SIKESTON -- Pageants, rides and fish sandwiches attract thousands to the annual Sikeston American Legion Cotton Carnival each year.
But one of the state's longest parades featuring floats, area high school bands, pageant royalty and politicians is another reason area residents look forward each year to the carnival, which is marking its 72nd year.
Set to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, the parade route starts on Malone Avenue at Pine and continues west on Malone Avenue to Downtown Sikeston.
Mike Adams, parade chairman, estimated 25 to 30 floats enter the parade's two judged divisions -- adult and youth -- each year.
"I think it's gotten bigger over the last few years," Adams said. "We've always been known as one of the biggest parades in Missouri and one of the oldest. It seems to get bigger and better in terms of the entrants and actual people who come to watch."
Adams estimated 10,000 people come out for the parade each year.
Groups who have a youth float will line up on Courtney Street near Matthews Elementary. Floats for the adult division will line up on East Gladys and Ingram streets in front of the Sikeston Field House.
Parade entries usually start lining up between 8 a.m. and 8:30.m. and must be registered, on location and ready to proceed by no later than 9:30 a.m., Adams said.
This year's theme is "Honoring the Gold Star Wives," which is honoring the wives of fallen soldiers, Adams said.
Parade participants cannot throw candy; they must walk up and lay it at the feet or on the curb.
"The only motor vehicles allowed in the parade are the American Legion Riders and the Shriners clowns on motorcycles," Adams said.
Organizations and businesses are the only entities eligible to be in the parade float-wise, Adams said. No personal vehicles and no loud music are allowed, he said.
Top three winners are awarded in each division.
"A lot of businesses stick to the theme or they gear it toward veterans or particular branches of military -- and they don't have to stick to the theme," Adams said of the floats.
For at least two consecutive years the float created by the employees of Focus Bank in Sikeston has taken first place in the adult division of the float contest. They're hoping for a three-peat.
Laura Stovall, customer service representative for the Sikeston business, said once the Sikeston American Legion Post 114 announces the parade theme, she and her co-workers get started with planning their float for that year.
"As soon as we find out what the theme is, we try to get to the bottom of it and make sure we're representing it correctly," Stovall said. "We get online and on Pinterest to get ideas of the best way we can represent the theme."
For example, last year when the theme was "Salute to the American Legion Riders" Stovall said they tried to represent each of the different branches of military service.
"We enjoy it," Stovall said of she and her co-workers making the float. "We all get along really well and anytime we can do something together outside of work, we will."
The brainstorming takes place at work, she said.
"We discuss the best ways to represent the theme that year. When we decorate the float, it's after work hours," she said.
She also said they use a box trailer and decorate it differently each year.
It takes a lot of people to make their float come together, Stovall said, adding about eight to 10 people work on the float.
"Every year our spouses and kids walk with us and help us. On the day of the parade we have probably 30 people who walk with us and hand out candy," Stovall said.
This year they've purchased 120 pounds of candy to hand out Saturday morning, she said.
"We're always sitting there in the line and watching everyone else's and see what they came up with for their floats," Stovall said.
When asked for advice for those entering a float in the parade, Stovall said to plan ahead and do their research.
"When you're ordering some items online and it's getting close to the parade, it's usually pretty stressful because you're hoping everything comes in on time," Stovall said.
In addition to the floats, area high school bands are invited to perform during the parade, Adams said.
"We average 12 bands per year, and we have a good range of participants in the band divisions," Adams said.
For several years New Madrid County Central High School and Puxico High School have won the big band division and small band division, respectively.
Adams noted the forecast for this week's Cotton Carnival, which began Tuesday and ends Saturday couldn't be more ideal: sunny skies and fall-like temps.
"Temperatures are supposed to be in the mid- to low 70s, and I would bring a blanket or jacket on Saturday morning for the parade," Adams said. "It's supposed to be perfect weather."
For more information about the parade, contact Adams at 573-931-1391.