Downtown crowded during open house

People walking in downtown Cape Girardeau stood a good chance of bumping into strangers Friday night. That's because most people walking the streets for the annual open house sponsored by Old Town Cape were paying more attention to the cards in their hands than the pavement in front of them.

The cards offered directions to 23 downtown merchants, and one person who visited 12 of the 23 with stamps from each will win a $2,000 downtown shopping spree.

Other Christmas events included carolers, pictures with Santa, face-painting and rides in Santa's carriage.

"We're just down here to get in on the Christmas spirit. This is the beginning of the Christmas season, and it's a good time," said Sharon Hodges, who came with son Kinyon.

The two had just dismounted the carriage Santa drove during the three hours of the event in a loop around downtown. But instead of horses, the carriage was pulled by a tractor.

Kyndall Volkerding, 8, had her picture taken with Santa Claus at the former Hecht's building in downtown Cape Girardeau as part of the downtown open house Friday night.TJ GREANEY tgreaney@semissourian.com

The horses rented from a company in Fults, Ill., were snowed in and unable to make the trip, but the local Santa seemed to be filling the gap nicely.

"I thought it was supposed to be a horse-drawn carriage, but this is nice, it's kind of different. Santa gave us advice on how to wave, gave us blankets to cover up, and he helps you up and down from the carriage."

Kinyon was still perfecting the list he's going to send to the North Pole: a Nintendo DS and a guitar will definitely be prominently placed.

"And a Hummer, I'm serious about that one," said Kinyon, who is in grade school.

"It'll be a few years before you can drive it," said Sharon Hodges.

Others just enjoyed the people watching on the night where temperatures stayed in the mid-to high 20s.

Lezlie Schifers and Adrien Stern, who live in an apartment in downtown Cape Girardeau, sat in the corner of the patio outside Cup 'N' Cork at 46 N. Main St. Buttoned up with caps and mittens, they savored a bottle of Pinot Grigio and enjoyed the holiday cheer.

"We just thought we'd sit outside, drink wine and laugh for a little while," Schifers said.

The two had come early and gotten their cards stamped before the crowds arrived. If they win, they plan to share the shopping spree.

"I figure now we have a two-out-of-however-many-people chance of winning. We're not splitting it equally, though. We don't like each other that much," said Stern, laughing. "The winner gets $1,500, and the other person just gets $500."

Old Town Cape did not have an official estimate of how many people attended the open house. However, nearly every parking spot downtown was taken.

Carolers Tasha Saulsbury, Sharon Robinson and Patricia Dixson of the Southeast Missouri State Association of Black Collegians on Campus stood at the corner of Main and Themis streets singing holiday favorites.

"We've been told it makes people smile," Robinson said.

But the frosty night was tough on the singers.

"We're rotating inside and outside so we'll try not to get too cold," Dixson said.

In the old Hecht's building, Santa posed for photos with children.

Jaimee Brady brought daughters Macy, 6, and Sophie, 4, to sit on the old guy's lap and tell him what they want for Christmas.

The girls were sure of the toys (a Fairytopia set and other Barbie items) but now face to face with Santa, they were daunted by the invitation to sit on his lap.

"They've been talking about this the whole week, but now I can't get them to go up there and sit on his lap," Brady said.

The two girls chased each other around in circles until mom won the day and got them to conquer their fears.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245