July is Parks and Recreation Month, and the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating by hosting its 18th annual Parks and Rec Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Osage Centre.

Parks and Rec Day is free to attend and will include games and activities for all ages � and free ice cream � to also celebrate mascot of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, Playmo�s, fifth birthday.

Cassie Dennis, recreation coordinator for the Parks and Recreation Department, said today�s event has �all kinds of different vendors� scheduled, including Marcus Cape West Cine, Lazy L Safari Park, Safari Playland Family Fun Center and Target. There also will be a �little toddler area� in a more secluded meeting room for younger children to play in, along with activities to keep them entertained.

Dennis said there will be about 12 local business and organizations involved with Parks and Rec Day this year.

�I don�t know exactly what activity these vendors are doing; we just asked that they do an activity with letting them be there for free,� she said.

�For the Parks and Recreation Department, what we�ll be doing is bingo and then we have different blow-ups and obstacle courses,� she said. �We�ll have Nerf wars and ice cream that�s been donated from Unilever that we�ll be handing out, along with refreshments.�

Dennis said there will be hourly giveaways, including Cape Splash passes and various other parks and recreation prizes.

Parks and Recreation Month-themed baskets, Cape Splash bags and T-shirts will be given away as well, she said.

As the event nears its close at 3 p.m., �bigger� prizes such as Holiday World passes and Botanical Gardens passes will be given away, Dennis said.

Each year, she said there are �usually over 1,000� people who attend the event, which doesn�t always take place primarily inside the Osage Centre, but will this year.

Dennis considers Parks and Rec Day to be the �big one in July,� which helps to bring attention to Parks and Recreation Month, along with other summertime events hosted by the city.

�This past week we had Capaha Classic, and we have some other things at Cape Splash,� Dennis said. �We have Aqua Jams and Adult Beach Bash for the adults. Also this year, we added in the pop-up movies along with the arts council.�

She said when Playmo was first introduced to the community five years ago, he made his entrance by helicopter.

But, �No helicopter this year,� Dennis said.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632