Crowds line Broadway, Main Street for 19th annual Parade of Lights

Dressed in light winter jackets, equipped with hot beverages and sacks for sweets, hundreds of local families lined Broadway and Main Street on Sunday to see Santa Claus, who in his sleigh was the last to ride through the 19th annual Parade of Lights.

Around 90 other floats traveled the parade route before Santa and were decorated in bright lights, snowflakes, Christmas trees and presents. Most of the businesses and organizations that prepared a float for the parade played holiday music the entire route, but they all followed this year's theme, "Christmas Dreams."

"A Christmas dream is presents under the tree and snow," said Kim Bierschwal, who helped decorate a float representing Heartland Spine. This was the business's first year in the Parade of Lights, sponsored by Old Town Cape.

Heartland Spine staff, who decked out their float with a Christmas tree, lights and the Tasmanian Devil as Santa, tossed out T-shirts, cups and candy during the parade.

"We're excited about being in the parade and getting the word out" about Dr. Franklin Hayward, Bierschwal said.

Not so new to the parade were Dennis and Lisa McDonald, owners of The Mattress Guys in Cape Girardeau, who said they always enjoy designing a float to the parade's theme.

Their daughters, Alexie and Demi, threw candy to the crowd from a pillow-top mattress surrounded by Christmas trees, lights and giant candy canes.

"We never do the same thing," Lisa McDonald said. "We actually started thinking of ideas at 9 this morning."

"And we didn't start building until 11:30 or 12," Dennis McDonald said.

Employees with Lemons Coin Machines Inc. of Cape Girardeau, however, spent two weeks working on their parade entry -- a trailer decked out in snowflake lights, a giant inflatable Santa and a smoking chimney.

The float also had a jukebox, pool table and video game celebrity Pac-Man, representing items many dream of receiving on Christmas, general manager Darrell Foeste said.

"We absolutely had to have music," Nate Lemon said, referring to the jukebox. "We've had a lot of fun doing this."

While groups that entered the parade gathered at Capaha Park around 4 p.m., area children and their families began lining the streets a bit earlier. Attendees began setting up folding chairs near Southeast Missouri State University and on Main Street before 3 p.m.

Most called the parade a family tradition that marks the beginning of the Christmas season.

"It's the first Sunday of Advent. That's important to us," said Eric Schuchardt, who sat at the curb watching the parade with his wife, Julie, and seven children. "We've attended for probably 11 years. I don't remember missing one."

Schuchardt said his family's own Christmas dream is an upcoming vacation.

Kelly Mansfield, at the parade with her children, Kennedy and Joslyn, said she's hoping her family stays happy and healthy.

"It's the simple things that are the important things," said Mansfield, who has been bringing her children to the holiday event regularly for years. "It's our favorite parade of the year."

ehevern@semissourian.com

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