Old Town Cape to celebrate 20-year milestone with dinner, dancing Feb. 28

Old Town Cape will celebrate a 20-year milestone of downtown growth with dinner, live music and dancing Feb. 28 at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Emily Vines, event coordinator for Old Town Cape, said she is excited for the upcoming anniversary event and considers it to be “a big deal” for the organization. This year’s theme, with coordinated décor, is “Cheers to 20 Years.”

“What we’re looking to focus on is just showing how much progress has been made in the downtown area in 20 years,” she said by phone Tuesday.

Vines said she is amazed at how much has changed within downtown Cape Girardeau since she graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 2012.

Looking at downtown then, compared to downtown now, “it’s so different,” she said.

“The restaurants are different, the shopping is different, the structures, the landscaping; it all looks different,” Vines said.

The importance of the event, she said, is to show how much progress can be made over 20 years, emphasizing growth is “not an overnight thing.”

Vines also sees the dinner as an opportunity to show Old Town Cape is “ready to move forward.”

“We’re ready to keep revitalizing,” she said. “We’re ready to keep improving the downtown area that people love so much.”

The dinner serves as the kickoff to a yearlong celebration of milestone-themed events, she said, labeling the idea as “something we’re doing a little bit different.”

“We had a new logo designed specifically for the 20th anniversary,” Vines said. “And I believe that was done for the 10th anniversary as well.”

Vines said planning for the annual dinners are not necessarily time consuming, but the 20th anniversary celebration has been in the works for quite some time.

“This time around, we are planning for 350 (guests),” she said. “Last year, we ended up having over 300 people. We wanted to plan for a few more this year, with it being the anniversary.”

Vines said she encourages anyone who is passionate about the downtown Cape Girardeau area or is interested in learning more to attend.

Social hour will start at 6 p.m. with live music provided by local group The Jumper Cables. Tickets are $30. More information can be found online on the event’s Facebook page.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632