Signs of Christmas season now being seen at Historic Fort Steuben
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STEUBENVILLE -- Don't look now, but it's starting to look a lot like Christmas at Historic Fort Steuben.
With just 33 days to go until Christmas at the Fort and Steubenville Nutcracker Village open for the 2023 season, volunteers are already busy putting up lights, stringing garland and assembling the trees that will greet holiday visitors this year.
"We are so grateful to the many volunteers from the community who help us prepare for this wonderful event," said Judy Bratten, director of Historic Fort Steuben and the Visitor Center. "In addition to our regular staff and volunteers, other businesses and individuals give us valuable support. Smitty's Flooring donated use of the lift, M&M True Value Hardware store then help install the hoops that form the canopy of lights. Roger Hilty, Jon and Marianne Cooper, Judy Schmidt and the Steubenville Art Association ... all contribute much-needed skills and assistance."
Volunteers Larry Bauer and Larry Coleman have been busy putting holiday lights on the fence around the park, she said. Large wreaths will be mounted on the fort buildings and set up within the park, while men at Eastern Ohio Correction Center and participants in Steubenville's Community Service have been busy putting up the 30-foot and 20-foot trees.
Even more preparations are being made inside the Visitor Center.
"We are in the process of transforming our Exhibit Hall into a Christmas Shoppe where memorabilia, decorations, gifts, books and toys can be purchased," she said. "We move everything out of our regular Museum Shop to make way for a model train village. Our conference room will be (the backdrop) for an art show and sale."
Site manager for the event is the fort's chief volunteer, Mayor Jerry Barilla, who takes time off from his duties as mayor to ensure the decorations are safely and beautifully arranged. Barilla also supervises the volunteers and spends time after hours putting his own artistic eye to work decorating the Visitor Center.
Barilla said it takes "a minimum of four weeks" to get everything ready.
"We're still at least another week or two away before we're finally finished with it," he said. "There's a lot of work to do on two Christmas trees, than at the fort and inside the Visitor Center. It's a good four weeks. Thank goodness we have these volunteers who came and helped. We couldn't do it without them."
Still, Bratten said they're already anticipating opening day.
"We're looking forward to welcoming the local community, school children, families and friends," she said. "This is a gift to them. But we know that this event attracts thousands from all over, and we want to give them a positive image of Steubenville and Jefferson County. Working together with the other organizations who are preparing holiday events, I think we are successful."
Bratten said Nutcracker Village will bring more than 200 unique large-as-life nutcrackers to downtown Steubenville, offering visitors dozens of photo opportunities and memorable moments.
Now in its eighth year, Steubenville Nutcracker Village showcases uniquely designed, locally produced nutcrackers depicting characters from literature, history, movies, entertainment and the professions. Although the nutcrackers are on display around the clock, she said the event becomes more magical on weekends when special activities add to the excitement.
"We have people coming from as far away as Florida and Canada, as well as our local residents who return every weekend," Bratten said. "The Steubenville Cultural Trust, which created each of these delightful nutcrackers, also has developed a variety of activities that appeal to a wide-ranging audience -- from a Nutcracker Viennese Ball to a Nutcracker Tea, hayrides, the Children's Corner, a Christmas tree decorating contest, Gluhwein Garden and a St. Nicholas Lantern Parade. There's even a yellow brick road for the Wizard of Oz Nutcrackers."
She pointed out other groups and organizations have joined in presenting activities that complement Nutcracker Village -- including a sound and light show at the Jefferson County Courthouse on Market Street, sponsored by Jefferson County commissioners, kicking off Nov. 21 and continuing each weekend through Christmas.
There's also a Holiday Market in Fort Steuben Park with more than a dozen booths featuring artisan crafters surrounding the 30-foot Christmas tree with two model trains chugging around its limbs. On weekends, there'll also be trolley rides, puppet shows, live entertainment and, of course, St. Nicholas to entertain guests. Visitors will be able to go inside the Visitor Center to take in the Steubenville Art Association Art Sale, Letters to Santa, model train village and Christmas shop. For a small donation, guests can also take in the reconstructed 18th century Historic Fort Steuben.
The Public Libraries of Steubenville and Jefferson County set up a holiday-themed StoryWalk along Fourth Street and downtown shops will offer special Christmas products, including locally produced Nutcracker Popcorn and roasted Renaissance Coffee. Students from area schools have decorated many of the storefronts and St. Paul's Episcopal Church hosts a Sanctuary Garden.
The annual Sights and Sounds of Christmas parade with floats, dance troupes and bands will be Dec. 2. Bratten reminds anyone planning to be part of the city's Christmas parade to submit an application as soon as possible. The parade is set for Dec. 2, and organizers need the information for planning purposes.
The historic Grand Theater, in the midst of a renovation, will be open that same day for tours, while historic Beatty Park will offer a live nativity, children's activities and Santa Claus at their Christmas in the Park, also Dec. 2.
A children's Lantern Parade with St. Nicholas leading participants in song through the downtown to Sanctuary Garden will be Dec. 3.
There will also be concerts, art exhibits and other programs at various venues in the downtown. Bratten said you can see the full schedule at OldFortSteuben.com or VisitSteubenville.com, but Christmas activities kick off Nov. 21 with Steubenville Lights Up the Night festivities in Fort Steuben Park. Christmas at the Fort kicks off three days later, on Nov. 24, and will run through Jan. 6.