Downtown Cape is welcoming back Shipyard Music and Cultural Festival as a two-day event Sept. 27 and 28 in and around Ivers Square.

The festival on Friday night and Saturday include national touring acts, visual arts and a wide variety of food and beverage. Local food vendors will offer a limited-item menu to serve guests quickly and efficiently.

Creative director of rustmedia Jeff Rawson organized the first event which was held Sept. 22, 2018.

“It’s hard to stand in a group of people with a live band playing and not be in a good place,” Rawson said.

Up to 12 bands will be featured along with on-site interactive experiences through festival sponsors. The interactive experiences will allow guests to participate in games and giveaways.

The festival performers will cover a diversity of music genres, such as country, pop and rock.

Rawson said rustmedia would like to be part of helping Cape continue to be on the map for people to bring talent into town.

“I grew up in this area and didn’t have access to this kind of event,” Rawson said.” I didn’t have that full-day, just music and food all day long.”

Tickets will be available for this year’s festivities at a launch party from 6 to 9 p.m. April 18 at the future location of Mary Jane bourbon + smokehouse in Cape Girardeau. Discounted tickets and merchandise will be available for fans at the party.

“The long-term goal is to have this be a two-day event, a couple of stages, and put national and local acts on stage to continue to build so we have more and more slots for bands to play,” Rawson said.

General admission tickets are $30 and VIP tickets are $100.

More information about the festival can be found at shipyardfest.com.