EPHRATA — In spite of the cold and the coronavirus, Ephrata community members cruised around town Saturday night in cars, trucks and a motorcycles decked in Christmas lights and holiday cheer, all to wish their neighbors a merry Christmas at the end of a long year.

Miracle on Main Street usually is a big production organized by the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce that lasts the whole day, with a baking contest, kids’ scavenger hunt, parade and more, said Susy Anderson, the event’s organizer.

While the chamber of commerce sponsored this year’s cruise, Anderson normally organizes the Sage and Sun parade in the summer. That event was canceled this year, as was Anderson’s typical winter trip to Mexico, by the pandemic. Not wanting to lose anything else to the coronavirus, Anderson took the helm of this year’s Christmas parade.

“We’ve been told no so many times, had to cancel so many things, and I was very thankful we were able to do this,” Anderson said. “We saw on Facebook that some people were in tears. It has been such a trying year and this brought some normalcy to Christmas back.”

Instead of a traditional parade, around 16 vehicles lined up outside of Ephrata High School Saturday evening, each bright with Christmas lights and decorations. The Grant County PUD and Grant County Transit Authority also joined in, with drivers volunteering their time to ride their rigs alongside their neighbors.

At 5 p.m., the cruise began its winding, 10-mile route through town, ensuring that most any resident could watch outside their homes without gathering in the center of town, Anderson said. In fact, to accommodate more viewers, the route expanded several times before Saturday night, with an additional three miles added before the event, Anderson said.

Toward the end of the route, some of the smaller vehicles split off from the rest to make an extra trip in front of Columbia Basin Hospital and Garden Oasis assisted living center, hoping to bring some cheer to patients, residents and medical workers at the facilities, she said.

After a long, dark year, Anderson said that she was glad to be able to have a hand in bringing a little light to her community.

“It’s important for me because I love Ephrata,” Anderson said. “Anything I can do to bring smiles to people’s faces and to help them be happy is well worth it for me. Especially at the end of this year.”