Dec. 7, 2001 – It's been 10 years since the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce pulled off its first "Miracle on Main Street" to embrace the spirit of the holiday season and encourage after-hours shopping in downtown Charlotte Amalie. Lights, music, food and drink, and gift-options galore were the appeals of that first event, and they will be again next Friday.
"We're rather proud that we have been able to do this for 10 years," Priscilla Hintz, who handles public relations for the chamber, said.
She estimated that about 5,000 residents and visitors turned out last year to party, dance, eat, drink, shop and visit with one another and said she's hoping for that many again this year..
"People are eager to find ways, this year in particular, to get into the Christmas spirit, to rejoice about the good things that are in our lives," Hintz said. And Miracle on Main Street, which has turned into a day-long as well as evening celebration, is "a great opportunity to see friends, especially people who visit the islands who are here this time of year."
The planning committee "is going to great lengths to insure a truly wonderful event," Joe Aubain, chamber executive director, said. "We anticipate that once again our streets and alleys will be filled with thousands of residents and visitors alike looking forward to good music, shopping, and dining." For the 10th anniversary "Miracle," he added, "we are especially pleased to have the Committee to Revive Our Culture and the Charter Yacht League participating."
On Thursday night, there'll be a mini-flurry of activity on Main Street as decorations are hung and lights are strung.
Friday's activities will get under way with the 7 a..m. opening of the farmers' market at Rothschild Francis "Market" Square and the 10 a.m. start of a traditional arts and crafts fair at Emancipation Garden. Members of the Committee to Revive Our Culture headed by Dorothy Elskoe and other exhibitors will be displaying their holiday-theme handiwork, as well as selling local food and drinks.
The finale, starting at 9 p.m., will be a parade of boats decorated in holiday lights along the waterfront, a project being coordinated by the V.I. Charter Yacht League. Susan Chandler, league executive director, is still recruiting boats to participate, and anyone who's interested can call her at 774-3944.
"We're going to try to get our members there who are not on charter," Chandler said, "but anybody can join in … We really want to make a big splash." Both sailboats and powerboats are welcome.
In between Friday's start and finale, lots more will be happening. Main Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 4:30 to 10 p.m. At 5:30, a "mini Christmas parade" will proceed from Post Office Square over to Emancipation Garden.
There will be entertainment day and night by local bands, moko jumbies and cultural dancers. Stores throughout the downtown area will remain open until 9 p.m. Children will get to make chalk drawings on Main Street and Santa will put in an appearance in the evening.
Bands taking part will include Imagination Brass, Lashing Dog, Milo's Kings, the William Hayes Combo, North Star Band, St. Thomas All Stars Steelband, V.I. Housing Authority Youth Steel Orchestra, Bertha C. Boschulte Burning Blazers, Antilles Steel Hurricanes and Joseph Sibilly Sun Rays.
The annual event has been sponsored for years by "The Best Beers in the World," distributed by Bellows International.
Safety need not be a concern, Hintz noted: "We hire private security and work closely with the Police Department."
In addition to Miracle on Main Street events, there will be other attractions downtown Friday night. Beginning at 9 p.m., music of a different genre will fill the air at the Bluebeard's Castle Hotel Towne Hall, where the All Saints Cathedral School Capital Development Committee will host its second annual Karaoke Night. A celebrity auction and prizes for the best performers will be featured. Admission is $10 and there'll be a cash bar.
And in the Grand Galleria complex alongside Emancipation Garden, The Art Gallery at the Grand Hotel will be having its weekly Friday meet-the-artist reception from 6 to 10 p.m. The gallery is owned by Michael Paiewonsky, who also owns MAPes MONDe, which with the Beni Iguana's sushi bar in the Grand Galleria courtyard sponsors a free ferry on Fridays to encourage St. John residents and visitors to stop by. The ferry leaves the Creek in Cruz Bay at 7 p.m. for the trip downtown, then departs the St. Thomas waterfront at 10 p.m. for the return trip. Service is available one way as well as round trip.
