Shawnee Sasquatch festival debuts Saturday

Harrisburg is known far and wide as the "Gateway to the Shawnee National Forrest," so it's only fitting that it would be home to the first-ever Shawnee Sasquatch Festival.

The festival goes all day on Saturday, Oct. 2, with a full schedule of events that showcase the best of this southeast Illinois region - the best live music, axe-throwing, archery, bags tournament, lots of locally produced food and drink, a vintage and flea market, craft brewing and all kinds of kids' events, too.

For those who crave the outdoors, you can enjoy guided hikes, or the Run Like A Squatch 5K run/walk. Participants get a shirt, a finishers medal and goody bag. $25 fee. www.shawneesasquatch.com.

By evening, sit back and enjoy the music of the region, with The Jake Myers Band, Ron Gidcumb, Last Call Band and Kendell Marvel.

Keep an eye out for a sax-playing sasquatch, 'cause you never know where he will turn up.

The annual Shawnee Marathon and Half-Marathon are being run on Saturday too, and both races end up at the festival. The ninth annual Shawnee Marathon begins at 8 a.m. at Garden of the Gods; the half-marathon begins at 8:45 a.m. at Southeastern Illinois College.

Shuttles are available from Poplar and Vine in Harrisburg to take runners to starting points. Fees: Marathon, $85; half-marathon, $70. Cash prizes. The full marathon is a qualifier for Boston. Race info and register: http://shawneemarathon.com/.