Experience Holiday Magic in Steubenville!

From the Friday after Thanksgiving through the New Year, the downtown is transformed into Steubenville Nutcracker Village: a magical realm of color, wonder and delight with over 180 nutcrackers on display 24/7 in the city parks, storefronts and sidewalks.

Each unique nutcracker, designed and produced by the local artisans at Nelson’s of Steubenville, depicts a character from history, literature, music, popular culture or profession. Meet Rosie the Riveter, Jack Frost and all the Wizard of Oz personalities while taking memorable selfies to send home. Now in its seventh year, the event has grown with additional activities and attractions — most of them free — to make every visit memorable.

Weekend evenings feature a light and music show on the Jefferson County Courthouse on Market Street. Historic churches and buildings in town will light up for the season and offer special tours and concerts. Hayrides and a Nutcracker Storywalk add to the fun.

Across from the courthouse, Historic Fort Steuben hosts Christmas at the Fort, with colorful walkways of light, music, nutcrackers, and fairy tale figures surrounding the spectacular 30’ Christmas tree in Fort Steuben Park. The Advent Market is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Nov. 26 to Dec. 19, and features decorated booths with vendors selling crafts, food and souvenirs. On weekends, visitors also enjoy the choral groups filling the air with song, Milly’s Kids’ Zone, Holly Trolley rides, and tours of the reconstructed Fort Steuben. The Fort Steuben Visitor Center houses an art exhibit, a model train village and a Christmas shop carrying a variety of gifts, books and mementos of your visit. 

The Ohio Valley Model Railroad Display, located just a few blocks from the center of town, will be open on weekends with a massive, detailed exhibit of an industrial Ohio Valley landscape including bridges, factories, creeks, buildings and mountains — finely detailed down to the junk in the railyards — with O-gauge model trains clickety-clacking through it all.

For those who enjoy winter hikes, Beatty Park on Lincoln Avenue has trails through this historic nature preserve. A Christmas at the Park event on Dec. 4 will include a nativity, community choir, hikes/rides to the old holiday-decorated stone lodge, campfires and a blacksmith who will be sharing pioneer and historical stories. 

Earlier that day, the annual Eastern Gateway Community College Sights and Sounds of Christmas Parade will bring floats, marching bands, classic cars and dance troupes down Fourth Street.

North Fourth Street is the place for shopping: Find gifts and souvenirs at Drosselmeyer’s Nutcracker Shoppe, locally roasted coffee at Leonardo’s Coffeehouse, treats from Steubenville Popcorn Company, new and used books from BookMarx and specialty items from the Prodigal Daughter.

So take the whole family – even grandma and grandpa - for a ride to Steubenville and experience the magic yourself!

For more information or a schedule of events, call 866-301-1787, go to VisitSteubenville.com.