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As we move into February, weary of winter and with thoughts of Spring still being a distance away, there are numerous events going on in the area to get us through.

February 3^rd at the Fort Steuben Mall, the Boy Scouts of America is having their Pinewood Derby, from 8:00am to 6:00pm.  Also on February 3^rd is the 2^nd Annual Chili Cookoff  for Chili lovers.  It takes place at Neidengard’s Harley-Davidson, 254 Canton Rd, Wintersville, from 10:30am to 2:15pm.

The 3^rd Annual Hank Kuzma Community Day also takes place on February 3^rd from 1:30-6:00pm at Finnegan Fieldhouse, Franciscan University of Steubenville.

On February 8^th Trinity Health System is sponsoring their annual Heartland, with lab testing and various organizations distributing information and doing testing as well, including blood pressure, diabetes and more.  Heartland will run from 6am until Noon and is held at the Fort Steuben Mall.

February 11th you can find all your Valentine’s Day needs at the St. Vincent Valentine Crafts Extravaganza taking place at Blessed Sacrament Church 852 Main Street Wintersville, from Noon to 3:00pm.    Missa Cantata Quinquagesima Sunday hosted by Extraordinary Form Servers of Franciscan University of Steubenville also takes place February 11^th, from 7:00 – 8:15pm at Christ the King Chapel, Franciscan University.

On February 12^th from 7:30-9:00pm, Franciscan University of Steubenville is hosting ‘The Persecution of the Church in Iraq: Archbishop Bashar Warda’.  The talk will take place in the Gentile Gallery of the J.C. Williams Center at the University.

At the Schiappa Branch of the Public Library of Steubenville & Jefferson County on February 19^th at 6:00pm Performer Carol Starre-Kmiecik will take you back in time as she portrays Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Hear the story of one of the most famous women in the world. As the wife of President John F. Kennedy, she brought glamour and style to the White House, but was forever changed by tragedy and death.  As Mrs. Onassis, she was one of the wealthiest women in the world, but was happiest being a mother and writer, and being left alone.

Parents get some time for yourselves on February 24^th by signing your kids up for “Kids Night Out” hosted by ONE Allstars for a fun night of food, games, crafts, and movies.  Takes place from 5:30-9:30pm at Crossroads Christian Church, 110 Springdale Ave., Wintersville.

The weather may be dark and dreary in February, but there is no excuse for you to be!   Get out of the house and beat ‘Cabin Fever’….. there’s  lots of things to do!

Trophies were presented today at the Steubenville Visitor Center to the winners from the Sights and Sounds of Christmas: Nutcracker Magic 2017 Parade.

There were three categories this year: Floats, Non-Floats and Grand Prize for the best overall Nutcracker Theme.   The winners were:  1^st Prize Float – Boy Scouts of America- Ohio River Council; 2^nd Place Float – Franciscan University; a tie for 3^rd Place Float – Grand Theater and Legal Hair & Day Spa;  1^st Prize Non-Float – M & M True Value Hardware; 2^nd Place Non Float – Nick’s Auto Sales and Towing; and 3^rd Place Non Float – Vapor Jet.  The Grand Prize award, which is a free sponsorship of a Nutcracker at the 2018 Nutcracker Village went to Historic Fort Steuben, for the entry depicting both Fort life and Nutcrackers.

Judges this year were retired judge John Mascio, Sr., retired Jefferson County commissioner, Richard Delatore and Judge Joe Corabi.

Also, the winner of the “Name the Singing Nutcracker” contest was announced.  Among the many entries that were received was  a slip of paper with a photo of a cute young boy named Sebastian, explaining that he was autistic and , like the Nutcracker, he was different but no less loveable.  All those charged with selecting a name from the many entries were moved by this and agreed it was the perfect message in keeping with the Christmas spirit.     So the “Singing Nutcracker” now has the name of ‘Sebastian, the Singing Autistic Nutcracker’.      A 2017 souvenir collectible Nutcracker was awarded to Sebastian at the Visitor Center today.  Sebastian is the son of David and Michelle Ross of Steubenville.

Thanks to all those who participated in this year’s parade.  Your efforts and enthusiasm make it not only a big success but a lot of fun!     The parade has been growing and getting better each year.  The 2017 parade was great and everyone is already looking forward to the 2018 parade.  The date for the 2018 parade will be Saturday, December 8^th.    Start planning now!

It may feel like we don’t want to leave the house right now in all this frigid cold weather, but it won’t be long before the temperatures are rising,  the birds are singing,  and everyone will be anxious to get out and about.

