Miller holds first Christmas on Main holiday celebration downtown

Event put on by newly organized Miller Betterment Partnership, group hits ground running with yuletide offering

Miller residents had a new opportunity to enjoy some holiday cheer following the city’s Christmas parade on Saturday, Dec. 9, with the town’s first ever Christmas on Main. The festival was organized by the Miller Betterment Partnership.
Several local organizations came forward to help put the event together, said Tammy Parnell, a member of the partnership.
“We had the Miller First Baptist Church bring hot chocolate,” she said, “and Old Missouri Bank served hot dogs. The Miller FBLA had face painting for children, and families made wooden Christmas ornaments people could decorate and put on the Christmas tree. Casey’s provided cookies. Joyful Noise sang Christmas carols for us, there was Santa Claus, and we had our first Christmas tree lighting.”
Parnell said the Miller Betterment Partnership created Christmas on Main as a way to allow people to gather and enjoy some Christmas activities for free.
“We were looking for something to bring our community together without a cost,” she said. “A free community event bringing families and the community out and be able to give it to them for free.”
The Miller Christmas Parade, Parnell added, created the perfect setting for Christmas on Main.
“We were able to follow (the parade) up with this community event,” she said.
Parnell said the Miller Betterment Partnership viewed Christmas on Main as a “great success.”
“We are thrilled with all the people who came out,” she said. “All the hard work that went into it and how it turned out. We believe it was a wonderful night and a great success.”
New organization spawned from long range planning committee
The Miller Betterment Partnership is a new organization in Miller; it was formed out of the Miller Long Range Planning Committee in October. Parnell said the partnership is devoted to making the city a place where families and businesses can flourish. She said they took their slogan, “A Place to Grow,” from the 1995 movie of the same name, which she added was partly filmed in Miller.
“We want Miller to be a place to grow,” she said. “Where businesses can grow, families can grow and the community can grow.”
Parnell also said that while Christmas on Main was a hit, she doesn’t believe it will be long before the Miller Betterment Partnership is able to top themselves.
“We are excited to start working for what the Miller Betterment Partnership has next,” she said.