Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus during the Zelienople Christmas parade.

ZELIENOPLE — Autumn leaves fell onto Route 19 as Miracle on Main Street brought in the holiday season Thursday night.

As temperatures dropped, Zelienople residents and those from around the area welcomed the Christmas season with a parade, carriage rides, a Nativity scene and charity during the fourth iteration of Miracle on Main.

The annual event, which seeks to ring in Christmas with a visit from Santa Claus and a reminder of the meaning and purpose of the winter holiday season, brought scores of locals to downtown Zelienople, where attendees could bring foodstuffs to donate for a food backpack program, a coat giveaway, Toys with the Grinch and more, all before seeing Saint Nick during a 6:30 p.m. parade.

In addition to the parade and charity opportunities, Main Street was home to a bundle of free events, including carriage rides, cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus and a Nativity and reindeer.

“I like that the whole event's free,” said Amanda Williams of Evans City.

Read more in Friday's Butler Eagle.