DECATUR - The Lakeside Music and Arts Festival may have sliced a few hours, but not everything has been cut back.

An early shutdown and one night of fireworks will be offset by more exhibits and more artisans at Nelson Park along Lake Decatur.

"We've been affected by the economy, just like everybody else," producer Brian Byers said. "So we're going to have just one night of fireworks and shut down early on Sunday. For our volunteers, it turns out to be not quite as long of a weekend."

The event will start at 11 a.m. Saturday, with the art show running until 8 p.m. and music continuing into the evening, both before and after the fireworks show. Sunday's events include the Rodney T. Miller Triathlon early, and the art show and music from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Food is handled by the Decatur Park District, which will have vendors present. "We're trying to keep things affordable," Byers said. "We're also planning to have at least one vendor open for breakfast Sunday for the end of the triathlon."

Gallery 510 officials expect a few more artisans than in previous years, and several new exhibits are expected.

Children's activities will include making Brazilian masks, which will be wearable, a mural and a pottery wheel.

"People are looking for nice, affordable, family events, and this definitely fits into that," Byers said.

The music headliner is Eric Lindell, a blues-funk guitarist Byers found via new technology.

"I found him on iTunes, via their Genius program," Byers said of the music compatibility program.

"I was listening to Aaron Neville or the Neville Brothers or something funky like that," Byers said, "and his name came up as one of the suggestions. The cut was 'Give It Time,' and I liked the little 30-second snippet, and then I found myself buying $25 worth of his songs."

Also part of the music entertainment is MacArthur and Millikin University graduate Michael Scherer, who held a CD release party last week at Decatur's Lincoln Square Theatre.

"That's kind of a local-boy-makes-good story," Byers said. "And it's not just your standard rock band thing.

"He's really going after it."

timcain@herald-review.com|421-6908