Ephrata to celebrate Miracle on Main Street
Ephrata’s Miracle on Main Street parade participants work their way through community neighborhoods during the parade in 2020.
File photo
EPHRATA — Ephrata residents are invited to celebrate the holiday season with breakfast with Santa, a tree lighting and parade Saturday, as part of Miracle on Main Street sponsored by the city of Ephrata and the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce.
Santa will host breakfast from 8-10 a.m. at the Ephrata Recreation Center, 112 Basin St. SW. The cost is $5 per person. Chamber director Rita Witte said a backdrop will be set up and parents can bring their cameras and phones to take pictures with Santa for free.
Advance registration is requested and available on the city’s website www.ephrata.org, or by calling the city recreation department, 509-754-4426.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will sponsor a food and toy drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot at Moore Furniture, 328 Basin St. SW. Thrivent will accept donations of money, cans, boxes and bags of non-perishable food to go to the Ephrata Food Bank.
The annual Jingle Bell Fun Run is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., starting at 261 Basin St. SW. Race check-in is from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. in person and registration is $20 per person. Online registration is closed. Runners have their choice of a 1-mile or 5-kilometer course and can wear a Christmas-y outfit, the latter of which will be judged and the top three will win prizes. For more information, visit runsignup.com/Race/WA/Ephrata/JingleBellFunRun2021.
A “baby food drive” is scheduled before the race. Participants can donate baby food, baby formula and diapers, which will go to the food bank.
The community tree lighting is scheduled for about 4:50 p.m. at the rec center. Witte said it’s the first community Christmas tree in many years.
“It’s a 60-foot tree. It’s going to be great,” she said.
The annual parade starts at 5 p.m. from the Moore Furniture parking lot. Parade lineup starts at 4:15 p.m. and participants can register during the lineup.
“Basically show up with your car lit up and let’s go,” Witte said.
The route has been changed this year, with participants heading down First Avenue.
“It’s going to be a kind of drive-around parade,” Witte said. “We’re driving through the neighborhoods.”