Miracle on Main Street set for Ephrata

EPHRATA — Ephrata is holding Miracle on Main Street Dec. 5.

“Miracle on Main Street is meant to be a hometown Christmas festival,” said Tia Tracy, Ephrata Chamber of Commerce executive director. “It’s meant to make everyone feel good about the season. We try to get the town ready for Santa. It’s just a good way to get it going.”

The event starts with the Jingle Bell Fun Run. Registration for the run starts at 9:30 a.m., with the race starting at 10:30 a.m. The 1.9 mile course starts at AmericanWest Bank on Basin Street, turns left at Lee Theater, makes one lap around the high school track, and turns left on C street, ending at the PUD parking lot.

“It kind of kicks off everything in the morning,” Tracy said. “It’s not a hard course, so people can bring their kids and their dogs. It’s very low stress.”

Advanced registration costs $18 for adults and $15 for children 17-years-old and under. The price includes a shirt for anyone finishing the race. If people don’t want a shirt it costs $12.

The events continue with children’s crafts and pictures with Santa starting at noon at the Ephrata Recreation Center on Basin Street.

“They’ve had coloring contests and little Christmas balls they’ve made,” Tracy said. “The Hospital Auxiliary always does cookies for the children. It’s just a really nice warm place to be, and it lets the parents go shop local.”

Along with the other events, Mothers of Preschoolers are selling hot chocolate and cookbooks, she said. The chamber is holding a raffle to raise money for Christmas lights, Tracy said. Tickets are available at the chamber, Chain Stitchery, Second Hand Prose, United Country and The Bookery.

“We are raffling off a really, really cool Washington state jacket. It’s all embroidered,” she said. “We have a quilt we’re auctioning off too. The quilt is gorgeous.”

The parents of the Ephrata High School graduating class is holding a chicken chip bingo starting at 1:30 p.m. in the Rotary parking lot, located on the corner of Basin Street and First Avenue. Tickets are available at Western Mortgage, Moore Furniture, Horizon Credit Union, The Bookery and the chamber.

“Imagine a parking lot where someone has drawn a grid on it, that grid is going to have numbers on it. Where ever a chicken does its business and lands on a number, (that’s the number picked,)” she said. “You have to be 18 years or older to play because its gambling. They’re raising money for the senior class party. The parents put something on for the kids, so that’s what they’re trying to raise money for.”

Starting at 2 p.m., there is a ballet performance at the Performing Arts Center next to Ephrata High School. Laurie Walker is putting on a show she created called “Winter Wonderland,” Tracy said.

“It’s open to the public and it’s free,” she said. “She does a beautiful job. She did a performance last year. She’s very well known for her ballet. It’s nice that it’s free to the public.”

The lighted parade starts at 5:30 p.m., and includes a special pet portion, Tracy said. The parade starts at the high school, travels down C street, turns left on Second Street Southwest. It then travels up Basin Street until it reaches Fourth Avenue Northwest until it reaches the high school.

“You can decorate your pet. You can put lights on your pet,” she said. “It’s kind of up to your imagination.”

Entry forms are available at the chamber, Tracy said. The floats are all up to the participants’ imaginations.

“We’ve had antique cars. We’ve had fire trucks. We’ve had kids with wagons. We’ve had horses,” she said. “What we like to see is people light their floats up.”

The event finishes with a Christmas tree lighting in Sun Basin Plaza and fireworks.

“We want everyone to come and enjoy themselves,” she said.

For more information, contact the chamber at 509-754-4656.