Reimagined Middletown preps for a vibrant yuletide season

Consider the camaraderie engendered by a lively downtown replete with such traditional holiday amenities as skating rinks, mom-and-pop Main Street shops, and drive-through holiday light displays that put a luminous sheen on the best of our communities and ourselves.

That’s precisely what Middletown leaders have orchestrated to enliven the city for its roughly 51,000 residents and the nearby surrounding communities. Family and friends will seek the balm the Yuletide season often provides for the world’s stresses, chaos and sorrows. Several city leaders discussed the collaborative effort to make memories for Middletown’s residents and visitors.

Nonprofit dedicated to economic growth and historic preservation

Downtown Middletown Inc. (DMI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the core city’s economic growth and development. Its executive director, Jeff Payne, has been in his role since 2017. His more than two decades of experience as a local and county government and nonprofit employee provided extensive preparation for his position as DMI’s sole full-time employee. Many helping hands aid DMI in fulfilling its mission; according to its website, more than 4,000 volunteer service hours have provided an invaluable assist.

DMI has been instrumental in orchestrating events year-round to increase downtown traffic and growth. For the holiday season, the organization further ramps up its efforts through Very Merry Middletown, a broad array of activities that help stoke interest in the area.

“DMI is a historic preservation organization that works to support the area’s growth by working with its businesses,” Payne said. “Approximately 95% of the businesses operating in downtown Middletown are small, independent businesses, and our role is to help organize business and building owners that work together to put these historic buildings to work for the community.”

Kelsey Singer is one of DMI’s invaluable volunteers. She’s the proprietor of Monarch Design, a downtown Middletown shop that produces handmade candles, home décor, and seasonal items such as Christmas ornaments, holiday-themed earrings, dog bandanas, and DIY kits for home holiday crafting. She also directs DMI’s promotions committee, which drives much of its event-related programming. She began working in downtown Middletown as a server eight years ago, enjoyed serving the community and eventually seized the opportunity to own her own downtown business.

Keeping community enthusiasm and engagement requires a balance between what is comfortable and traditional and new activities that spark excitement. Singer mentions the beloved Santa Parade, a Middletown standby that takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving with a procession of bands and floats. It culminates with a visit from Kris and Mrs. Kringle who will lead the way to the Christmas tree lighting in Smith Park that evening.

Singer also highlighted several new events, such as Pink Friday, which takes place this Friday as a precursor to the holiday season to encourage shoppers to patronize small businesses before the Black Friday onslaught the following week. She also noted the perennial importance of Small Business Saturday to businesses DMI supports.

Another new holiday happening is “Honey for the Holidays”, which invites patrons to visit downtown shops on Pink Friday, Black Friday, or Small Business Saturday to receive a wish list to fill out and bring home to help gifting-challenged loved ones select suitable presents.

DMI will give emerging local entrepreneurs a boost through the inaugural creation of the Very Merry Market, which will activate a previously vacant storefront at 1050 Central Ave. to house six vendors in 10 x 10 booths to tout their wares to eager holiday shoppers. Very Merry Market opened November 7 and will operate Tuesdays through Sundays until Christmas Eve.

The six merchants will include Charm and Crystal, Mlady’s Couturier, Primeau’s Pearls, 3rd Shift Sweets, Thomas & Co. Laser Engraving and Woodworking, and Three Moons Boutique. Singer hopes the pop-up shop opportunity inspires a career move.

“It’s our goal that one of these businesses will be inspired to become a brick-and-mortar shop owner and signs a lease for that space,” she said. “That will be a win-win for the new tenant, the landlord, and the downtown business community.”

On December 20, from 6-10 p.m., the Blitzen Cookie and Cocktail Walk will direct eventgoers age 21+ on a scavenger hunt to local businesses to pick up locally baked cookies, and for an additional $3, a cocktail that pairs with the confection. Tickets are $25 for admission.

The Blitzen event will set off from the Reimagine Middletown Ice Rink, which has become a popular Middletown holiday pastime. The rink began as a brainstorm of Avinne Kiser, the founder and board president of Reimagine Middletown.

Her organization was inspired by the popularity of Light Up Middletown, the 96-acre, brilliantly illuminated drive-through holiday spectacle that’s been a local tradition for 26 years. During 2020’s COVID-19 lockdown doldrums, Kiser hatched the ice-rink concept, building on LUM’s popularity and hoping to draw visitors into local commerce and support the small businesses downtown once everything fully reopened.

She pitched her idea to local leaders, and the city, Middletown Community Foundation, Cohen Recycling, Philips Tube Works, Cleveland Cliffs, among others, who believed in downtown Middletown’s revitalization. Their collaborative effort raised $500,000 for the project. Kiser knew that 50 West Brewery in Cincinnati had installed a portable rink, so she reached out and was connected to Magic Ice, a company that has installed ice rinks and other winter attractions nationwide. Within a year of the rink’s ideation, it was in place, and this will be the fifth season operating the portable rink downtown, which the city of Middletown now owns.

