Editor, News-Register:

Since the Nutcracker Festival and Village opened in 2015 in Steubenville, it was among my favorite events to attend. Seeing those life-sized nutcrackers at the Historic Fort Steuben was astounding and magical! The artistry of the nutcrackers is captivating.

I have gone to see the Nutcrackers every year since the display was created. I enjoy everything connected with what the Historic Fort Steuben has to offer including all the outside decorations, the Holiday Marketplace, the performing groups and the displays at the Visitor Center.

When I went to the fort in 2021 to see the nutcrackers and they weren’t on display, I left feeling deflated and sad. The nutcrackers were not given to the fort that year. They were put along Market Street and Fourth Street in front of businesses. The truth is that some of the nutcrackers don’t show up well at night when they are in front of dimly lit places and places that are not a more attractive setting.

The fort had archways of colored lights created several years ago. That elaborate scene cannot be duplicated on Market Street and Fourth Street. In 2022, about 25 nutcrackers were displayed at the fort. It enlivened the area and made it a more enjoyable event to attend. Again in 2023, about 25 nutcrackers were displayed at the fort. The rest of the nutcrackers were spread out alongside the streets. The Steubenville Art Association helped to fill in space last season at the fort by carving and painting many cartoon characters.

There have been more than 200 nutcrackers created by the Nelson Fine Arts and Gifts Co. I would like to see more displayed at the fort next season, maybe 50 or more. The Santa Claus nutcracker has not been at the fort in the last three years. The Santa and Mrs. Claus nutcrackers belong at the fort by that huge, beautifully lighted Christmas tree. There were three Santa representations on the corner of Market Street. Those who distribute the nutcrackers, please move Santa and Mrs. Claus back to the fort next season.

I want to also mention that I enjoyed seeing the decorated Christmas trees on Fourth Street. My favorite one last season was the delightful “Grinch” tree. It had the face of the cartoon Grinch on top and the Grinch’s little dog in the middle of the tree.

In case the public doesn’t know this, it was Mayor Jerry Barilla, who is the president of Historic Fort Steuben, who came up with the idea of making nutcrackers to put on display to promote downtown Steubenville. He presented this idea to Mark Nelson to see if his company could create them. Thanks to Barilla’s inspiration and the work of the Steubenville Cultural Trust, these wonderful nutcracker events the last several years have brought enormous joy and upliftment to thousands of people, and that also has promoted businesses in the downtown area.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to make it a magical Christmas Season.

Diane R. Bannister

Weirton