Umbrellas and raincoats dotted Broadway as spectators pressed up against downtown buildings under short roof overhangs and waited for the Southeast Missouri State University homecoming parade to slosh by in the gray Saturday morning drizzle.

But people love a parade.

"Oh yeah, we wouldn't miss it," said Linda Mons, viewing the parade with her daughter, Mandy Stroder of Cape Girardeau.

"We just love parades, and this is the biggest one," Stroder said. "My family has always come to the homecoming parade, even my grandfather, James Smith. There's some dedicated people out here."

This year, in addition to her mother, Stroder's group included her son, 2-year-old Preston; her daughter, 11-year-old Kelsey Teichman; Kelsey's friend, 12-year-old Amber Hernandez of Cape Girardeau; and Stroder's aunt, Cherie Smith.

"We come for the fun. We like seeing the players and watching the floats go by," Kelsey said.

The floats this year were decorated in a video-game theme, with old game stars Zelda and Mega Man featured. On one float, a large replication of a Southeast Indian successfully kicked a football into the mouth of a Pac Man, while on another float, students dressed up like the Super Mario Brothers pretended to beat up Donkey Kong with large mallets.The parade began at Capaha Park and ran east on Broadway to Main Street, where it turned south.

Several marching bands didn't make it to the parade as planned, but all 12 competitive floats appeared. Donald C. Bedell, a Sikeston businessman, served as parade marshal.

The five float judges cracked jokes and laughed as they performed their duties from the shelter of KFVS-TV station's parking garage about 50 feet from the street.

The weather created a dilemma for the judges. It would have been impossible to make notes out in the rain, but working from the garage door shortened their viewing distance as floats disappeared past the N'Orleans restaurant's brick west wall.

"Judging the floats is a little more difficult this year because of the rainy weather and our position, but we have compensated for that by asking the floats to slow down," said judge Shirley Young of Scott City. "We also had a chance to look them over at the park before the parade started."

jgosche@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133