Downtown Terre Haute’s annual Miracle on 7th Street will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. Dec. 7. The event is a Christmas bazaar that includes special events at downtown businesses, activities for children and an open-air Holiday Market place.
Included in the event is a gingerbread house decorating contest and a tree decorating contest.
The tree decorating contest, Miracle Christmas Trees, is open to all nonprofit organizations within the Wabash Valley. Twenty live evergreen trees are being donated by the Breakfast Optimist Club. Nonprofits are invited to sign up to decorate a tree. Entering is free. The decorated trees will surround the vendor tents at 7th and Wabash.
It’s the responsibility of the participating organization to provide all decorations. A judging of the trees will take place the same night with one grand prize winner of $500. All other participants will be awarded $100. Entrants are on a first-come basis. Judging will take place at 6:30 p.m. Award presentations will be at 8 at the downtown Christmas Tree located at Sky Garden Parking Garage on Wabash Avenue.
The contest rules are:
• Mail the completed registration form by Nov. 29 to: Martha Crossen, RiverWools, 671 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute, IN 47807.
• All decorations are to be provided by the participating organization and must include lights. Trees will be available for decorating at 1 p.m. Dec. 7 and must be decorated by 4 p.m. that day.
• Representative(s) from the organization are to be at the tree from 5-10 p.m.
• No display tables are allowed. However, organizational brochures or fact sheets may be made available for those who ask.
• All trees need to be disassembled and removed by 10:30 p.m. Dec. 7. If a tree remains after 10:30 p.m., the tree and decorations will be removed and donated to another organization.
Build a house
The gingerbread house decorating contest will be limited to 45 entries. Seven entries will be reserved for schools and will be distributed through the Vigo County School Corp.’s central office. Three entries are reserved for Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and Indiana State University.
Thirty-five business (including nonprofit) entries are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Business entries can be obtained at Boo’s Crossroads Café/Corner Grind, River Wools, Heinls Flower Shop and the Children’s Museum, or on the Miracle on 7th Street Facebook page.
In addition to a reception, followed by public voting on Dec. 5 at The Ohio Building, the Indiana Theatre will be open during Miracle on 7th Street for viewing the houses. There will be cash prizes.
The contest rules are:
• An entry fee of $25 and completed application must be returned to the Corner Grind, 683 Wabash Ave., between Nov. 7-21. If all 45 entry spaces have been taken, the application will not be accepted and the entry fee will be returned. Entry fees must be paid by check and made out to: The Miracle on 7th Street. The fee includes one gingerbread house kit. Decorators can add to the kit (icing, candy, extra graham crackers).
• Each house must fit in a 2-feet by 2-feet area and should be no more than 3-feet high. Each house must be delivered to The Indiana Theatre, 683 Ohio St., between 2 and 5 p.m. Dec. 5.
• A reception is planned from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at The Ohio Building. Each entrant will receive five tickets to invite their supporters to the reception.
The Ohio Building will then be open at 7 p.m. for public viewing and voting for the houses. Voting will include donating $1 for the house, and proceeds will go to St. Benedict’s Soup Kitchen, 14th and Chestnut Community Center, the Salvation Army and the Tribune-Star Christmas Basket Fund.
• Entries should be picked up by 10 p.m. Dec. 7 or they will be donated to a local charity.
Features
Sign up to be a part of downtown’s Miracle on 7th Street
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