CROWDS LINE PARADE ROUTE

Spectators, five to 10 deep at times, lined the route from Capaha Park down Broadway to Main Street Sunday evening for the 6th annual Christmas Parade of Lights sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association.

"I'd hate to estimate the crowd, but they tell me it was the largest ever for the parade," said Dennis "Doc" Cain, one of the founders and organizers of the parade.

With temperatures at parade time reaching nearly 70 degrees, many of the spectators stood in short sleeved shirts, a few in shorts. To most it hardly seemed like Christmas despite the images of Santa Claus and snowmen.

"It seems like summer time here in November," said band leader Jerry Ford to the crowd. "I thought we'd play something that would make you think more of winter."

Ford and his orchestra then jumped into an arrangement of "Winter Wonderland," just one of a number of big band versions of Christmas songs they played from atop the VIP Industries float.

The float was one of 118 entries in the parade, making this year's event the largest in its six-year history.

"I thought it was tremendous," said Cain. "The people never cease to amaze me. They keep working harder and harder and the floats are becoming more and more elaborate."

Cain said that although many of the entries were from local businesses and churches, other entries came from as far away as Sikeston and Malden in Southeast Missouri and from locations in Southern Illinois to participate in the parade.

"This is the largest one ever and I don't see any end in sight," he said.

The grand marshall for this year's parade was B. W. Harrison, who was being honored by the Downtown Merchants Association for his gift to the university that will help with the purchase of the St. Vincent's seminary grounds.

Cain said the merchants group wanted to honor Harrison because they believed the seminary project will help with the continuing revitalization of the downtown area.

Cain called the parade "a gesture of good will to the community" from the merchants association and as a way of "giving something back to the community."

"You can tell by the number of entries and by the people lined up and down the street that the city appreciates it and the people wanted it," he said.

Only once in its history has the parade been postponed because of inclement weather. Last year's parade was delayed a week because of rain and flooding on city streets.

But Sunday's weather, despite early threats of rain, remained perfect for the parade.

"The participants were cheerful and smiling, the crowd appreciative," Cain said. "There were no Scrooges there."

1998 WINNERS

Winners in the 1998 Christmas Parade of Lights were:

Chairman's Award - Walker and Associates

Sweepstakes Award

1st place: Hi-Cotton/Country Club Dancers

2nd place: Rust and Martin

3rd place: Michael Tanner

4th place: SEMO HOGS

Christmas Spirit Award

1st place: Abundant Life Church

2nd place: Evangelical United Church of Christ

3rd place: St. Marys School

4th place: Seventh Day Adventist Church

Best Lighted Floats

1st place: Sinn Family

2nd place: Christ Lutheran Church

3rd place: Heartland Care

4th place: Orthopedic Associates

Merit Awards

Convention and Visitors Bureau

Shawnee Band

Cape Girardeau Shriners

St. Francis Medical Center

Hobbs Chapel United Methodist Church

Salvation Army

Capaha Bank

Hutson's Furniture

Cape Girardeau Central High School

Grace United Methodist Church

Best Band, Professional: Jerry Ford Orchestra/VIP Industries

Best Band, Marching: Oran Marching Band