SPECIAL VISITORS — Four-year-old Talon Caley of Mingo Junction shared his Christmas wishes with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Beatty Park on Saturday. -- Warren Scott

Santa made an early visit to Follansbee Saturday evening for the city’s light-up event at the Ray Stoaks Plaza, one of several Christmas-themed events held through the weekend.

Members of Follansbee Church of Christ provided live music for the event, which followed a short parade on Main Street.

The Brooke Middle School Band performed Christmas music, while floats were supplied by Lombardi Development, Brooke Hills Park and the Brenda Casey Dance Center.

Gloria Colussi of Avella was among many who gathered to watch it.

“I came to see my grandson in the Brooke Middle School Band. This is his first parade,” she said.

CHRISTMAS CHEER — Children on Hike Toronto’s entry in Focus in Toronto’s Christmas Parade Sunday evening waved to passerby before embarking in the night-time lighted procession. -- Warren Scott

Colussi noted the group also performed earlier at Historic Fort Steuben.

“I saw the nutcrackers while I was there. I never knew all of those stores were down there,” she added.

The Follansbee band is one of several musical groups from area schools that have been tapped to perform at the fort through this month.

Many lined both sides of North Fourth Street in Steubenville and watched as the Tri-State Marine Corps Club’s color guard headed the Steubenville Sights and Sounds of Christmas Parade and listened as the Catholic Central High School Marching Band performed a medley of songs from the holiday.

They were followed on North Fourth Street by many others, including marching bands from Steubenville High School and Harding Middle School, multiple dance troupes, the Shriners’ Tin Lizzie Patrol, local emergency first responders and many floats.

GRAND MARSHAL — For his assistance with the Holiday Market at Historic Fort Steuben and other local events, Scott Campbell was selected to serve as grand marshal for Steubenville’s Sights and Sounds Christmas Parade on Saturday. -- Warren Scott

The latter included a float carrying representatives of Historic Fort Steuben and Professor John Holmes as American Revolution leader Friedrich von Steuben, for whom the fort and city were named; another carrying young women from the cast of the Nutcracker Village’s Wooden Heart Follies, a couple inspired by the film, “A Christmas Story” and one from Steubenville First Baptist Church carrying a large “birthday cake” and wishing Jesus Christ a happy birthday.

Among several 60- to-70-foot-long floats sponsored by local businesses was a colorful toy train carried by a trailer supplied by Speedy Construction.

Following the parade, many stayed to survey the many nutcrackers lining the street and visit assorted shops there and the various vendors at the Holiday Market found outside the fort.

Also drawing many visitors was Historic Beatty Park, where volunteers in the Friends of Beatty Park arranged for visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus, John Boilegh of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, who spoke about the park’s past; and several animals from local farms representing the manager where Christ was born.

Farmers Tanya Kelley of Quaker City, Ohio, and Todd Miller of Hopedale said it’s fun to see children encounter for the first time farm animals such as the two donkeys, Shetland sheep and Jersey calf they brought on Saturday.

A VARIETY OF FLOATS — Young women in the cast of the Nutcracker Village’s “Wooden Heart Follies” were among many who appeared on floats in Steubenville’s Sights and Sounds of Christmas Parade on Saturday. -- Warren Scott

The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County also has established a StoryWalk there, with 20 pages from a children’s story recreated on large wood-framed signs along a path through the park.

Visitors were transported to some of the attractions aboard a hayride driven by Scott Wells, a new feature for the event.

Flora VerStraten, the group’s leader, was among members who served up free grilled hot dogs, cookies and cocoa.

She said it’s the fifth year for the event, and she was pleased to see a group of visitors lined up before it opened.

Among them were Cori Higgs of Steubenville, and her two young children, John and Kira.

COOKIES -- Volunteers behind the Wednesdays in Wintersville summer street fair collaborated with Wintersville Methodist Church to hold a craft fair and afternoon of Christmas music in the church’s Center for Hope with help from the Wintersville Woman’s Club. Families could ice their own Christmas cookies with help from members and leaders of Jefferson County 4-H clubs. -- Warren Scott

Asked what they enjoyed most about the visit, Higgs said, “Santa absolutely.”

But she added she was impressed by the volunteers’ efforts to improve the park.

“I’m amazed how great they’ve cleaned up this park,” said Higgs.

Also on Saturday, volunteers behind the Wednesdays in Wintersville summer street fair collaborated with Wintersville Methodist Church to hold a craft fair and afternoon of Christmas music in the church’s Center for Hope with help from the Wintersville Woman’s Club.

For children, there were inflatable attractions in the church’s gym and a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus and families could ice their own Christmas cookies with help from members and leaders of Jefferson County 4-H clubs.

SIGHTS OF THE SEASON — Brooke Hills Park provided a lighted float for a parade that led up to Follansbee’s Christmas light-up event on Saturday evening, one of many local holiday events held during the weekend. -- Warren Scott

Faire May, a trio known for its vocals and strings; a choir of children from Cross Creek and Hills elementary schools; the Catholic Central Junior High School Band and the church’s own youth bell choir provide Christmas music.

The latter was directed by Michele Purviance, one of several Sunday school teachers who have worked with the group.

She explained she and Harley Rothacker, the bell choir’s regular director, are prompted by cards bearing the colors of their bells.

The children also know to follow the number of beats shown on the cards, and members of the group have ranged from 2-year-olds to sixth graders.

Outside the hall and lined along Main Street were 200 luminaria, bagged candles lighted in memory or honor of loved ones or simply bearing Christmas greetings.

Sponsorships of the luminaria raised more than $1,000 for a special fund used to assist patients at Trinity Health System’s Teramana Cancer Center.

The weekend concluded with parades in Wintersville and Toronto.

Held by Focus in Toronto, the Gem City’s parade included many emergency departments, including recently retired fire chief Bill Scheel serving as grand marshal; the Toronto High School Marching Band, local dance troupes and several floats and vintage cars.

Because the parade is held at night, many of the units are decorated in lights.

They ranged from the members of Girl Scout Troop 10321, who strung lights around their bicycles and scooters; to a trailer belonging to Eastern Construction and Excavating, which transported an excavator carrying The Grinch and his dog, Max.

Among the many spectators were Merrie Lynne Zeigler and her adult daughter, Lori Heckathorn.

“We live up the street and walk down here to watch the parade,” said Zeigler.

“We like to do it every year,” said Heckathorn, who said highlights for her are the Christmas music performed by the band and the sirens of the emergency vehicles.

While the weekend included many Christmas events, the holiday fun hasn’t ended yet.

Full schedules for events at the Nutcracker Village and Historic Fort Steuben can be found at steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com/schedule.html and oldfortsteuben.com/christmas-at-the-fort.