The rink’s season runs from November 10 to January 12. To add to the festivities, Fridays and Saturdays before Christmas will offer free visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus,  Complimentary skating lessons are available on Saturdays and Sundays with the purchase of an ice skating ticket (general admission is $12). Wednesdays are designated theme nights. Attendees dressed up themed attire receive half-price admission. Kiser credits Reimagine Middletown’s Youth Board with hatching the fun ideas.

Ambitious plans are underway to expand the rink as a year-round community asset. The plan is to move into a permanent rink down the block on Main Street into a larger space in time for the 2026 holiday season. The new rink will offer a larger, oval-shaped skating space with built-in coils that will simplify set-up and allow for warm-weather usage for such activities as roller skating and pickleball. Other amenities will include big-screen TVs to show movies or community-centric programs, a playground, and expanded seating to make the rink a regional and community destination.

She estimated that approximately 100,000 people attend Light Up Middletown annually, with about 60,000 visiting downtown attractions during the holiday season. Like many engaged Middletonians, she emphasized the importance of increased downtown housing.

“Our downtown will struggle until we have more housing,” she said. “Any business’s survival depends on a consistent, year-long customer base. Our organization, the city, the Butler County Finance Authority, and others are working as a team to support greater community economic development. There has been great teamwork with local organizations to make the holidays special in Middletown, and we hope to leverage that into year-round growth.”

The Sorg Opera House is among Middletown’s most beloved cultural treasures. Built in 1891, it’s played host to such entertainment luminaries as John Philip Sousa and Bob Hope. However, as downtown theaters lost business to suburban multiplexes, the Sorg fell into disuse and disrepair. Concerned citizens formed the Sorg Opera Revitalization Group (SORG) and through public support and grants, have transformed the National Register of Historic Places designee back into a popular gathering space.

Nancy Griffith, SORG board president, previously owned a catering business and has been involved with the organization since 2012. During her time involved with SORG, the group has undertaken extensive renovations and repairs, and the renaissance has enabled the staging of regular events.

The Sorg kicked off its holiday season with A Celtic Christmas, a concert performed by On The Lash. For the reminder of its Yuletide programming, the Sorg will focus on holiday-theme movie screenings, beginning with a December 6 “Crafting with the Classics-themed presentation” of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, with the volume reduced and lights left on to encourage moviegoers to keep their hands busy with knitting projects with the movie as background entertainment. All tickets are $10. Concessions will be available from local vendors. Holiday movie screenings include:

• Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, December 6 (showtimes 12, 2, 4, and 6 p.m.)
• Gremlins, December 7 (showtimes 12, 2, 4, and 6 p.m.)
• National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, December 12 (showtimes 5:30 and 7:15 p.m.)
• White Christmas, December 14 (showtimes 12:30, 2:45, 5, and 7:15 p.m.)
• Elf, December 19 (showtimes 5:30 and 7:30 pm.)
• The Nightmare Before Christmas, December 21 (showtimes 12, 1:30, 3, 4:30, 5, and 6:30 p.m.)

Griffith is hopeful for increased downtown residency, which she said could incentivize the Sorg to provide more weekday programming. She noted that partnerships with DMI and the city are essential for maintaining Middletown’s continuous forward motion. In the future, she hopes SORG will attract more sponsorships from community organizations and businesses to enhance the opera house’s ongoing upkeep and upgrades.

“Every penny we receive goes right back into the building and our programming,” she said.

A salute to the Grandpas

Every community needs its unsung heroes to undertake yeoman’s tasks to make beloved community events happen. The Grandpa Gang is one such group that helps make Middletown’s holiday season merry. Every October, this group of 15 to 20 stalwart men, mostly retirees with a few younger-than-grandpas contributors, begins the installation of millions of lights throughout Middie City to prepare for Yuletide magic.

Bill Becker is one of Gang’s leaders. He has devoted much of his adult life to service to Middie City. A 50-year resident, he served on the Middletown Police force for 32 years, with his career culminating in becoming its Police Chief, and he also served a term on the city council.

“I can’t think of a more enjoyable thing for a bunch of old guys to do,” he said. “We’ve been doing it for 26 years, and it’s more than worth the effort to see this city get excited when the lights come on every Thanksgiving.”

He also credited Cleveland Cliffs with sending out crews on Fridays during the installation to help the Grandpa Gang make the magic happen. Like many, he’s excited with what’s happening in Middletown.

“There’s a lot happening in downtown and on the east end of Middletown to make positive things happen and expand the community,” he said.

Check this jam-packed holiday events calendar for more details: Downtown Middletown, Inc. events.

This Partner City Middletown series is made possible with support provided by: Cincinnati Commercial Contracting, the city of Middletown, the Middletown Community Foundation, and the Chamber of Commerce serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton. You can read other stories from the series here.