The crowds were a little thinner this year, but the laughter, fun and, of course, spectacular holiday deals still abounded at this year’s annual Miracle on Main Street.
The entire downtown was dressed to the nines for the event, from the bright bulbs strung over rooftops in the alleyways to the warmly lit open market in Emancipation Garden, which was packed from the beginning of the night right until the end. Few vendors were selling the same thing, and while many visitors to the island poked around for some unique V.I. crafts, locals sat holding hands or chatting gaily on benches, waiting for the live entertainment to start up under the bandstand.
"We come down here every December," Florida resident Jaclyn Carrington said of herself and husband Keith. "Miracle on Main Street is something we look forward to each year — the first one was about five years ago and we’ve had to come back ever since. It’s so much fun to see a lot of the island culture, with the steel drums and the kids’ performances."
Carrington said the couple was "taking stock" of what the vendors were selling so they could make the rounds again later and buy.
Meanwhile, the couple wasn’t the only ones downtown who flew in especially for the event. Set up at one end of the park, John Bakker and Roy Cummings said they flew in from Guyana, like they do every year, to sell Cummings’ homemade shoes.
"We’ve been coming here for a few years now," Bakker said, adding that they came in just the night before. "Most people by now have about three or four pairs, but they still keep coming back for more."
The little tent was stocked with about four or five racks filled with gleaming leather sandals, all in a variety of colors and designs. Getting the stock together takes "quite a bit of time," Bakker said, since the shoes are handmade. The duo’s next appearance will be at the St. Croix Festival, and throughout the year, they also stop in at trade shows all over the Caribbean.
A few booths across, local craftswoman Kay Makay’s tables were bustling with people pouring through her stock of handmade wares, ranging from items such as a portable metal ladybug booster seat or a sleigh-pulling Rudolph made out sweet pea vines.
"Nothing is a one day thing," she said, pointing to Rudolph. "With this, for example, you have to soak the vine and really get it wet so it’s pliable." Sketching out the ideas also takes time, along with making molds for each of the metal objects, she said.
Main Street’s long time merchants were also busy trying to make sales, with many reporting a mixed bag of results as the night drew on.
"Right now, we have people that have been coming in and out, but really, they’re not interested in jewelry — it’s mostly perfume," said Louisa Dickenson, a saleswoman at Little Switzerland. "Still, tonight, we’re doing pretty well, because we have this new line, called Impulse, for people who can’t afford to buy the bigger items, and it’s pretty attractive, because all the gemstones are still real."
The store, she added, has also had a "fabulous" year overall, despite the wavering economy.
Both Dickenson and Boolchand’s front man Ashok Chugani commented on the large numbers of local residents out at the event, but said a lot more of the sales were coming from visitors from abroad.
"We got ready with all the promos, ads on television and good specials, but so far, there’s no miracle this year," Chugani said. "But hopefully, since Christmas is coming soon, Santa will deliver."
The annual event also featured the traditional boat parade on the Waterfront, and the official tree lighting in Post Office Square, where the members of SPARKS (Students Promoting Awareness, Responsibility, Knowledge and Service) sang carols as the crowds waited around 7 p.m. for the lights to flicker on.
Miracle on Main Street is produced by the Destination Downtown Committee of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce. The event is funded in part through contributions from: Guardian Insurance, A.H. Riise Stores, Puncha Kuba, West Indian Company, MSI Building Supplies, Bellows International, Virgin Islands Telephone Company, TOPA Properties, Golden Eagle Financial, Royal Dane Mall, Tropical Shipping, V.I. Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the V.I. Tourism Department.
