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Sentinels of The Holiday Season

Steubenville Nutcracker Village, Market Returns

Photo by Dave Gossett Above, patrons fill the Historic Fort Steuben walkway on the first day of the Nutcracker Village and Advent Market, Nov. 22. Below left, volunteer Christiana Lee applies the final details to the nutcracker for Steubenville City Manager Jim Mavromatis.

More than 100 nutcrackers line the lighted walkways at Historic Fort Steuben, serving as sentinels of the holiday season and attracting families from near and far to the second annual Nutcracker Village and Advent Market.

The nutcracker idea that started when Jerry Barilla was unpacking Christmas decorations donated to the Historic Fort Steuben now includes more than 100 6-foot nutcrackers, a 30-foot Christmas tree and the realization the city has become a holiday destination community.

The nutcracker theme now extends to the annual parade, “Nutcracker Magic,” which will take place Saturday, and has spawned an original production, “The Wooden Heart Follies,” which is being performed at 2 p.m. today, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18.

“I found a cardboard box with a nutcracker in it and the story of a nutcracker village on the top. I wrote a note to Judy (Bratten) saying this is what we can do to make Steubenville a destination point. Mark Nelson made a prototype of a 6-foot nutcracker. That’s what we needed … someone to take an idea and make it happen,” Barilla said. Bratten is the fort’s executive director.

“I had my daughter print a life-size nutcracker on paper, and I taped it to my living room wall so we could sit and study it and watch our kids react to it,” said Nelson, owner of Nelson’s of Steubenville and the new Santa’s Workshop & Nutcracker Shoppe on Fourth Street. “I hoped the concept of a nutcracker village would be attractive, but I never thought it would be this successful.”

He also had wanted to start an outdoor Advent Market for several years and was encouraged by friends on staff at Franciscan University of Steubenville after they had experienced such markets in villages in Austria where the university’s sister campus is located.

The Advent Market is set up around the fountain, which is where the tree is now located. Small “holiday chalets,” also constructed by Nelson’s, house a variety of items, from homemade fudge, local honey and hot cider, to wooden toys, grapevine wreaths, ornaments and doll clothes.

“Last year was way beyond what I expected. I was so nervous when we started the Advent Market that I offered to refund the vendors’ money if they weren’t successful. But it was a success, and we have added three more chalets to the market this year and it has become a major blessing. I believe Steubenville is hoping to find an event to rally around. We are all looking for a positive,” Nelson said.

Each weekend, live entertainment is provided, along with standing heaters to ward off the chill. The Advent Market is open 4-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 1-6 p.m. Sundays through Jan. 8.

The stars of the show, the nutcrackers, are on display daily. They are all handpainted and sponsored by local businesses and individuals.

Many of the nutcrackers are themed according to the business or entity that sponsored them, or they represent something special to the history and culture of Steubenville. For example, the local newspapers, the Herald-Star and Weirton Daily Times, sponsor Lois Lane and Clark Kent nutcrackers. A whole lineup of Rat Pack nutcrackers are featured near the stage area, including native son Dean Martin. There is a Bishop Mussio nutcracker, a bride and groom, and the area high school and college football teams are represented. There are chefs and hairdressers, construction workers and lawyers.

Last year, there were 37 nutcrackers, but the Nelsons have added 75 more.

“We began as woodcrafters, and our team of craftsmen simply adapted the tools and equipment to produce a lightweight product made from a dense foam. My daughter, Therese, is the artist who designs and oversees the painting of the nutcrackers,” Nelson said.

Bratten literally has watched the Nutcracker Village and Advent Market come to life from her office.

“We probably did six months of sales during the four weeks the Advent Market was open out here. Last year, we sold out of some of our Christmas items in the Visitor Center gift shop during the Nutcracker Village. We have stocked up for this year and have included nutcracker theme items,” Bratten said.

The attraction has been good for Steubenville business in general.

“We started this to benefit the entire community,” Bratten said. “This definitely has a positive impact on the fort, but we also see the positive impact at our area restaurants and businesses throughout the city. I believe the Nutcracker Village and Advent Market has been a healing process for the city. The sometimes unfortunate news and the devisiveness of the recent political campaign has left people wanting to be part of this because it is bigger than all of us. We have seen teenagers, retirees, business people and all around volunteers coming down here to do something for the project.”

Said Barilla: “Last year people came downtown, found a place to park and enjoyed a friendly family atmosphere. No one complained about where they had to park. No one complained about the hundreds of people who were here. They just enjoyed a very magical Christmas atmosphere.”

Bratten said the Steubenville trolley gives rides through the downtown to view area churches lit up at night as well as downtown businesses decorated for Christmas. Free hay rides also are offered.

“This is what we wanted when we started talking about this a year ago. We have created something that appeals to people in the community and to people who now want to come to Steubenville,” Bratten said.

Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce President Tricia Maple-Damewood noticed the out-of-town visitors last year and diversity of the crowds at the Nutcracker Village.

“It is great to have people come downtown to spend money, but it is also good to see people rediscover the downtown. The Nutcracker Village has put Steubenville in a new light as far as a tourism destination,” Maple-Damewood cited.

“People will visit someplace and see an event and say it would be nice to have something like that in their hometown. Now we have that in Steubenville. This is a chance for people to shop local and enjoy local entertainment here in Steubenville,” she said.

Life Editor Betsy Bethel contributed to this article.

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