Downtown Bethlehem is once again in the national spotlight.

Bethlehem’s Main Street was named the best in the country by USA Today for the second year in a row. The announcement was made Wednesday morning.

“Our local community already knows Bethlehem’s star shines brighter than any other but it’s great to see that message make its way across the country,” Hotel Bethlehem General Manager Kelly Ronalds said. “The hotel’s marketing team created a campaign to support this year’s Best Main Street competition. The ‘Our Star Shines All Year Round’ initiative demonstrated that while Bethlehem is well-known as a Christmas destination, there are great reasons to visit all year long.”

To promote the campaign, T-shirts, which featured a QR code to vote in the 10 Best competition, were distributed by the chamber of commerce and Downtown Bethlehem Association. Staffers at Hotel Bethlehem including bellhops and housekeepers also wore them.

A panel of USA Today travel experts selected the top 20 finalists. Then it was up to the public to vote for the top 10 on the USA Today website. Voting, which lasted about a month, ended April 6.

Hotel Bethlehem, which anchors Christmas City’s downtown, has also been an annual winner in the USA Today’s 10Best contest, taking first place in the Historic Hotel/Resort category for five consecutive years.

“The beloved town, which is home to [Lehigh] University and Moravian University, makes visitors feel as if they’re taking a step back in time,” USA Today wrote. “With brick buildings varying in red, white, and brown that line the main street, there’s something for everyone who visits this historic town.”

Tammy Wendling, senior vice president for Bethlehem Initiatives at the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the honor is a win for the entire historic district, which includes the Moravian Church Settlements, a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site.

“Whether you visit in winter, spring, summer or fall, you’re going to have a great time exploring Bethlehem,” Wendling said. “While we’re incredibly proud of our Main Street being recognized as No. 1, now two years in a row, we know this honor reflects something even bigger.”

The rest of the top 10 included Waynesville, North Carolina; Emporia, Kansas; Howell, Michigan; Paso Robles, California; Ogden, Utah; Ocean City, New Jersey; McMinnville, Oregon; Grapevine, Texas; and Virginia City, Nevada.