EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD PARADE, FESTIVAL OR FAIR

An early view of Cape Girardeau's Fairgrounds, which became Capaha Park in 1948. This photo was taken about 1901.

"Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh my!"

Cape residents have been able to employ this commonly recognized movie dialogue for the many years that circuses and parades have been coming to Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau boasts years of tradition of big crowd-attracting parades, festivals, fairs and circuses dating as early as 1855. At time of year, some type of celebration is likely near.

Parades of all types are scattered throughout the calendar. The schedule of parades vary each year, but some of the annual parades celebrate the Fourth of July, Southeast Missouri State University Homecoming, SEMO District Fair, Veterans Day and the Christmas Parade of Lights. Sponsors vary from parade to parade, but the crowd turnout is almost always large. Pete Poe, organizer of the SEMO District Fair, said the turnout for the fair parade has been up to three or four people deep lining the entire parade route of about 10 blocks.

"[Parades are] completely different from everyday life. You can see a football game or something like that every day. A circus or parade gives people a chance to come out and see something out of the ordinary," Poe said.

This year marked the seventh year for the Christmas Parade of Lights. The Downtown Merchants Association and Zimmer Broadcasting sponsored the annual event. Dennis "Doc" Kain, a member of the Downtown Merchants Association, created the idea of an after dark, lighted parade. It is a parade filled with floats covered in lights that takes place at the setting of dark every Sunday after Thanksgiving. The Christmas theme parade is an opportunity to involve the entire community. As years progress, the competition is strong as participants get ideas for elaborate Christmas floats. Participants have grown in number from the first parade of 50 entries to around 100 entries in 1999.

"It's a lot of fun and gets people set for the Christmas spirit," said organizer Kent Zickfield. Around 8,000 to 10,000 viewers annually line the streets for this parade between Capaha Park and Main Street.

Along with the oohs and ahhs of parades comes the wonder of the area's longtime circuses. Once upon a time, the excitement of parades and circuses were combined. Before modern vehicles the only forms of transportation a circus had were by boat or railroad. The circus crews would arrive and unload outside of town, which was a spectacle in itself. Viewers came from all around and camped out just to see the circus cars unload the day before the parade and circus. Then there would be a parade to the fairgrounds where the circus was to be held.

Few things have changed about the circuses coming to Cape Girardeau. The exceptions would be the modern circus is larger with more acts, and the costumes are more expensive and the settings more glamorous. A penny may not buy as much entertainment as it would in 1905, but the circuses are still wonderful for all. Cape Girardeau has been host to the Cape Moolah Shrine Circus, Sells Circus, Hagenback & Wallace, and Ringling, Barnum and Bailey (even when it was solely Ringling).

Parades also mark the beginning of local fairs for Cape Girardeau. The SEMO District Fair parade route spans from the Capaha Park to Arena Park. The most recent parade took about one hour and 45 minutes to pass a given point. Participation in this, as is any parade, is open to anyone who wishes to be involved such as organizations, businesses, or clubs.

1855 marked the first SEMO District Fair. It has grown from a small county event to a grand agriculture fanfare. Each year more money is contributed for entertainment, building, and activities. Future Farmers of America and the 4-H have been active for many years in the fair, displaying their talents and leadership. Some fairgoers have even said the District Fair competes in show with the nearby Du Quoin, Ill., fair and even the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.

Festivals have also been a long-time attraction for Cape Girardeau and surrounding citizens. What is now known as Riverfest simply began as a small fish fry in 1979. Riverfest is now a gigantic summer celebration of local lifestyle around the Mighty Mississippi. It hosts food stands that serve local favorites while area bands show off their talents on stages around the river area.

This annual event takes place in June on Water Street where multitudes of contests and traditional entertainment are hosted.