Parade of Lights delivers holiday cheer, 'mistletoe magic'

As dusk settled on Cape Girardeau, the holiday lights flicked on, and the 24th annual Parade of Lights began in Cape Girardeau.

More than 100 area businesses, churches and organizations lined up in Capaha Park on Sunday afternoon, putting the finishing touches on their floats before the 5 p.m. start time.

Christa Zickfield, marketing and events coordinator for parade organizer Old Town Cape, said although a few floats dropped out when the parade was postponed for a week because of rain, there was a great turnout. She said more floats were entered than the previous year. Organizers expected between 95 and 100.

"It's more than we had last year, but we would have had 110 if the weather hadn't caused us to cancel last week, and everyone showed up," she said.

The new date for the parade didn't keep crowds away, as hundreds of people lined Broadway and Main Street to watch. The event began when several dozen people in Kim's Toy Box Run ran down the parade route, followed by festively lit trucks from several area fire departments. The Kim's Toy Box Run benefited the Cape Jaycees' Children's Toybox program.

A participant revels in the Parade of Lights on Sunday. (Fred Lynch)

The Egyptian Senior High School marching band, the Marching Pharaohs, from Tamms, Illinois, lock-stepped down the street playing "Jolly Old Saint Nick."

Red Star Baptist Church created a live nativity scene in "an effort to represent the religious aspect of the holiday season," float designer Bryan Parker said.

Although the weather was well above freezing, a float for Levi's Children's Charity dropped snowflakes on the spectators as it passed. A powdery snowball fight was the highlight of a scene offered by the CiCi's Pizza float.

Many floats kept with the parade theme of "Mistletoe Magic," including Trendsetters' stolen kiss between Santa and Mrs. Claus and Robinson Construction's cars smooching under the lighted branches. The Cape Conservation Nature Center created a mistletoe-laden scene, complete with people dressed as woodland creatures marching alongside the float.

Isle Casino Cape Girardeau's brightly lit float featured a Mistletoe Cam as a large fishing pole with a sprig of mistletoe at the end was held over the crowd.

Not only does the parade give the community a cause to celebrate, but local businesses also benefit.

"It's Sunday, so most businesses are closed, but the area restaurants certainly see a boost from people going out to eat both before and after the parade," Zickfield said.

The parade is a tradition for many participants and spectators. Hutson's Fine Furniture and Saint Francis Medical Center have participated for many years.

But each parade brings new entrants, Pure Diamonds Dance Academy among them. The dance troupe received cheers from the crowd as they performed a routine during intervals on the route. Organizer Daniel Bird said they saw the parade as "an opportunity to get the word out about our new organization."

It also was Mason and Madison Thrower's first time in the Parade of Lights. They rode with 19 other children in the Cub Scout Pack 15 float.

"Our parents throw the candy. We just ride in the float," Madison said.

In tow was the Throwers' new puppy, Miller.

"He's our mascot," Mason said.

Zickfield, having grown up in the area, can recall watching the parade as a child but said there's a new level of enjoyment that comes with being on the other side of the parade.

"It's neat to see the different organizations and how they pull their floats together based upon our theme. It's fun to see the planning process, which most of the public doesn't get to see," she said.

Ashley Pletka said she's attended the parade since it began, having grown up in the area. Now she attends with her daughters, including 2-year-old Regan, who only had eyes for Santa.

Six-year-old Ava Goodwin has watched several parades in her life, but this also was her first time at the Parade of Lights.

Before it began, her bag in hand, her sights were set on candy. By the end, her bag was full, including with her favorite, Skittles, but she said her favorite part of the parade was Santa.