The Graham Companies and Main Street Merchants’ 36-year tradition of celebrating the holiday season by lighting up Main Street – where storefronts glowed, huge illuminated poinsettias hung from light posts and giant snowflakes dangled from the big oak tree, its branches wrapped in red lights -- drew repeat visitors and new fans, too.
Main Street was closed to traffic on Nov. 27 and the neighborhood was bustling with visitors to the festival and to the Farmer’s Market.
Brenda Mears came downtown with her kids to relive some of the fun her mother introduced her to when she was a child.
“I’ve been coming here for years,” Mears said. “It was nice. The kids loved it.”
Her children, Noah, 3 and Isabella, 7, seemed sated after all of the free fun that included making pictures with a spin art machine. Marcella Murad of All About Entertainment created a unicorn design for Isabella at the face painting station.
Isabella had written a letter to Santa at one of the crafts tables and delivered it to him before posing for a keepsake photo. Boy Scout Troop 247 from Palm Springs North manned the Santa station, where a long line of parents and excited kids waited to see the man in red.
Earlier in the evening, Santa and little helpers flipped a giant switch to light up the street.
Miami Lakes Vice Mayor Jeffrey Rodriguez, Councilman Joshua Dieguez and entertainer GiGi Diaz welcomed the crowd. Hip Hop Kidz, from Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, danced for the crowd to tunes spun by DJ Glenn Black of Mike Sipe Entertainment.
A giant Frosty the Snowman character mingled with the crowd.
New to the festival were a family from Miramar.
“I saw it on Instagram and thought it would be fun,” said Gina Valencia. “It was beautiful, with the whole street lit up.”
Visitors brought unwrapped toys for patients at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in a partnership between The Graham Companies, WFOR-Ch. 4 and Neighbors 4 Neighbors. The event was sponsored by Main Street Merchants, The Miami Laker and Clear Channel Outdoor, HDS Companies and Cornerstone Realty SFL.