By RYAN SKAITH
St. Joseph Post
Area residents will have a chance to sample several varieties of coffee and tea this Saturday in Downtown St. Joseph during the sixth annual Coffee Crawl to benefit The Dance Arts Performing Company's holiday production of The Nutcracker.
Marla Heeler, with The Dance Arts Performing Company, says the Coffee Crawl features eighteen local businesses. "The businesses provide the coffee so everyone can have a little taste of different fancy coffees from everywhere. We are so excited to have that many businesses involved."
Participants will get to meet their favorite characters from The Nutcracker, including Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, Nutcracker Princess, Fritz and Drosselmeyer, along with numerous other cast members in the dance production.
Heeler says there is still time to purchase wristbands for the Coffee Crawl. "Our kickoff spot is Art Attack Studio so if they don't have their wristbands already, they can stop by that morning and get one."
Wristbands are $15 and can also be purchased in advance from any cast member, at The Dance Arts Center, and online at Eventbrite.com.
Heeler adds that the first 200 participants will receive a free Nutcracker coffee mug to commemorate the Coffee Crawl.
Local businesses serving coffee or tea samples this year include, Alchemy Tea Company, Art Attack Studio, Creative Arts Production [CAP], Downtown Frames, Felix Street Gourmet, Garden Gate Flowers, Hazel’s Coffee Bar, Juniper Lane Home Decor, Manic Snail, Mod Podge Boutique, Nesting Goods, Polished & Pampered Salon, Schweetz Candy Company, The Den, The Frog Prince, The Story Collective, Toe Beans Coffee House, and Unique Unicorn.
The Coffee Crawl begins at 10:00 Saturday morning, October 5.
The Nutcracker will be performed at the Historic Missouri Theater with two shows on Saturday, December 7.
Heeler notes the proceeds from the Coffee Crawl will be used to offset theater rental, choreography, and other production costs.