Holiday events happening in Greene
WAYNESBURG — Next weekend, Greene County will become immersed with the Christmas spirit as numerous events will be held to unofficially kick off the holiday season.
The festivities will begin Friday with the seventh annual Holiday Open House, which will be held in downtown Waynesburg.
Sponsored by EQT and presented by Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful, the Holiday Open House will feature extended hours at downtown Waynesburg stores, live entertainment, seasonal foods and fun for the whole family.
Beginning at 4 p.m., several blocks of High Street will be closed to motorized traffic. Activities start at 5 p.m. with Santa on site to welcome children, visitors and shoppers alike. Free pictures with Santa will be provided by McMillen Photography at the Greene County Courthouse. At 6 p.m., local officials will take part in the lighting of the Christmas tree on the steps of the courthouse.
“Our goal this year is to bring a bit of Norman Rockwell to your holiday,” said event co-chair Karen Calvert.
More than 25 merchants will extend their hours and offer special sales, door prizes and refreshments. Street vendors will be out selling seasonal treats such as roasted nuts, cider and cotton candy. Fire barrels will be lit along High Street for holiday shoppers to pause for a visit or to warm their hands.
Horse-drawn wagons will offer shoppers a ride through the decorated parks and streets of town at a cost of $2 per person. Music will be provided throughout the evening by several area vocal and instrumental groups, and Lippencott Alpacas will also be at the festivities to welcome the holiday shoppers.
Artist Jeff Harris will be back and offering free caricatures on commemorative Holiday Open House posters. A children’s supervised craft and activity center will be located at the Community Foundation of Greene County office on High Street, along with a free gift wrap center for your evening’s purchases.
“Flix on Brix” is also returning this year. By public vote, “It’s a Wonderful Life” will be projected on the side of the Community Foundation building for an outdoor holiday movie experience.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the season with your family and see all that downtown Waynesburg has to offer,” said event co-chair Caitlin Carlisle.
Souvenir maps, hand-drawn by local artist Leslie Fehling and featuring the locations of all activities, food and participating merchants, will be distributed to help guide shoppers through the festivities.
EQT is the lead sponsor of this year’s Holiday Open House with additional support from the Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency. Community Bank is sponsoring a window decorating competition among businesses. Join in the judging by casting your vote through a monetary donation at the location of your favorite display.
Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful is a Main Street program that operates in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Downtown Center. Main Street programs emphasize critical time-sensitive stabilization and revitalization of historic downtown business districts.
For more information on the Holiday Open House, call 724-627-8119 or 724-627-8687.
The weekend holiday festivities will continue on Saturday with a slew of holiday events.
Santa Claus will be the focus of two activities hosted by the Greene County Department of Recreation. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be the special guests at “Breakfast with Santa” from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday.
The breakfast starts at 9 a.m. on the lower level of the 4-H Building at the Greene County Fairgrounds. Admission is $8 per person and includes a breakfast catered by Chef Dan Wagner, culinary arts instructor at the Greene County Career and Technology Center. Children will also receive a picture with Santa, a Santa hat, Christmas crafts and a special treat. A Christmas coloring contest will be held, with prizes for winners in different age categories.
Also, now through Friday, Dec. 11, local children are invited to send letters to Santa in care of the Department of Recreation. Any child wishing to receive a personalized letter from Santa can simply send a letter with a completed letter request form to Greene County Department of Recreation, ATTN: Santa Claus, 107 Fairgrounds Road, Waynesburg, PA 15370.
Letter request forms include the child’s contact and basic information, including gender, age and any gifts requested from Santa, and must be completed by a parent or guardian. The “Dear Santa” template is available online at www.co.greene.pa.us.
A completed form must accompany each letter, and there is a limit of one request per child. Children should receive the letters before Christmas.
There is no cost for a letter from Santa as funding has been provided through various sponsors and fundraising efforts the Department of Recreation holds throughout the year. The holiday activities are completely sponsored by CONSOL Energy and Noble Energy and presented by the Greene County Commissioners and the Department of Recreation.
For more information on “Breakfast with Santa” or “Letters from Santa,” call the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323.
Following the “Breakfast with Santa” event, the 2015 Downtown Waynesburg Christmas Parade will take place at 2 p.m.
The Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce is wrapping up final plans for the parade, and the execution of the parade is underwritten by FirstEnergy Foundation.
Claire Kreider, Miss Rain Day 2015, and the chamber’s 2015 Distinguished Service Award winners – Judge William R. Nalitz, the family of the late Donald K. Lindsay and the Waynesburg Moose Lodge and Family Center – will lead the parade down High Street as its grand marshals.
There is no central theme, but all entries are asked to portray the true Christmas spirit. Float judging will take place prior to the start of the parade and trophies will be awarded to the top three floats. Participants are reminded that no live Santa is permitted on any unit in the parade as Santa is the guest of honor at the conclusion of the parade.
Once again, WCYJ Television from Waynesburg University will be videotaping the parade for a later broadcast on local stations. WCYJ is a student-operated television station under the direction of Bill Molzon.
Later on Saturday, the Carmichaels Christmas parade and Light-Up Night will be held at 7 p.m. at the town circle in Carmichaels.
The following holiday events have also been announced:
n The Greene County Historical Society’s Christmas Open House will be held at the county museum Nov. 28 and 29 and Dec. 5 and 6 from 3 to 7 p.m. all days. The museum will be adorned in an array of holiday decorations. There will be train and antique toy displays, a silent auction, candlelight tours, photos with Santa Claus and seasonal goodies available. Admission is free. For more information, call 724-627-3204.
n On Friday, Dec. 11, the Children’s and Family Literacy Departments at the library will be hosting a very special After Hours Holiday Pajama Party. Join the library from 4 to 8 p.m. for a viewing of a holiday movie; participants will also share warm cookies and milk, along with games, seasonal crafts and activities. Family members are invited and encouraged to attend. Don’t forget to wear your Christmas jammies. Call the library at 724-627-9776 to register.
n The annual Holiday Craft Blast will be held on Sunday, Dec. 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Greene County Fairgrounds. Over 55 vendors from three states will be displaying three rooms of a variety of handmade and manufactured items for last-minute shoppers. This event is sponsored by the Nathanael Greene CDC and members will be selling a variety of homemade soups and sandwiches in the lower level of the 4H Building. Raffle baskets will be available with a selection of items. One basket will have two tickets to a Pirate game next year.