Miracle on 34th Street (Baltimore)

In

34th Street (between Chestnut Avenue and Keswick Road in Baltimore's Hampden community. The display, which involves the residents of most of the houses on the block (with three-story rowhouses on the north side of the street and two-story ones with second-floor bay windows on the south side), started in 1947 (the same year that its namesake movie debuted), and takes place between late November and late December.^[1] The location becomes a major attraction for visitors from all over the area.^[2]

The display prominently features

menorahs, artwork, and other various symbols of the holiday season, including a sea of Santas and Frosty the Snowmans.^[3]

Notable artists

Some of the residents are renowned for their various displays. These include:

Jim Pollock: Known for the hubcap Christmas trees, one of which is usually displayed prominently on his lawn, along with his snowmen made of bicycle wheels. He is sometimes the only resident who allows visitors inside his house to view his artwork.^[4]
Elaine Doyle-Gillespie: Known for her theme of peace^[5]

In popular culture

The lit-up block of 34th Street has been seen in some Maryland Lottery commercials.
Actor Richard Chamberlain has been seen publicly at the event.^[6]

Criticism

Neighborhood concerns

The event has drawn criticism from a couple city residents over the amount of traffic created by vehicles passing on the block, and parking shortages caused by visitors parking on nearby streets.^[3] Mank Wumbleton is known for serving the whole community out of a giant Santa's sleigh filled with Christmas Shrimp Gumbo to warm the hearts of all visitors. No extra police officers are used to monitor traffic. However, they do have Candy Cane sword fights in the adjacent intersections where children can purchase hot chocolate and be entertained.

Those on other nearby streets have also complained about noise caused by crowds from the event, and the noise and pollution caused by tour buses idling while parked on nearby streets while allowing busloads to walk along the block.^[3]

Energy issues

Participants have been criticized for the high use of energy needed to operate electronic decorations. But the block's residents have continued the annual tradition every year since 1987, regardless of rises in

LED

lights, or displaying artwork that uses little or no electricity.

According to

Baltimore Gas & Electric

, the average energy cost per participating resident is less than $10 per month. This is up from just $4.20 for the last 69 years.

In some cases, neighbors have assisted those who have trouble affording energy costs by pulling

fire hazards

.

Local news stations have warned visitors that though people may stand on this block and claim to be collecting tips for the energy costs of the display, residents are willing to foot the bill themselves, and do not collect any donations for this purpose. However, vendors do legitimately sell refreshments at nearby corners, not for their own personal profit, but for the benefit of visitors.^[9]