CLYDESDALES PART OF CHRISTMAS PARADE

When the shiny old 1903 Studebaker wagon starts from Capaha Park to make its trek down Broadway to Main Street Sunday, the drivers will hold the reins to more than eight tons of raw horsepower.

The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales, representatives of Anheuser-Busch for more than six decades, will be harnessed and hitched to the famous red beer wagon for Cape Girardeau's annual Christmas Parade of Lights.

The eight-horse hitch will arrive in Cape Girardeau Friday.

Although the Clydesdales will be the big draw for the annual parade, more than 60 entries already have been received for the parade.

Santa Claus will provide the parade's grand finale, riding on the Downtown Merchants Association float.

The annual parade is sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association and Fox 23 KBSI-TV.

"We owe a big thanks to River Eagle Distributing Co. for the appearance of the Clydesdales," said Dennis "Doc" Cain, chairman of the annual parade.

Mrs. Claus is an addition to the parade this year: She will ride on the U.S. Postal Service float, which will be in front of the merchants' float.

"We'll have two entries in the parade," said Cape Girardeau Postmaster Mike Keefe. "We're planning something big for the children."

The post office's mail truck will appear in front of its second float, which will feature Mrs. Claus and a giant mailbox.

Postal workers adorned with satchels will pick up letters to Santa Claus from children along the route and will dump them into a giant mailbox.

"Any youngster who is good the rest of the year will receive an answer from Santa," said Keefe.

Between the Clydesdales and Santa Claus will come a number of Christmas theme floats. Those following the parade can also view the animated Christmas window in the Hutson Furniture Co. window at 43 S. Main. The annual display opens Thanksgiving Day.

"We're still hoping to top 100 entries by parade time," said Cain. "We still have room for anyone who wants to participate." Cain can be contacted at 334-0954.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III will be parade marshal.

"We're urging all businesses and homes along the parade route to put out their white lights," said Cain. Regular street decorations will begin going up before Thanksgiving.

"By the middle of the week, it will start to look a lot like Christmas in downtown Cape Girardeau," said Cain.

Over the past two years, the parade has sparked a lot of public interest, Cain said. "We've had crowds of 5,000 to 6,000, and this year's event could double that."

The 1993 parade was the first Christmas parade in about 30 years.