JACKSON'S CHRISTMAS PARADE TO BE SATURDAY

JACKSON -- This week's Jackson Christmas Parade should be one of the largest ever in Jackson, said parade chairman Brent Wills. The parade is sponsored by the Jackson Jaycees.

Parade Marshal and Jackson High School band director Nick Leist will lead Saturday's parade, which starts at 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of South High and Madison. The Jackson American Legion honor guard will carry the colors.

"We have about 75 to 80 entries," said Wills. "They include 27 floats and four high school bands from Jackson, Puxico, Meadow Heights and Oak Ridge."

Wills said some of the larger floats will be carried by semi-trucks. In addition, many Jackson churches will have floats in the parade along with youth organizations.

The theme of this year's parade is "A Musical Christmas."

Wills said there is still time for other organizations or individuals to participate in the parade. For more information, contact the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, 243-8131.

"Those who plan to be in the parade should be in the staging area in front of the Jackson High School building no later than 1 p.m. Saturday," Wills said.

He said the parade will proceed north on South High Street to the courthouse square, then turn left on West Main and proceed west to Farmington, where it will disband.

No Christmas parade is complete without Santa Claus. He will make his official entry to Jackson at the end of the parade with lots of candy for the children watching the parade.

After the parade, Wills said members of the Jackson Merchants Association will sponsor a number of special activities in the uptown area, including special Christmas Parade sales and promotions.

Following the parade, the Jacksonian Charter Chapter of the American Business Women's Association will sponsor the Little Miss Snowball and Miss Christmas pageant starting at 7 p.m. in the Central Elementary School Auditorium.

Some of the prizes for winners in each group include U.S. savings bonds, gift certificates from local stores, jewelry and toys for youngsters.

There will be $1 admission fee for adults and 50 cents for children.

There are 29 candidates ages 4 to 7 for Little Miss Snowball and 18 candidates ages 14 to 18 competing for the Miss Christmas title.

The winner of the Miss Christmas pageant will be eligible to compete in the Miss Christmas Missouri Pageant Dec. 14 in Aurora.

Wills said the Jackson hometown atmosphere and tradition are among reasons the Jaycees sponsor the Christmas parade each year. The Jaycees took over sponsorship of the parade from the Jackson Merchants Association about six years ago.

"There are a lot of individuals in Jackson who are willing to put this thing on each year for the children." said Wills. "That's the main reason for the Christmas parade. It's for the kids and the families. Everybody loves a parade."

In the past, Christmas parades were held in many area communities, including Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Jackson and Chaffee. Today, only Jackson, Chaffee and Sikeston have annual Christmas parades.

Chaffee's Christmas parade will be held on Dec. 14.

Southeast Missourian records indicate the Jackson Christmas parade was held as long ago as 1954. The same records show there were Christmas parades in Cape Girardeau in 1953 and 1954.

The Nov. 29, 1954, Cape Girardeau Santa Claus Night Parade was headed by the Golden Troopers with 10 floats and 15 bands that stretched a mile, a Missourian article relates. The weather was clear and cold.

It could not be determined when the last Christmas parade was held in Cape.