From a parade of floats featuring Christmas scenes to activities aimed at young at heart, the local community celebrated the holiday season with several events this weekend.
Main Street Saturday evening before Follansbee’s Christmas lights, including the Brook Middle School brass band, Brook High School, the middle school cheerleaders, and several local emergency services, including a fire truck carrying Santa, Mrs. Claus and Robinson. Many people gathered to watch the short parade. Elf.
Among the many spectators was Cindy Higer of Belvedere, who came to see her husband, Eric. Her granddaughter Sophie rides on her Candyland Express float created by Lombardi Development.
Roberta Deakins of Weirton also watched the procession with her nephew and niece.
She explained that she was there to see her daughter, Janari Fugueroa, who is in the Brook Middle School Wind Band.
Deakins said she had lived in New York for a while but missed the small-town feel of the Ohio Valley.
“There’s always someone participating in the parade, so it makes it even more meaningful.” she said, recalling attending the Steubenville Christmas parade with her father as a little girl. Her father held her by the shoulders so he could see her.
In addition to visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, the children who participated in the light-up event had the opportunity to make crafts, play cornhole, watch Christmas videos on a large outdoor screen, and meet Brooke High School art students. I was able to have it painted.
The event, organized by volunteer Dennis Arthurs and members of Follansbee Council, also featured food trucks and free cookies and cocoa for all attendees.
Also on Saturday evening, Toronto residents and visitors gathered to watch the city’s own Christmas parade, organized by Focus Toronto volunteers.
Numerous floats and other units lit up the night with Christmas bulbs and other lights, and Deb You Let Twirler deftly twirled lighted batons.
These were selected as the best entries by Focus in Toronto and three floats also received cash prizes. First up was a brightly lit, candy-decorated pontoon that housed the Last Resort Riverfront Bar & Grill. The second was a reenactment of a scene from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” By Images Hair Salon. The third was a float filled with kids and an inflatable Santa and snowman, sponsored by K-Knight Sports Network.
Among the many spectators was Pottery Addition’s Damion Hughes, and Zara, who attended with her mother and children, also enjoyed the large fire engine. And Tyden liked the Shiners who rode motorcycles.
Five-year-old Lydia Finney of Steubenville’s favorite character is by far Santa Claus, who immediately caught her attention when he appeared at the end of the parade.
When asked what his favorite part of the parade was, his uncle Josh Finney said, “I just saw my niece and her friends having fun with the different floats.”
Children were then invited to visit the city’s Gazebo Commons with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Focus in Toronto will also be holding a Christmas Arts Festival at the Carafa Recreation Center on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with food and handicraft sales.
This is the second year that volunteers supporting Wednesdays in Wintersville and village staff have teamed up for Wintersville Winter Weekend.
The two-day event included the lighting of luminarias along Main Street and the Christmas tree inside Wintersville Methodist Church, an artificial skating rink outside the Village Building, and craft and food sales.
Mary Decker and Joel John, co-chairs of the Wintersville Wednesday Volunteer Committee, met the group’s goal of having about 390 bagged candles stretched along the street, lined end to end. said.
Proceeds from each sponsorship of $5 will go to a fund used to assist patients with financial challenges at Trinity Health System’s Telamana Cancer Center.
John thanked local businesses for the many individuals who sponsored them. And to Julie Robinson, who recruited them. And Janet Carr “Sold” Many of Wintersville’s Summer Wednesday Events Sponsored.
Crowds flocked to Main Street to watch the village’s Christmas parade, a long-standing tradition.
The weather during the event was fickle, varying from warm to balmy and from light rain to downpour, but most spectators persevered and watched the various units pass by.
Before Wintersville’s American Legion honor guard stepped forward, they were followed by surprise pursuit by Village Police Chief Lou Vandeborn in the all-terrain vehicle police cruiser Grinch.
The pursuit proved successful, as the Grinch was later seen in a large cage hoisted up by heavy machinery from a large truck driven by Eastern Construction workers.
The many troops in the procession included lively performances by local dance studios, many area emergency vehicles, several dogs escorted by the Jefferson County Humane Society, marching bands from Catholic Central High School and Indian Creek High School, and Wintersville Also included was a Polar Express float carrying council members. Pajamas (as a young passenger on a train like in the movie) or an engineer.
The float and Indian Creek band diverted from the parade route to Grove Street for the lighting of the large Christmas tree outside the Village Building.