A glimpse at the entertainment offered in Cape

By Taylor McMillan

Junior mints. Kit Kats. Snow caps and cookie dough bites. Blue raspberry frozen slushes. Sodas, jumbo size. Popcorn, buttered or plain?

After a stop at the concession counter, it's time to take a seat before the lights dim, the previews begin and then ... the movie starts to roll.

The latest movies are just one of the forms of entertainment around Cape Girardeau. There are many things to do: skating, golf and too much to say.

In Cape Girardeau, one of the theaters is Cape West 14 Cine. Kevin Dillon has been a general manager for 16 years.

On an average Saturday night, Dillon said, there could be from 300 to 6,000 people at the cinema. "At 7 o'clock it's the busiest," Dillon said.

There is a wide range of people who come to see the movies, said the manager. The age group that comes to the theater is mostly made up of 18- to 40-year-olds.

"Movies are good for everyone," Dillon said. "There could be 35 to 50 employees working here at a time."

Saturday is the most popular day to come to the theater.

A couple of years ago, "Titanic" came through Cape Girardeau. Dillon said, "That was the biggest and longest-shown movie here."

"Titanic" ran for an astounding 21 weeks.

Dillon said that the upcoming "Star Wars II" will be another big release. "It is very anticipated," he said.

Another big movie for the younger group will be the animated "Scooby-Doo" film, he said.

The theater does not have much trouble with supervision, but "any time you get a big group of people together, you are going to have some problems," Dillon said.

All in all, the cost of movies today has not changed the turnout of people who come. "People still want to get out and have some fun," he said.

The next stop on our Cape entertainment list is Cape Skate, a place where customers can skate, eat or just hang out with friends. It's a place for young people to go and just have fun.

Donnie Jestus is manager on duty at Cape Skate. He has been working there since 1995 and is one of five employees.

In the winter, there could be 100 to 125 people a day at Cape Skate, Jestus said. The busiest days are Friday and Saturday. The skating rink is a good place for all age groups, from kindergartners to high schoolers.

When skaters pay their way through the door, the cost of renting skates is included. Most people who come usually rent skates instead of bringing their own.

Cape Skate can handle the large number of people renting their skates because they have a variety of sizes and many pairs.

When it comes to music at Cape Skate, the rink offers the most popular songs, with new music every couple of weeks.

"Skating benefits you because it's exercise and it's fun," the manager said.

Speaking of fun, have you ever imagined a place where you can play miniature golf, practice your swing and bat a couple in one visit?

Well, if so, Arena Golf is the place for you.

Jack Pettet, the owner of Arena Golf, has been in the business since 1997.

Arena is equipped with batting cages, a driving range and a miniature golf course. Arena opens to customers at 8 a.m., and throughout the day it gets busier and busier, until the evening peak. The total count of customers could grow to several hundred kindergartners to seniors when the day ends at 10 p.m.

Pettet said, "Golf is a popular sport. All people like to play it, even if you're a beginner or an advanced player."

The golf round ends. The skate music stops. The movie credits roll.

Now you have a perspective on some of the entertainment around Cape Girardeau.

Taylor McMillan is a student at Schultz School in Cape Girardeau. This article was written as part of an advanced literature project.