Miracle on 7th Street, the popular downtown Terre Haute winter festival, will have some big changes this year.
The event will kick off with the Light Your Way Christmas parade at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, and the vendor’s market will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 inside the Terre Haute Convention Center.
By having the vendor event indoors, “We are hoping this will alleviate some of the issues we have experienced in the past years with the weather,” according to the Miracle on 7th Street Facebook page.
Emma Brown, 7, buys a scrunchie from Knotty Bliss Boutique owner De Householder during the Miracle on 7th Street event in 2022.
Last year, strong winds caused chaos with outdoor tents and other features.
In the past, Miracle has taken place outdoors on Friday night and Saturday, and the event has concluded with the parade. “This year we’ll kick off the Miracle event with the parade,” said Marla Flowers, a Miracle committee member.
On Sunday, Dec. 3, in addition to the vendor’s market, Miracle on 7th will have family friendly activities, food trucks outside and Christmas music. The heated outdoor igloos, popular last year, will again be offered and potentially outdoor fire pits.
That Sunday, outdoor activities will take place on Wabash Avenue between Seventh and Ninth streets, although Seventh and Ninth will remain open to traffic, Flowers said.
While there have been a few naysayers, “We think it’s going to be great. We think it might attract a whole new audience — people who want to shop indoors rather than outdoors,” Flowers said.
In the past, vendors have sold their wares in outdoor, heated tents both Friday and Saturday.
Entrance to the vendor event in the convention center Dec. 3 will be free.
The plan is to continue traditions that have been part of past Miracle festivals, including the Christmas tree decorating contest benefiting nonprofits; the committee is still working on sponsors for the tree decorating contest.
Some of the details about various events and when they will take place are still being worked out.
The primary mission of Miracle has been to collect and donate food and funds to charitable causes aimed at feeding the hungry.
Toward that end, the Miracle committee is using a new approach this year. They will go on the Baesler’s rooftop Nov. 3 for 12 hours to raise funds that will be donated to food pantries and other entities that assist those facing food insecurity.
Canned goods also will be accepted during the Nov. 3 fundraiser at Baesler’s, Flowers said. That fundraiser/food drive will be in lieu of events previously conducted at other locations.
“Our overall mission is to provide to the food pantries, but we also take a lot of pride in creating family traditions,” Flowers said.
Terre Haute South students perform along the Light Your Way Parade route on Wabash Avenue in 2022 for Miracle on 7th Street.
Terry Hogan, president of the Miracle committee, said this will be the 16th year for the event, which started in 2008.
Over that time, Miracle has written checks to 46 different charities/nonprofits; donated more than $245,000; and provided about 29,000 pounds of food, Hogan said.
About 19,000 people attended the parade last year, and when Friday night activities are included, the total was 21,000 people over two days, he said.
Committee members say they are getting positive feedback about the changes, but at the same time, “We’re very open if it doesn’t work. We’re flexible” and open to changes in future years, Flowers said.
Laken Richardson, another committee member, says “It’s going to be the same great event, just a different day.”
Miracle is special for her. “I love Miracle,” she said.
Years ago, when Richardson was a newlywed and they had little money, “This was our Christmas tradition. It’s really cool to now help organize” the annual Miracle festival.
The “Light Your Way” Christmas parade is organized by Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
For more information about Miracle, go to the event Facebook page or the website at miracleon7thstreet.com
