Celebrating the season: Communities kick off holidays with parades, events
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
In this photo from 2021, Mi’lynn Floyd looks at her balloon creation from the Holiday Market in the Main Street Pavilion before Washington Christmas Parade.
A youngster holds his light saber, purchased from a street vendor, and watches the parade pass in downtown Washington last year.
Observer-Reporter
Dancers with Moschetta Performing Arts Center perform during the Waynesburg Christmas parade in 2018.
Santa takes part in the Waynesburg Christmas Parade in 2018.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Entries are shown in last year’s gingerbread house competition, which is part of Canonsburg’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration.
Lynleigh Harris, 2, waits for the Canonsburg Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade to begin last year. Thousands lined Pike Street as floats, bands, dancers, and more passed along the parade route.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Throughout last year’s Canonsburg Old-Fashioned Christmas parade, children, including this group of friends, carried Christmas-themed lighted wands, collected candy that was tossed along the route by parade participants, and sang along to Christmas carols.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop float was one of several floats that participated in the Canonsburg Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade in 2021.
Santa Claus is going to be kept hoppin’ in the days and weeks ahead with a full schedule of appearances at various festivities planned by area municipalities.
Kicking off the holiday season will be Washington & Jefferson College, where a Light-Up Night event will start at around dusk (about 6 p.m.) Nov. 16. The lighting of the tree will be done by Dr. John Knapp, W&J president.
Two days later, on Nov. 18, Monongahela will host Merry and Bright Night, from 5 to 9 p.m.
L.J. Kahl, executive director of the Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce, said most of the events will be taking place on Main Street from Park Avenue to Maple Street in New Eagle.
“Businesses stay open a little bit later, so there’s lots of holiday shopping,” Kahl noted.
Santa will be in front of the Mon Valley Alliance building for visits with youngsters. He will light the tree in Chess Park at about 6 p.m., which will be followed by fireworks at 7.
Barrel train rides will be available for the kids in Chess Park; craft and vendor shows will be hosted by the Monongahela Fire Department and Monongahela Library, and an ice carver will create an ice sculpture in the 100 block of Main Street.
Disc jockeys will be playing music throughout town. The Ringgold Jazz Band and Miss Lori’s Dance Studio from New Eagle are scheduled to perform.
The Scenery Hill Christmas Art Market and Light-Up Night is scheduled for 3 to 9 p.m. Nov. 19 in the town square. Along with the chance to do some holiday shopping, there will be arts and crafts, hot cocoa, hot cider, baked goodies, a fire pit, children’s activities and a visit from Santa.
Charleroi has its Light-Up Night scheduled for Nov. 26, beginning at about 5:30 p.m.
Matt Staniszewski, borough manager, said the evening will include a live nativity featuring a live baby camel.
Santa Claus is expected to make an appearance and entertainment includes the Charleroi Show Choir, as well as twirlers.
The city of Washington will get into the holiday spirit on Dec. 2 with Cricut’s Holiday Market, which begins at 4 p.m. at the Main Street Pavilion with numerous vendors and performances by a half-dozen local youth organizations.
Santa will be on hand to take pictures with the kids, and there also will be horse and carriage rides.
Main Street Manager Shana Brown said this year’s market is bigger than in past years.
“It’s just going to be fantastic,” she said. “It’s the community working together and we’re really starting to see things take shape. It was a massive success last year, and we had people coming from far and wide. It warms your heart to see how much people want to get involved.”
Washington’s Christmas Parade will start that night at 7 at Main and Chestnut streets and travel to Railroad Street. Brown said there will be about 75 entries in this year’s event.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive on a float adorned with trees sporting ornaments decorated by kids during Small Business Saturday ceremonies Nov. 26, as well as a Naughty and Nice list compiled that day.
That same weekend, Canonsburg’s Old Fashioned Christmas will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2 and noon to 9 p.m. Dec. 3.
The tree-lighting ceremony starts at 6 p.m. Dec. 2 at the borough building on East Pike Street. The parade steps off at 6 p.m. Dec. 3 near Iron Street and Greenside Avenue.
Christmas markets will be offered at three locations both days as well as a miniature train display at the City Mission Thrift Store on West Pike Street. Additionally, there will be photos with Santa, Christmas and gingerbread house competitions as well as a food truck court located in the Rite Aid parking lot.
Visit https://www.canonsburgsoldfashionedchristmas.com for an entire list of activities.
In neighboring Greene County, the Greene County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Christmas Parade for the 84th year at 2 p.m. Dec 3. It will begin at the intersection of Richhill and High streets and will travel in the reverse direction of traffic to St. Ann Catholic Church at the intersection of Cumberland and High streets.
Santa will be the featured guest and will arrive in a 1925 American LaFrance Firetruck owned by the Waynesburg Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company.
Grand marshals will be Jack and Peggy Rock of Waynesburg, the Distinguished Award winners; Hilltop Packs and Hilltop Packs Coffee Co., McCracken Legacy Award winners, and Miss Rain Day, Isabelle Tedrow of Jefferson.
Crazy Dougie Wilson of WANB Radio will be the voice of the parade.
“We hope we’ll be back up to 100 units,” said Melody Longstreth, executive director of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce. “Applications are coming in. I’m getting two or three a day and have been for several weeks.”
The parade returns to High Street after two years of a reverse parade at the Greene County Fairgrounds in which the units stayed put while spectators drove through.
Peters Township’s Holiday Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Peters Township Community Recreation Center at 700 Meredith Drive in Venetia.
Scheduled activities include crafts, games, refreshments, letters to Santa and a visit with Kris Kringle himself. Kids may bring along a letter to Santa with a return address or create one that night. No preregistration is necessary.
“It’s in place of what we used to do for a tree lighting,” said Michele Harmel, parks and recreation director, adding that a tree lighting at the library in past years made for a congested event. “Last year was the first time we did it this way. It went well. We got a lot of good feedback, so we changed it to this type of format again this year.”
California will have its Holly Day Parade Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. It will begin at the California Area Public Library at 100 Wood St. and will end at the Hollywood Pavilion on Third Street. Visits with Santa will be held after the parade. The first 100 children will receive a gift. Hot cocoa and treats also will be available.