Wellsburg celebrates the season
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WELLSBURG -- In a year when most fairs and festivals were curtailed by COVID-19, volunteers with the Downtown Wellsburg group managed to organize a small street fair on Dec. 12 in an effort to lift spirits and boost small businesses that have suffered during the pandemic.
"With the pandemic going on and local businesses hurting, I thought it would be really nice to do a Christmas event," said Angela Staffileno, a Brooke High School graduate who had written a thesis on small businesses while earning a master's degree in business management at Duquesne University.
Staffileno said she wanted to help such businesses and approached the Downtown Wellsburg group, which was formed to attract visitors to that area of the city through special events and other efforts.
With support from several business sponsors, the event was kicked off with a visit by Santa Claus, who greeted young and old from atop the bucket of the Wellsburg Fire Department's ladder truck as it made its way along the city's streets.
Several craft and food vendors set up booths on the wide parking lot of the fire department's banquet hall while disc jockeys Mr. B and Ms. T.
Initial plans called for the event to be held on the Wellsburg Town Square over two days but as the number of local COVID-19 cases rose, those plans were scaled back.
Staffileno noted the event was always intended for the outdoors, but the lot allowed for the vendors to be spaced apart and the fire department graciously allowed the use not only of it but also the hall's restrooms.
Cupcakes by Gina may have been the event's most popular booth. Aided by her family, owner Gina Garvey of Bethany brought more than 25 dozens of cupcakes in several varieties and had sold all within an hour.
Garvey said she sells more than 30 varieties of cupcakes for fundraisers, weddings and other special events.
She said word of mouth and social media has helped her to reach many customers and perhaps for that reason, she's seen a spike in sales since the pandemic began. She recalled selling more than 50 dozen in one weekend that didn't include a holiday.
"During the pandemic I guess cupcakes put a smile on everybody's face," Garvey said.
Visitors also could choose from several types of tacos served up by Jason Van Dyke in the Rusty Bull Taco Co.'s food truck.
Van Dyke said the Toronto eatery participated in the Wellsburg Applefest last year and welcomed the opportunity to return to the city.
Tara Moore of Wintersville brought a variety of Christmas and winter decorations for homes and yards made from her home while also holding another job.
"I do it on the side, every moment of my spare time," she said.
Moore said the event not only gave her a chance to sell her wares, "It gives people a chance to get out of the house so they don't go stir crazy."
Debbie Hewlett of Beech Bottom was on hand with her husband, George, and the many hand-made wood Christmas decorations they have produced through the year while also working other jobs.
They have been regulars at various festivals and fairs, but "This is the first event we've done this year. Everything else was canceled."
Hewlett said fortunately, many of the events' organizers refunded them for table fees they had paid in advance.
Another vendor, Heather Tokas of Butterflies by Heather, has provided many of the insects for release at weddings and other special occasions, many of which have been canceled or postponed this year.
But she said with more school children working from home, she has found an increased demand for her butterfly kits. Enabling the youth to observed the insects' development from an egg to larva and pupa, the kits make an excellent at-home science experiment, she noted.
While Tokas had delivered talks on butterflies at schools, libraries and other settings in the past, she's shifted to live video presentations for many of those groups.
She also produces various decorative items, many of them from recycled materials. On Saturday she had colorful, sturdy "rag rugs" made from scraps from clothing, curtains and blankets.
"I also upcycle old Christmas ornaments that are chipped or stained and make them look new again," Tokas said.
Tokas said her work can be found at a handful of local craft stores, including the newly opened Parr's Treasures on Charles Street in Wellsburg's downtown business district.
The event was dampened slightly by the arrival of rain, but vendor Susie Mullenbach came prepared. She hung wreaths custom-made for various occasions within the open hatch of her van while she and her daughter, Patty; sat nearby, umbrellas above them.
Staffileno said while this year's event didn't go entirely as planned, she and Alex Weld, a member of Downtown Wellsburg, are hoping to hold it again as well as summer block parties in the business district next year.
In conjunction with the event, Downtown Wellsburg also teamed with the Wellsburg Applefest Committee to hold a Christmas decorating contest. Visitors to the group's Facebook page were invited to vote on their favorites among photos of homes submitted by residents.
The winners were: Cindy Provenzano, first place; Jason and Ashley Fletcher, second place; Mike and Karen Whetsell, third place; Michael Cipriani, fourth place; and Shelby Richie, fifth place.
In addition to the Applefest Committee and the fire department, the Hometown Holiday Market received support from Main Street Bank, Reasner Funeral Home, Mullenbach Funeral Home, Danielle Thomas Massage Therapy, Station Grille, Brooke Hills Park, Hannah Barlow Photography, Basil's Sports Bar & Grill, Cipoletti Plumbing and Stuff With Attitude.
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)