Merry Main Street bridges the gap between Block 34 and downtown Stillwater

A new holiday tradition is trying to bridge the gap between Block 34 and downtown

Stillwater.

Merry Main Street is a holiday event featuring shopping, entertainment and family

activities. Block 34 will feature vendors in geodesic domes, live music and other activities.

Holiday traditions in downtown Stillwater, including the lighting of the Christmas tree at the

Chris Salmon Plaza and the Downtown Christmas Parade, are also part of Merry Main Street.

Alane Zannotti, a member of the Stillwater City Council, and Shannon Williams, co-

owner of Greige Goods, founded Merry Main Street with the connection between Block 34 and downtown in mind.

“The last couple years, we’ve had an ice skating rink at Block 34, and we’ve done some

other random things, but nothing that’s really hooked Block 34 and downtown together,”

Zannotti said. “Shannon and I wanted it to actually make sense where, if you go spend time at Block 34, you might as well think about going downtown.”

Previously, members of the community seemed to visit either Block 34 or downtown, but

not both. However, Zannotti and Williams took several steps to connect the two locations.

Decorations such as lighted poles and pathways will lead Block 34 visitors toward

downtown. Additionally, the map of vendors at Block 34 will include the locations of events and merchants downtown.

“We’ve been very mindful when setting it up that it shouldn’t be a competition

necessarily, or one versus the other,” Zannotti said. “It really is about all that can happen

downtown.”

Written by Samantha Mackey.