Milesburg’s small town festival has big spirit

There aren’t a whole lot of businesses — or residents — in Milesburg, but once a year, they throw themselves full force into the town’s one-day holiday celebration.

It goes along with organizer Sandy Dieterle’s favorite saying about her town: “We don’t have to be grand to be great.”

Dieterle, a member of the Milesburg Borough Council, has been involved with Milesburg Hometown Christmas since it started at least six years ago. The idea was for Milesburg to have a holiday festival all its own.

“We light up our town Christmas tree and Santa roams through the town,” Dieterle said. “It’s just a feel-good day.”

Visitors seeking out the Hometown Christmas on Nov. 28 don’t have to search far to find the festivities. It’s pretty much a special occasion everywhere, Dieterle said, from the Milesburg Museum holding an open house, businesses like Miller’s Hoagies and Fisher’s Market offering door and raffle prizes and the Milesburg Fire Company putting its engines out on display. Then there are carolers spread throughout Milesburg streets and Boys Scouts handing out candy and maps so that visitors don’t miss a thing.

Craft shows are also a big draw year after year, and holiday shoppers have their pick. Milesburg Hometown Christmas is just a mile away from the Fall Craft & Gift Fair at Bald Eagle Area High School in Wingate, and Dieterle said in past years, people often combine both to their holiday events agenda.

Back in Milesburg, more than 35 local vendors will be set up in the Milesburg Community Center during its craft and rummage sale, the Milesburg Baptist Church will host vendors for the first time this year, and even resident crafters open up their homes for sales. Dieterle is one of them. She makes primitive art crafts and while she displays at the Grange Fair, Hometown Christmas is the only time she opens up her own home to show and sell her creations.

In the rare event there’s not a map handy, you’ll be able to find Dieterle’s home by the holiday music booming out of it.

“We’re just a small community trying to inject the holiday spirit into people,” Dieterle said.

And the word might be spreading — Dieterle said the event grows year after year.

“It didn’t seem to be as big or as many people coming at first,” she said. “It’s great, this town is just booming that day.”

This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 2:08 PM with the headline "Milesburg’s small town festival has big spirit."