While waiting for better weather, it is a great time to do some planning.

Whether you are planning a group tour, a family reunion or a private ‘get-away’ the Steubenville Visitor Center can help you with your plans.

A tour of Steubenville’s ‘City of Murals’ with its 22 larger than life paintings depicting the area’s history on buildings throughout the city is a great place to start.   It is often combined with a tour of Historic Fort Steuben, the reconstructed fort originally built in 1786-1787 by the 1^st American Regiment to protect government surveyors from hostile Indians as they laid out the first seven ranges of the Northwest Territory.  The fort offers the opportunity to experience frontier life first hand with knowledgeable and entertaining guides to take you through the exhibit filled buildings plus a visit to the adjacent First Federal Land Office west of the Allegheny Mountains.

Just South of Steubenville is the Village of Mt. Pleasant a picturesque Quaker village on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a National Historic Landmark District of the Underground Railroad.  It was a center for antislavery activities with five Underground Railroad Stations that still stand in the village.   The Historical Society of Mount Pleasant owns five and operates six museums in the Village, which is the home of the Quaker Meeting House. It is located in southern Jefferson County and has an annual Historic Home Tour the 1^st weekend of August. 

Historic Union Cemetery is noted as one of the most beautiful in the country and is the final resting place of the grandparents of Woodrow Wilson and the family of Edwin M. Stanton, Lincoln’s Secretary of War.  Unique attractions at Union Cemetery include the Old Stone Chapel built in 1892, the Old Stone Bridge built about 1880 (which still carries traffic from the main road) and the Dog Marker, which marks the grave of John Boillin.  Boillin, a molder was blinded by an accident and a stray dog adopted him and became his seeing-eye dog.  After Boillin’s death the dog would neither eat nor drink and soon grieved itself to death.  Boilin’s fellow molders cast the metal dog at the Foundry where he worked to be placed on Mr. Boillin’s grave.

Another potential destination is The Jefferson County Historical Museum which is housed in an elegant 19^th Century Steubenville mansion consisting of 19 rooms which exhibit period furniture and artifacts, including a Dean Martin Room and Vivian Snyder Genealogical Library with one of Eastern Ohio’s finest collections for family history research.  For your consideration also is Franciscan University of Steubenville boasting a beautiful campus including its Portiuncula Chapel, a reproduction of the site in Assisi, Italy and Black Sheep Vineyard, a quaint and curious family owned vineyard on a former sheep farm.

Shopping for diverse antique and unique items and gifts at local owned and operated shops is another option, including Nelson’s of Steubenville, a very large Steubenville family business manufacturing and offering a wide variety of items sold not only locally but around the world; Antique Warehouse, housing over 77 different vendors with a broad spectrum of items;  Adam’s Antiques of Steubenville offering unique and one of a kind items from the past including Dean Martin merchandise;  Historic Fort Steuben Museum Shop selling a wide variety of items from hard to find historic books to wooden old time toys, as well as Steubenville and Fort Steuben memorabilia;   Drosselmeyer’s Nutcracker Shoppe offering not only a selection of Nutcrackers from around the world, but a variety of other gift items as well;  and Bookmarx Bookstore, a charming little bookstore that either has that hard to find book you are looking for or most likely can get it, serving coffee and a place to sit and read as well!

So, while you are staying warm with your hot cup of cocoa or tea why not plan a visit (or two) to the Steubenville area this spring or summer.   And if you are looking ahead to next fall, you definitely want to plan a trip to visit Steubenville’s Nutcracker Village and Advent Market, along with Christmas Wonderland and Gift Shop!

For more information call the Visitor Center at 740.283.4935.

The word is that the Steubenville Nutcrackers, who by the way have increased in number since last seen in Fort Steuben Park, have escaped their summer place of captivity and are on their way back to the Village at the Park!

The exciting ‘kick-off’ of the 2017 season of Steubenville Nutcracker Village and Advent Market is just around the corner.

In less than 2 weeks on Tuesday, November 21^st, all the excitement will begin with Steubenville Lights Up the Night.  It will mark the Grand Opening of the Advent Market & Steubenville Nutcracker Village and in addition will include free treats for kids courtesy of the Steubenville Beautification Committee, blessing of the Tree, the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus, a Christmas Program by Brenda Casey Dance Studio at the Berkman Amphitheater, living Christmas Scenes and caroling on 4^th Street, and the official lighting of the tree.  (See below for a full schedule).

Beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving the Advent Market will be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through December 31^st.  There will be live entertainment, hay rides and trolley tours available.  Christmas Wonderland and Gift Shop in the Visitor Center is open every day.  The Sights & Sounds of Christmas: Nutcracker Magic 2017 parade will be held on Saturday, December 9^th at noon.  Wooden Heart Follies (an original Nutcracker musical comedy) will be performed on November 26^th, December 3^rd, 10^th, and 17^th.  And, of course, the Nutcracker Village itself is open 24/7 from November 21^st until January 7^th , 2018.    (Please see schedule below).

In the meantime, if you think you see a Nutcracker walking along or driving by you may not be hallucinating you may have spotted one of the Village residents making his/her way back to the Village for the upcoming ‘Magical’ Event beginning on November 21^st!

One trip will not be enough time to do and see it all, so make your plans and save your dates now so as not to miss a single thing!

Please note that all Scheduled Events are subject to change.

Inquiries may be made by calling 740.283.4935 or email:  info@visitsteubenville.com

There is a new face among the residents of Steubenville Nutcracker Village who has arrived a bit earlier than the others.  This colorful fellow was created and donated by Scott Campbell of M&M True Value Hardware and his crew of Sean Campbell, Annie Campbell, Walt Winski, Bob Staten, Rickey Flynn and Jerri Slovinski.

This nutcracker looks a bit different from the rest and he is certainly far heftier (weighing in at 300 pounds!).  He is made of a tree trunk and is solid wood.     He also has a unique ability …he can sing!  His mouth moves as he serenades you when you insert a donation and is sure to be a delight for young and old alike.

However, there is a mystery surrounding our new friend.  He arrived without a name!

And there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on what he should be called.

So, we are inviting the public to submit names for the ‘new guy’ and the person whose submission is chosen will win a 2017 Collector’s Edition Nutcracker.   If more than one person has chosen the selected name, the winner then will be chosen in a random drawing.

Come in to the Fort Steuben Visitor Center to see and listen to our new friend and decide what you think his name should be.  There will be a form to complete and a receptacle in which to place your choice at the front desk.

The winning name will be announced the day of the Sights and Sounds of Christmas: Nutcracker Magic 2017 Christmas Parade.

If you want your selection to be considered it must be submitted by November 30^th at 4:00pm.

” I NEED A NAME”

Fall is a fine time to get out and enjoy the nice weather and all the fun events before winter sets in.

In addition to the Octoberfests, Apple and Pumpkin Celebrations, it is a wonderful time to take a tour of the beautiful and historical murals in Steubenville.

Since the project began in the mid-eighties, there have been hundreds of out of the area tour buses and visitors who have come to town to see the murals.   Ironically, there are many of our local residents who have seen a mural here and there but have never made a point of visiting them all and learning the history they are based on.

There are currently 22 murals.  The newest mural is of the Civil War Telegraph Office with President Abraham Lincoln, his Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, and David Homer Bates, his telegraph operator.   Stanton and Bates were both Steubenville natives.  In addition, over the past couple years, there have been numerous murals which have been beautifully refurbished to their original condition.

The Murals may be toured in a number of different ways.  Large groups on tour coaches with a step-on guide who will provide a colorful and entertaining presentation of each of the mural’s history and origin as well as other interesting facts and ‘folk lore’.   Also, there is a Trolley Tour of the Murals available for small groups, between 8 – 20 people (organizations, family reunions, or even friends coming together).  The Trolley is used for this tour and also includes a step-on tour guide as with the larger tours.   And for those preferring to ‘do it themselves’ the Visitor Center has a brochure and detailed tour map of the murals available.  There is also an inexpensive booklet for sale at the Visitor Center Gift Shop for those interested in having some history of the murals.

If you are interested in a Mural Tour or have any questions, please contact the Fort Steuben Visitor Center by calling 740.283.4935 or email mary@visitsteubenville.com

Happy Fall Y’all !

It is mid-September and that means the daylight is getting shorter, the evenings cooler, the leaves about to begin changing and it is time to PREPARE!

The Holiday Season is quickly approaching and there are many preparations needed for the upcoming events.

Christmas Parade Applications have just been sent out for the Steubenville Christmas Parade “Sights and Sounds of Christmas: Nutcracker Magic 2017”.   The Parade will take place at noon on Saturday, December 9^th in downtown Steubenville, and will be broadcast live again this year on WTOV9/FOX9. Anyone wishing to participate in the parade who doesn’t receive a Parade Packet may contact Mary @ 740.283.4935 or email  mary@visitsteubenville.com.   Parade Applications must be in by November 1, 2017.

