Follansbee’s Christmas in the Park offers an early glimpse of the holiday
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FOLLANSBEE -- Area residents who want to get an early start on their Christmas shopping are invited to the 19th-annual Follansbee Christmas in the Park.
The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Follansbee Park, which again will be decorated for Christmas through the efforts of volunteers and students.
Visitors will find an assortment of craft and food vendors in the park, which is behind the Bluewave Center, formerly Follansbee Middle School, on state Route 2.
Adjacent to it is a large parking lot and the Follansbee Community House, which offers indoor restroom facilities.
The building also will be used to display several life-size nutcrackers on loan from the Steubenville Nutcracker Village.
Bill Secrist, who co-chairs the event with Kathy Santoro and with the help of Stacey Williams, said the figures were a popular attraction last year and they are thankful to the Nelson family, who produce them, for their return.
Staff with Trinity Health System, a major sponsor for this year's festival, also will be there from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday offering a complete metabolic panel for $50.
The battery of tests includes thyroid, lipid and blood count, with tests for prostate cancer and blood sugar and vitamin D levels available for an additional cost.
Staff with Hood's Pharmacy and Follansbee Pharmacy will be providing flu shots there during the weekend.
A disc jockey will be playing Christmas music from various eras and Santa Claus will be on hand to hear Christmas wishes at 1 p.m. on both days.
Since it was launched, the festival has raised money for local charities and children in need through a 50-50 drawing and drawings for a basket containing items provided by each vendor and a package containing tickets to a Pittsburgh sports event and related perks supplied by an anonymous donor.
This year the sports package will include tickets to the Dec. 24 Steelers-Raiders game.
There also will be a drawing for a basket containing assorted Adidas items.
Last year the festival raised $3,000, which was divided among the Follansbee R.E.A.C.H. Program, a local food pantry; and two children with special medical needs.