CHRISTMAS PARADES ARE SET FOR AREA CITIES

Christmas parades in Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and Chaffee will help kickoff the Yuletide season.

This year for the first time since the mid-1950s Cape Girardeau will have a Christmas parade. It will be held on Nov. 28, starting a dusk. The parade is sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association and KBSI Television.

Jackson's annual Christmas parade will begin at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 4. The parade has been sponsored since 1954 by the Jackson Jaycees.

The Chaffee Christmas Parade will begin at 1 p.m. Dec. 11. It is sponsored by the Chaffee Chamber of Commerce and the Chaffee Lions Club.

The Cape Girardeau Christmas Parade of Lights will begin at Capaha Park with the lighting of the city's Christmas lights. It will follow Broadway to Main Street and then to the south downtown parking lot.

Parade chairman Doc Cain said more than 50 entries have been received and more are coming in. Said Cain: "Entries can be submitted up until Nov. 27. The parade has already created a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. Everyone is looking forward to having a Christmas parade in Cape again."

Entries will be in three divisions: motorized, floats, and walking. Civic groups, church organizations, businesses and Scout troops are encouraged to enter. Area high school bands have been invited to march in the parade.

Prizes will be awarded in each category.

The Cape Girardeau parade will coincide with the annual downtown Christmas Walk. Downtown businesses will stay open from 1-8 p.m. that day.

For more information or to sign up for the Cape Girardeau parade contact Cain at Port Cape Girardeau, 334-0954.

An "Old Country Christmas" is theme of this year's Jackson Christmas parade, said Debbie Heise and Sherri Smith, parade committee co-chairpersons.

The parade will form on the Jackson High School campus and march up South High Street to the courthouse square, then west on West Main Street.

This year's parade marshal is Mayor Paul Sander. "We've also named Marvin "Smiley the Clown" Meier, a longtime resident of Jackson, as the honorary parade marshal," said Heise.

"Marvin has participated in all of our past Christmas parades, but this year he is seriously ill and cannot be in the parade. His son, Lee, will serve as parade marshal in his place. Lee's really looking forward to standing in for his father."

Heise said more than 115 entries have been received so far, and more are expected before the end of the month. "We encourage all civic groups, church organizations, businesses, Scout troops and individuals to participate in our annual Christmas parade," she said.

Entries can be called in or turned into Patty Reisenbichler at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce office, or called in to Heise, 243-0290, or Smith, 243-3462.

"We ask that those planning to participate in the parade register as soon as possible," said Heise. "Those participating in the parade should be at the high school by 11 a.m. on the day of the parade."

The theme for this year's Chaffee's Christmas Parade is "Christmas Memories." The parade will form on the Chamber of Commerce building parking lot at North Main and Dame.

At 1 p.m. the parade will proceed south on North Main, then turn right and move on West Yoakum through the business district and the Chaffee High School, to Highway 77, where it will turn right and disband in the Crossroads Shopping Center.

Individuals or groups planning to participate or have floats in the parade should contact Ed Gauthier, 887-6952.

Participants should be at the chamber lot no later than 12:30 a.m. the day of the parade.