“The Wooden Heart Follies” the original Nutcracker musical production written by Steubenville residents Von & John Holmes, will be presented again this year on four consecutive Sundays,  November 26th, December 3rd, 10th & 17th.   Auditions are being held at the former Spencer’s Store in the Fort Steuben Mall, Mall Drive, on September 28^th from 6-8pm and September 30^th from 1-3pm. Rehearsals will begin soon after.   If you are interested in becoming (for a few Sundays at least) a living, breathing Nutcracker, be sure to try out for one of the parts.

Applications are still being considered for the Advent Market which will be open November 21st (Light-Up Steubenville Night), November 24th-26th, December 1st – 3rd, December 8th – 10th, and December 15th – 17th.  If you are interested in possibly setting up for one or more weekends contact Judy at 740.283.1787 or email: judy@oldfortsteuben.com.

Another major preparation in process is the creation of the newest members of the Nutcracker Village. Therese Nelson and crew are hard at work using their creative juices designing and bringing ‘to life’ another 40 or more Nutcrackers who will be joining the rest of the ‘Village’ the third week of November.

The huge project of decorating for Christmas Wonderland will be under way soon as well.  Come mid-October the transformation of the Visitor Center into a magical wonderland of Christmas delights, past and present, will begin.  Likewise, the outdoor ‘Village’ will need to be prepared and decorated with walkways of lights, chalets, and Christmas finery to be ready for the arrival of the Nutcrackers!   And we can’t forget the huge 40’ Christmas tree at the fountain which needs to be erected and decorated, and this year there will a second very large tree which will be added and placed at the Land Office.

So preparations are indeed underway and will be continuing full force ahead for weeks to come!         And as the preparations continue, the excitement grows!

Summer is quickly passing and Fall is quickly approaching.

Among other things, that means it is getting closer to the season of the Nutcrackers invasion and Christmas Parade.

Planning for both are already underway and will be full steam ahead in the coming weeks.

Our largest winter season event, of course, is the Nutcracker Village and Advent Market accompanied by Christmas Wonderland and Gift Shop and the Sights and Sounds of Christmas Parade.  The Parade will have a Nutcracker theme again this year, with the ‘official’ title to be decided upon in the early part of September.

This year there will be approximately 40 ‘new Nutcracker arrivals’ at the Village and an additional weekend that the Advent Market will be open, as well as being open some evenings during the week.  There will again be Hayrides and Holly Trolley Tours, live entertainment and more.

Last year’s phenomenal attendance at these events (approximately 20,000) is expected to grow this year as a result of not only its huge popularity being shared by word of mouth as well as on social media, but the event is receiving exposure in expanded areas and was named by ‘Only in Ohio’ as No. 3 in their ‘11 Winter Festivals in Ohio that are Simply Unforgettable’ for 2016/2017 season.

Visitors are in store for some exciting additions to Christmas Wonderland inside the Visitor Center as well, including a beautiful display (with train and lake) built by Jon Cooper, for a stunning Thomas Kinkade Hawthorne Village.  There will also be additional train displays this year and a number of other ‘surprises’.

Steubenville Lights-up the Night will take place on Tuesday, November 21^st, and the Nutcracker Village/Advent Market and Christmas Wonderland & Gift Shop open Friday, November 24^th.  The Steubenville Christmas Parade will be held on Saturday, December 9^th.

It isn’t too soon to start saving dates and making plans now, and those of you coming from out of town may want to consider staying overnight, you may not be able to ‘do it all’ in just one day!

Christmas Wonderland

Nutcracker Village Walkway

Steubenville has been listed by “Only in Ohio” as Number 5 on their list of the top ten Historic Towns in Ohio that will transport you to the past.

Noted were Historic Fort Steuben and the Murals, however, Steubenville is steeped in history with many other historical attributes as well.

The article also recommended a visit to the Nutcracker Village to visitors if they are here during the holiday season!

This isn’t the first time Steubenville has been acknowledged by Only in Ohio.  They named the Steubenville Nutcracker Village as No. 3 in their ‘11 Winter Festivals in Ohio that are Simply Unforgettable’ for 2016/2017 season.

Steubenville has much to offer that is often overlooked, even by our own residents.  It is exciting and encouraging that the positive aspects of our city are becoming more noticed and acknowledged.

Check the link below:

http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/ohio/historic-towns-oh/

The Fort and Visitor Center will re-open Monday, August 14th at 10:00am.

Hours from May until November are:  Monday through Saturday, 10:00am – 4:00pm and Sunday 11:00am – 4:00pm.         Hours November until May are: Monday through Friday, 10:00am – 4:00pm.

Phone:  740.283.1787 or 740.283.4935