Zelie parade ‘a big crowd event’
This year’s Miracle on Main Street in Zelienople had the largest parade attendance in over a decade, according to the parade’s announcer, with the event’s Light-Up Christmas Parade showcasing over 30 floats and attractions.
The event Thursday, Dec. 7 ran along Zelienople’s Main Street.
“[The event] brings people into town and that helps give awareness of what the town is about and the businesses that are here,” Robin Fleming, owner of toy store Room To Grow, said. “It’s a big crowd event.”
Fleming said she’s been so busy when the parade is going on, she’s never seen the parade.
“We usually have a costume character, this year we have a fairy, and she gives out some treats to the kids,” Fleming said.
Throughout the event, there was cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus at the Spring on Main Cafe and multiple hidden Elf on the Shelfs at participating stores.
Additionally, three tents were open throughout the event, a prayer tent, a coat giveaway tent and a location to donate non-perishables to the Southwest Butler Food Cupboard. Items were also donated to the Harmony Fire District’s stuff-a-truck parked on East New Castle Street.
“The businesses are so supportive and so generous,” Miracle on Main event director Donna Ziegler said. “Their support as they give their donation or sponsorship is what makes this entire event free.”
All money raised during the event will be donated to In Toto Community Resource Center.
“[Ziegler] approached us earlier this year about supporting us,” In Toto Resource Center executive director Allison Broaddrick said.
In Toto aims to provide community-centered social support to those with mental health struggles and learning disabilities by helping build confidence and create social connections, and has been a part of Zelienople for 15 years.
“We provide services at no cost to the participant, for children, adolescents and adults with autism and other diagnoses,” Broaddrick said.
“The people that participate in our programs have created a really amazing community,” Broaddrick said. “It’s been a really cool environment to watch everyone thrive and build friendships that expand beyond what we do here. We’ve seen that the social opportunities we provide here extend far beyond these walls.”
A live nativity could be seen from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. outside of Old Harper’s Hardware at the corner of Main Street and East Spring Street.
Old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage rides were available before and after the parade.
Alpacas could be seen outside the Passavant House and participated in the Light-Up Christmas Parade that started at 6:30 p.m.
“It’s been wonderful, it is such a great family experience,” Shelly Mathew, co-owner of Mathew Jewelers, said. “It really brings a lot of exposure to the community and a positive attitude.”
The parade started with the Seneca Valley Marching Band performing “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
The parade included the Zelienople Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts, the Harmony Fire District and EMS, the Seneca Valley Chorus, multiple horse-drawn carriages and many floats, among others
Santa and Mrs. Claus ended the parade, pulled in a horse-drawn carriage. They ended at 4 Corners Park, where they entered Santa’s house for children to come and visit them until 8 p.m.
“It’s nice to see everybody out with their families looking for Santa,” Mathew said. “It’s wonderful to see everybody out and together for the good of the community and for Christmas.”
Mathew had noticed that the Miracle on Main event helped boost their end-of-year sales, as it “puts a lot of ideas into people’s heads for what they want under the tree.”
Many businesses and groups, in addition to the Zelienople Area Business Association, participated in the event. This includes the Strand Theater, Curio art gallery, Mathew Jewelers, Kaufman Tavern, Boutique 16063, Spring and Main Cafe, Maddalon Jewelers, Sips & Sweets, In Toto Community Resource Center, ShuBrew, Zelienople Historical Society, the Zelienople Area Public Library, Harmony Fire District, Fishers Bar and Grill and many more.
According to Fleming, over the years the event has grown and more and more businesses have decided to participate.
“I think we were all surprised when it first started, it started off very well received right away,” Fleming said. “There were maybe a handful [of businesses] that participated the first year but more and more participate every year.”
