MIFFLINTOWN — With the countdown to 2025 well underway, Roxann McGinnis needed to find a real showstopper for this year’s Seventh Annual Bridge the Memories New Year’s Eve Event and Midnight Bridge Drop in Mifflintown.

For years, McGinnis has lined the streets of the downtown area with decorative ice sculptures. Problem was the ice sculptor McGinnis used retired in the offseason, leaving event organizers out in the cold.

“I wanted to do something fun for the town,” McGinnis explained.

One day, a friend of hers – Emily Brown of Mifflintown – stumbled across some hand-crafted, hand-painted nutcrackers and told McGinnis. “That is how I started to get those (creative) juices flowing,” McGinnis laughed.

McGinnis came up with the idea of wooden snowmen, decorated to represent each branch of the military. So, McGinnis ordered eight wooden snowmen – each nearly six feet tall. Over the past few months, she and her husband, Howie, painted the bodies of each one in their basement. Now, decorators are putting the finishing touches on the military designs, with hand-painted faces and arms.

“There’s a snowman for each branch of the military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Mariners, Coast Guard and Space Force,” McGinnis said of six of the designs which will be placed around town. “They’re absolutely beautiful.”

Laura Walker, of Mifflintown, designed and cut out each of the snowmen, while artist Alicia Leiser, of East Waterford, painted the fine details of their faces and bodies.

One of the snowmen’s arms is an American Flag while the other has a design to represent a specific branch of the military.

The last two are for POWs-MIAs and Uncle Sam. They will be unveiled at this year’s Bridge the Memories event, which is slated for 10 to 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

Revelers can enjoy hot dogs and soup, goodie bags for the kids and DJ Jimi Jams. The replica bridge will drop at midnight to ring in the new year.

“After New Year’s, we’ll be donating them to the auxiliary of the VFW and they can use them as they want as a means to generate revenue,” McGinnis added. “They can auction them off or whatever they want to do.”

NYE Festival 5K set for Dec. 29

Lace up those running shoes and get an early start on the New Year by running the Mifflintown New Year’s Eve Community 5K Run/Walk on Sunday, Dec. 29.

Meet on the Mifflintown Walking Bridge as registration starts at 11 a.m., with the run and walk stepping off at 1 p.m. Medals will be awarded to overall male and female finishers and the top three finishers in each age category.

There will be soup, donuts, fruit, coffee, hot chocolate and other beverages available after the race. Registration is free, but donations will be accepted. Proceeds benefit The Paul W. Delauter Youth Center in Port Royal and the Mifflintown Hose Co. No. 1.

Mifflin County rings in New Year with School Bus Drop

Over the years, Mifflin County has rung in the New Year by dropping a big bag of potato chips. When that tradition ended, the celebration was fairly muted.

Krise Transportation, located at 35 School Bus Lane in Lewistown, will hold a New Year’s Eve Kids Bash on Tuesday, Dec. 31, from 12 to 7 p.m. The event features kid and family-friendly carnival rides and games indoors, along with a free sweet treat, food vendors on site and much more.

The countdown to 7 p.m. also features a school bus drop. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.