, at 4 p.m.

File photo Returning artist vendor booths will be a popular attraction at this year's festival.

The fee for entering the video/film contest is $5 per youth entry and $10 per adult entry. Entries must be submitted with an entry form, via flash drive or DVD, by August 27. Entries may be mailed to the Kennett Alliance for the Arts (KAFTA), P.O. Box 533, Kennett, MO 63857, or submitted, in person, to the Kennett Palace Theater, 224 First St., Kennett. Entries will be returned to entrants following the festival. Complete rules and general contest information can be found on the KAFTA website, at www.kafta.org. This information, plus contest entry forms, is also available at the Kennett Palace Theatre and the Kennett branch of the Dunklin County Library.

The three-day "Fall Into Arts" Festival will also feature many of the highlights from its past four years, including a live performance by the SEMO Little Theatre, live music on the Dunklin County Courthouse steps, vendor booths, storytelling, roaming performers, an arts and crafts show and sale, and an art and photography contest for youth and adults. The popular Jaycees' Chili Cook-Off will also join the festival roster, for the second straight year. On Saturday, September 6, additional attractions coinciding with the downtown festival include the Downtown Farmers' Market and the Annual First Presbyterian Church Bazaar. All festival and related activities will occur on and around the downtown Kennett Courthouse Square.

"Fall Into Arts" is organized by the non-profit group, KAFTA. The festival was launched shortly after KAFTA was founded in 2010, with a goal of representing the many facets of the area's arts scene...just as "United Way of Kennett" serves its own, smaller constituents. The Friends of Music, SEMO Little Theater Group and the CottonBoll Artist League comprise KAFTA. "Fall Into Arts" is an event designed for all ages, that highlights the broad variety of local talent throughout the Bootheel area. All funds received by KAFTA will be used to promote the arts.