Parade of Lights set to go Sunday

A 'mostly sunny' forecast by the National Weather Service suggests the Parade of Lights through Cape Girardeau will step off as expected at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The parade will move from Capaha Park to Main Street and ends at the Hutson's parking lot. More than 90 entries are expected, down by less than a dozen who were unable to reschedule after last Sunday's rain forced a cancellation.

Andrea Slaten, project manager for Old Town Cape, said the rain was just one problem. Old Town Cape's website crashed "under the crush of inquiries about the parade. Everyone complained it wasn't updated, but I couldn't get it to update. I tried," she said. "Big River Telephone had to suspend it for us. We are trying to locate someone to help us."

Meanwhile, the Cape Girardeau Police Department has announced a temporary parking ban leading up to the Parade of Lights, starting at 2 p.m. Sunday for the following streets:

• Both sides of Broadway from North West End Boulevard to Main Street
• Main Street from Park Drive to William Street
• North West End Boulevard from Broadway to Parkview Drive
• The east side of Perry Avenue from Broadway to Parkview
• Parkview from Perry to North West End
• The entire area of Capaha Park

Signs and other traffic control devices will be used to alert drivers to areas where parking is banned. Vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense, according to a police statement.

For parade details or to offer website help, call the Old Town Cape office at 334-8085.