World-famous Budweiser Clydesdales to visit Cape Girardeau

The Budweiser Clydesdales have been the trademark of St. Louis-based brewery Anheuser-Busch since 1933, and April 2 through 8, the famed horses will enjoy a weeklong stay with multiple stops in Cape Girardeau thanks to the requests of River Eagle and Drury.

Shawn Patterson, River Eagle vice president of sales, said the Budweiser Clydesdales will be housed at Arena Park, beginning April 2, but won't be accessible to the public until the next day.

"On that Monday they arrive, and they'll set up, but no viewing that day. The second day they will be at a private event," Patterson said. "Starting [that day] and through the week people can stop by out to see the Clydesdales. They'll be tented out in their stables. ... They are very pampered horses, and they have very specific rules for how long they can be shown each day."

Wednesday is the Clydesdales "off day," and Patterson said there are tentative plans for them April 5 to visit Cape Girardeau Police Department, but Patterson is unsure whether the event will be open to the public.

"Friday [April 6] they will be at the SEMO baseball game for a couple hours," Patterson said. "The game is at 6 that day, they will probably be there at 5. Saturday they are going to be downtown Cape, around 3 or 4 o'clock we're going to start, and we are still working out the logistics."

The Budweiser Clydesdales will be "paraded down" Spanish Street toward Broadway, and then around Main Street and back up to Spanish Street, where they will be stopped in front The Library. Patterson said Independence Street will be shut down during this time, and the Clydesdales will be in public view for photos.

"The two big events are going to be the SEMO baseball game on Friday, and then downtown on Saturday. And as they parade downtown, they're going to stop at the bottom of the courthouse steps, for people to get pictures," Patterson said. "They will also stop them on Main Street in front of the bars and restaurants, and have them deliver a case of Budweiser to a couple bars."

"The reason they are coming to town is because they have to be requested in, and the Drury Hotel National meeting is in Cape that first week," Patterson said. "They requested them. I requested them several months ago, and they will tell you when they're coming about two months beforehand. ... But they don't come for just one day. They come for the entire week."

There are three "hitches," Patterson said, and this hitch is coming from the East Coast.

According to Patterson, "the police and downtown Cape and everybody have been really helpful." Police escorts will be arranged by the police department for the downtown event April 7.

"I think we're going to 'parade them' from Arena Park to Capaha Park," Patterson said. "It's kind of a once-in-a-lifetime thing to get them by your establishment."

There were no official viewing plans for April 8.

The Budweiser Clydesdales updated viewing hours will be officially posted soon on the "River Eagle" Facebook fan page, Patterson said.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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