LIGHTING UP BROADWAY: CHRISTMAS PARADE OF LIGHTS SUNDAY

The Cape Shrine Club and clowns delivered smiles along the parade route last year.

Even the grumpiest of people get a twinkle in their eyes when they are watching the annual Christmas Parade of Lights, according to one long-time parade participant."This is really the unofficial official start of the Christmas season," said Jerry Ford, leader of the Jerry Ford Orchestra which will perform on the VIP Industries float in Sunday's parade. "It puts everyone in the mood for the holidays."The parade will feature more than 120 entries, all decorated with lights for this evening parade. It will begin at dusk, around 5 p.m., said Darlene Vandever, who is helping organize the parade sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Downtown Merchants Association. The parade will begin at Capaha Park, go down Broadway toward the Mississippi River, take a right on Main and end in front of Hutson's Furniture, said Kent Zickfield, who is in charge of parade entries.

Ford, who has performed in every Parade of Lights since it began in 1993, said his band will be set up on a lighted and decorated flatbed trailer and will play Christmas songs in keeping with this year's theme "Songs of Christmas."Ford said performing live in a parade is a challenge for a band, especially one the size of the Jerry Ford Orchestra."We have eight microphones just for the saxophones," Ford said. In addition to the 10 or 11 people in the band and a Christmas tree, the trailer also must have room for generators, amplifiers and microphone and music stands, which will be weighted down with sand bags."Fortunately our driver is experienced so you don't end up with a mouthpiece down your throat from a sudden stop," Ford said.

Despite the difficulties, this is one parade Ford said he wouldn't miss."The faces in the crowd make it all worthwhile," he said. "Everyone just beams."Facing challenges of a different sort are those working on the float for Evangelical United Church of Christ. It will feature a manger scene complete with the Holy Family, shepherds, angels and live animals. Behind the float will come the Wise Men on real camels.

Church member Gary Metje said it took five nights with six to eight people working each night to get the trailer decorated. That doesn't include the time people have spent preparing the costumes.

And on Sunday night, Metje said, there will be about 75 people either on the float, handling the animals or walking alongside the entry to make sure things go smoothly."It's amazing the amount of labor people put into their parade entries," Zickfield said.

Even less elaborate entries take a lot of work. Leslie Walker, marketing assistant at Capaha Bank, said 15 to 20 people have been working to decorate a horse-drawn wagon that will be the bank's entry.

The wagon will be decorated with wreaths, garlands and loads of lights. Plus, and this may be the most important thing for children who come to the parade, Walker said she's stocking up on plenty of candy to throw to the crowd."Last year we ran out of candy before the end, but we're getting more for this year," Walker said. "If you have candy, you have lots of happy kids."Another kid-pleasing parade entry is being put together by The Ice, the skating rink at the Plaza Gallery. Ashlee Hale, director of the skating school, said people in costumes, including Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Loonie Toons characters, Rudolph and Frosty, will be marching along with skating students.

This is The Ice's first year to participate in the parade. Hale said it fits into the skating rink's goal of encouraging fun and family.

State Rep. Mary Kasten and her husband, City Councilman Dr. Melvin Kasten, are the grand marshals.