It was beginning to look but certainly not feel like Christmas at the annual "Parade of Lights" parade Sunday night as temperatures remained above 60 degrees.

Thousands of people gathered along Broadway and Main streets to watch as floats decked out in colorful lights and decorations kicked off the start of the Christmas holiday in Cape Girardeau.

Oran residents Kay and Mark Kielhofner barbecued hot dogs with their friends and family at the Boys and Girls Club parking lot. The couple has been coming to the same spot for the past six years.

"Every year this is how we start our Christmas holiday. It puts us in the mood," said Kay Kielhofner, who was joined by her grandchildren -- Matti, Clayton, Nicholas and Kaiden Massey and Kaitlyn and Kameron Whittu.

The family arrived at their usual Parade of Lights viewing location at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

"This is our spot," Kay Kielhofner said. "It's our annual family get-together."

The theme of this year's parade, presented by Old Town Cape, was "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow." More than 100 business, churches and other organizations decorated floats with the parade's theme.

Cape Girardeau Police Department's DARE vehicle led the long line of floats, followed by U.S. military veterans and this year's parade marshal, Anita Meinz, the longtime Convention and Visitors Bureau receptionist.

Fake snow was blown into the crowd from the Hutson Furniture store's float, which drew oohs and ahhs; while members of the SEMO District Fair board rode their float standing at the top of a ski slope.

Along Main Street, people crowded in front of store fronts while some sat in restaurants, like Cup 'N' Cork, drinking coffee and hot chocolate.

Cape Girardeau residents Susan Dean and her children, Carly, 7, and Carson, 9, sat in front of her clothing store, The Woman's Store, on Main Street.

The family spent Sunday setting up their Christmas tree and decorating their house.

"After the decorations were up, we came to watch the parade. This is how we get in the Christmas spirit," Dean said.

Carson said his favorite part about the parade was hearing the holiday song, Feliz Navidad, and Carly likes to see the decorated floats.

Friends of fair weather

Up and down Main Street, people commented on the comfortable weather.

"It's a good night for a parade," said Priscilla Kasten, of Millersville, who watched the floats go by with her husband, Mike, and 6-year-old daughter Drew.

The family was on the lookout for their 10-year-old daughter and sister, Caroline, who was to ride by on the Academy of Dance Arts float.

The dance school is performing a show later this month called the 13th Hour to benefit Sahara Aldridge, a Cape Girardeau 12-year-old battling brain-stem cancer. Priscilla Kasten said the Academy of Dance Arts performers weren't in their costumes for the parade, but were performing dances from their benefit show.

Further down Main Street, Mary Hubbert of Benton, Mo., sat with her grandsons, Brady and Gavin Jansen and Grant Menz.

This was the first year Hubbert attended the annual Parade of Lights.

"I'm sure we'll be back next year," Hubbert said. "The kids are looking forward to seeing Santa."

The final spectators along the parade route, which ended by Hutson's Furniture store, was Tracy Mitchell and her nephew, Langdon Scheeter, 4, both of Oran.

"This is where we always sit," Mitchell said.

Even after seeing Santa in the parade for the first time this year, Mitchell said she's been in the Christmas spirit. "I've been in the Christmas spirit since the beginning of November -- the parade just adds to it," she said. "It's always a beautiful parade."

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246