Cape, Jackson throw July 4 parties; Poe accepts Spirit of America honor

With rain clouds looming and fireworks lighting up the sky, hundreds of Cape Girardeau residents gathered at the Arena Park grandstand Tuesday night for the Great American Fourth of July, where Pete Poe received the 2017 Spirit of America Award.

The Spirit of America Award is presented by the Southeast Missourian to honor a resident for upstanding American attitudes and ideals.

After a patriotic prelude by the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band, a light drizzle began to fall as Lucas Presson, assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian, introduced Poe.

“Pete Poe is often thought of as Mr. SEMO District Fair,” Presson said. “For more than 30 years, Pete has worked in different capacities to make our local fair a success. While often the public face of the fair, Pete’s humility is one aspect that makes him so endearing.”

Presson’s point was proven when Poe took the stage.

Pete Poe holds his award up after receiving the Spirit of America Award before the fireworks show Tuesday at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.Andrew J. Whitaker

As the 15th recipient of the annual accolade, he emphasized how “humbled” he felt “in the same region as those on that list” of previous Spirit of America winners, pointing out audience members such as 2009 award winner Harry Rediger, 2015 winner Jerry Ford and 2016 winner Jim Bollinger.

“I wish the award itself had about 3,000 smaller ones that I could give to the people who helped,” Poe said.

Not only has Poe spent over 30 years with the SEMO District Fair, but he also operated River City Flags and spent 28 years with Drury Hotels.

His history of service has included organizations including American Red Cross, United Way, the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation and College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Association of American Festivals, the Girls’ Optimist Softball League, the Egypt Mills Antique Tractor Club.

The fireworks show went off as scheduled at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, despite the threat of rain and occasional drizzle.

Chris Carr spikes the ball during a mud volleyball tournament during the Jackson Parks and Recreation's Fourth of July celebration Tuesday in Jackson City Park.Andrew J. Whitaker

While the threat of rain might have put a damper on Cape Girardeau’s late-night festivities, Jackson residents started their celebrations much earlier.

Thousands of locals celebrated the Fourth of July in Jackson City Park, where entertainment could be found as early as at 7:04 a.m.

“This is our single biggest day of people in the park for the year,” said Shane Anderson, director of Jackson Parks and Recreation. “You can see here, we have a lot of families that come out. It’s a big family atmosphere, and that’s kind of the design of everything.”

Jackson residents young and old bonded around the 6-on-6 mud volleyball tournament in the middle of the day’s festivities.

Jackson firefighters provided teams with a large, makeshift shower by hanging a hose from the top of a firetruck and stood by to keep the courts as wet as possible by re-watering the muddy pits between each match.

Drake Graviett munches on a corn dog while watching the mud volleyball games Tuesday at Jackson City Park.Laura Simon

While Jackson volleyball players held down the tournament’s trenches by refereeing matches and keeping score, their coaches, Brad Wendel and Dave Mirly, logged tournament brackets from a cleaner distance.

By late afternoon, United Land Title defeated That Team for the title.

“It’s always been a lot of fun, and a bunch of people come out,” Mirly said. “People love watching it all day long, watching people dive all over the mud. Some teams come out here expecting to win it; some teams just come out here to flop around in the mud and have a good time. ”

Behind the muddy volleyball courts, the street was lined with some of the cleanest cars in the area.

Oldies music echoed down the car show’s line of hot rods and vintage vehicles, including a yellow 1909 Ford Model T with wooden spokes and a 1980 Ford Model A Shay convertible with a two-tone paint job.

After the judges inspected over 200 entries, Paul Macke’s 1968 Plymouth Barracuda won the mayor’s choice. The best in show went to Danny Essner’s 1955 Chevy Bel-Air.

The day’s most unusual attraction, however, was the slow rubber-duck race in Hubble Creek.

Ducks with identifying numbers underneath sold at a price of $5 for one duck or $25 for six. At 11 a.m., over 500 ducks were entered in the single-heat race down the creek.

Although the creek’s current was slower than the previous year, the excitement surrounding the race remained the same.

After 15 minutes of lead changes, the first 10 ducks finished, with a top prize of $200.

bmatthews@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3652

Pertinent addresses:

Arena Park, Cape Girardeau, MO

Jackson City Park, Jackson, MO