Holly jolly season
Local communities celebrate with festive holiday events
The last of the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone and thoughts have turned to celebrating the Christmas season.
Parades, tree-lighting ceremonies, carriage rides and plenty of other activities await folks of all ages.
Among the first up is Small Business Saturday, observed every Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage consumers to patronize their local merchants. The city of Washington will participate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with vendors who will be located throughout the downtown area.
“There are several vendor marts set up,” said Bradley Martin, director of the Washington Business District Authority. “Ignite is by far the biggest one,” he said, with an estimated 40 vendors.
Vendors will also be set up at Nineteen North, Crave and the Bradford House.
A breakfast crawl will be featured as part of Saturday’s event. Martin said the map of participating locations is available on social media.
The Washington County Historical Society’s Light Up Night is planned for Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the LeMoyne House Garden, 49 E. Maiden St. The evening will feature pet photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a hot chocolate bar and s’mores stations. Every pet will get a special treat bag.
The Holiday Market and Christmas Parade will be held the following week, on Friday, Dec. 12.
The market begins at 4 p.m. with vendors in the Main Street Pavilion until 9 p.m.
The parade will begin at 7 p.m.
“We have a couple of spots available, but not many,” Martin said.
Following is a list of other events planned for the holiday season.
Washington County
California: Holly Day, Friday, Dec. 5, 6 p.m., Hollywood Pavilion, Third Street. Activities include a chance to visit with Santa as well as a number of other activities with hot chocolate and cookies. The first 100 children receive a gift.
Canonsburg: Old-Fashioned Christmas, Friday, Dec. 5, 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 6, noon to 8 p.m. A number of downtown events are scheduled including the lighting of the borough Christmas tree at 6 p.m. Friday. Other activities include pictures with Santa, reindeer games, a gingerbread house contest and more than 60 craft vendors.
Charleroi: Light-Up Night, Friday, Dec. 5, 6 p.m., Charleroi Market House & Community Center. Santa Claus will make an appearance. There will be carriage rides, hot chocolate and treats for the kids.
Chartiers Township: Cookies with Santa, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2 p.m., Chartiers Township Community Center, 2013 Community Center Drive, Houston. Activities include photos with Santa, hot chocolate and sweet treats, cookie decorating, crafts for kids and a visit from Elsa and Anna from “Frozen” from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Christmas in the Park’s Winter Wonderland at Southpointe Towne Center from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring a 24-foot Christmas tree, along with carriage rides, visit with Santa, karaoke caroling and a cocoa and cookie bar.
Donora: Twinkle Bright Night, Friday, Nov. 28, 6 to 8 p.m., Sixth Street and McKean Avenue. Santa will arrive with treat bags at 6. Also included will be music by DJ Galiffa, hot dogs and hot chocolate, provided by the Mon Valley Salvation Army; the Grinch, carriage rides, roaming photo booth, Thomas the Train, face painting, balloon artist, and a live nativity with a petting zoo.
Hickory: Living Nativity, Dec. 6 and 7, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Hickory United Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 210 Main St.
Little Lake Theatre Company: “Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge,” Dec. 4-21 on Sundays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 500 Lakeside Drive, Canonsburg.
North Strabane: Holiday Lights Drive-Thru, Dec. 1 through Jan. 1, 5 to 10 p.m., North Strabane Park, 1929 Route 519, Canonsburg. There also will be a Holidays in the Park event at the site Saturday, Dec. 13, from 4 to 7 p.m. featuring vendors, food trucks, petting zoo and carriage rides.
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum: Nov. 28-30, Dec. 6-7, Dec. 13-14 and Dec. 20-21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rides on antique streetcars, Santa Claus, train display and LEGO display table and hot chocolate and cookies.
Peters Township: Holiday Kick-Off, Friday, Dec. 5, 6 to 8 p.m., Peters Township Recreation Center, 700 Meredith Drive, Venetia. Visit with Santa, games, crafts and refreshments including hot cocoa and cookies. Attendees are encouraged to bring a letter to Santa with a return address.
Greene County
Waynesburg: Christmas on High Street, Saturday, Nov. 29, 3 to 8 p.m. Celebrate Small Business Saturday with wagon rides, live music, traditional tree-lighting ceremony and fireworks display.
Light-up Night in Historic Waynesburg: Friday, Dec. 5, 5 to 8 p.m. Tree lighting scheduled for 6. Other activities include ugly sweater contest, wagon rides, caricaturist drawings, DJ party and photos with Santa.
Downtown Waynesburg Christmas Parade: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2 p.m.
Lunch with the Grinch and Santa: A Very Merry Grinchmas Party: Saturday, Dec. 13, noon, Denny House Carriage House. Face painting, gingerbread house decorating, cookie decorating, creative station, letters to Santa and gift from Santa.
Kiln to Table’s third annual Grinchmas celebration: Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thistlewaite Vineyards, 151 Thistlewaite Lane, Jefferson, featuring a treat bag, photos with the Grinch and special Grinch drinks and snacks available for purchase.
Eva K. Bowlby Public Library: Christmas Open House, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 3 to 7 p.m. Live music, seasonal refreshments, and Christmas-themed programming. Children can meet Santa, join a holiday story time and are encouraged to bring a stuffed animal to take part in Fetch’s annual Stuffed Animal Sleepover.
Fayette County
Brownsville: Brownsville’s Hometown Christmas, Friday, Nov. 28, 6 to 9 p.m. There will be a community-wide fire truck parade, more than 1,500 luminaries, gingerbread house contest, entertainment, vendors and more.
Connellsville: Christmas Parade, Saturday, Dec. 6, 5 p.m.
Point Marion: Light-Up Night, Saturday, Dec. 6, Washington Township VFC, 1314 Axton St., Belle Vernon. Doors open at 5 p.m. with Santa’s arrival expected around 6.
Uniontown: Christmas in the Square, Friday, Nov. 28, 5:30 p.m., with entertainment and food vendors. The parade begins at 6; the float winner check presentation, 7:15 p.m., tree lighting at 7:30 and selfies with Santa at 7:45.