Families celebrate Halloween together at Thriller on Themis in downtown Cape Girardeau
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) — Hundreds of people filled downtown Cape Girardeau Thursday night for an evening of costumes, dancing and family fun as the second annual Thriller on Themis brought a Halloween celebration to the community.
For some families, the night was more than an opportunity to watch performers dressed as zombies. It was a chance for children to get involved in the Halloween excitement themselves.
Among those in the crowd was young Waylon Moreno, who arrived dressed as Michael Jackson, ready to show off some dance moves of his own.
His mother, Lisandra Moreno, says her son’s love for the late pop star made attending the event an easy decision.
“So Waylon is obsessed with Michael Jackson, so he’s going to be Michael Jackson,” Moreno said. “And he does the dance. He sings all of the songs. So we had to come out and show his love for Michael Jackson.”
Waylon even showed off some of his moves during an interview with FOX23.
For Moreno, events like Thriller on Themis offer children a chance to have fun while spending time with other families in the community.
“I think it’s great for the community just to get all the children together,” Moreno said, adding that she enjoys seeing children experience activities alongside others in the area.
The celebration, organized by Vintage NOW Productions, offered families an evening of entertainment without an admission fee.
Keasha Hutchcraft, who attended with her family, says having free activities available makes community gatherings especially meaningful.
“It’s really cool to have these type of community events because one, it is free and it’s a huge gathering for the whole community,” Hutchcraft said.
The event began at 6:04 p.m. with a Halloween preshow featuring local performers before dancers dressed as zombies took over Themis Street for a performance inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Several local dance groups helped bring the production to life, including Industry Dance Company, After Class Academy, Encore Dance Academy, Dance Extensions and Cape Specialist Entertainment Group.
The performances were supported by volunteers who helped organize and participate in the celebration.
Lead dance instructor Tamatha, who spoke with FOX23 ahead of Thursday’s event, emphasized the community effort behind the production and the opportunity to offer entertainment that families could enjoy together.
Beyond the choreographed performances, families had opportunities to meet the zombies, take pictures and participate in a street dance party.
The event also brought visitors into downtown Cape Girardeau, where organizers encouraged attendees to support nearby restaurants and businesses before or after the celebration.
For families like the Morenos, however, the highlight was the opportunity to share an experience centered around something their children love.
With Halloween just two days away, Thursday’s celebration gave children a chance to dress up, dance and make memories with their families — without the cost of admission.
