GLÜHWEIN GARDEN — Christmas lights and hand-carved nutcrackers adorned the entrance to the glühwein garden, where attendees could warm up with traditional German spiced wine. -- Christopher Dacanay

STEUBENVILLE — Drizzling rain couldn’t dampen the Christmas spirit of those attending opening night for the Steubenville Nutcracker Village, presented by the Steubenville Cultural Trust Tuesday.

Music, dancing, spiced wine and vendors were all part of the village’s winter wonderland, along with the iconic, hand-carved and hand-painted nutcracker statues. The nutcrackers saw six new additions to their ranks this year, bringing the grand total to 204.

Among new nutcrackers were Fiesta Nutcracker, sponsored by Nelson’s of Steubenville; Royals, sponsored and painted by Jefferson County Christian Schools; Welder, sponsored by Ridge Machine and Welding Co.; King Nut, sponsored by Dominic Nelson and Associates; Mother Adelaide, sponsored by Trinity Health System; and St. Peter the German Smoker, sponsored by Brodie Stutzman.

The Nutcracker Village will continue until Jan. 6 with the Advent Market being closed to traffic every Saturday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. A full schedule of events can be found at SteubenvilleNutcrackerVillage.com.

Taking photo opportunities with village attendees was John Miller, who was portraying St. Nicholas. Miller, who has been helping with the village for eight years, also portrays Santa Claus for the Steubenville Christmas parade.

Miller told the story of how Mark Nelson, president of the Steubenville Cultural Trust, chose him to become St. Nicholas, saying, “I went into Mark’s store one day (in 2016), and I had a red hat my red flannel shirt on, and he says, ‘Hey, how’d you like to play Santa for us?’ I said, ‘Can I be Saint Nicholas?'”

Inside the former Robinson Music Co. building was a display of 375 different nativity crèche scenes of all shapes, sizes and national backgrounds. The display commemorates the 800-year anniversary of the first nativity crèche, created by St. Francis of Assisi using live animals in Greccio, Italy, in 1223.

On the third floor of Leonardo’s Coffeehouse was a traditional German dance routine by the Ohio Valley Folk Society. Later, on the first floor, was a Christmas concert by the Ron Retzer Trio.

Near the corner of Fourth and Washington streets, individuals from Mansa Stables offered a petting zoo, featuring a baby cow, pony, goat and horse. A raffle was held, with the winner getting to bottle feed the baby cow.

In the greenspace across from Leonardo’s Coffeehouse was the glühwein garden, a returning staple of the village, housed this year in a chalet constructed by the Steubenville Cultural Trust. Inside the chalet, volunteers served German glühwein, also known as spiced or mulled wine, made with spices, freshly cut fruit and wine from Black Sheep Vineyard.

Other beverages included beer from Hightower Brewery and spiced cider, served in commemorative boot-shaped mugs. Helping to serve drinks was Dan Fedoryka, husband of Therese Fedoryka from the Steubenville Cultural Trust. Dan Fedoryka spoke about the village’s humble beginnings, started by his wife’s family, the Nelsons.

Fedoryka said that Mark Nelson began the nutcracker village with the desire to revitalize Steubenville’s downtown. Nelson started the homegrown effort in 2015, paying out of pocket for the first seven years for aspects like having every building downtown lit, which Fedoryka said costs $1,000 per building.

The effort blossomed, Fedoryka said, resulting in multiple new businesses setting up shop downtown. Fedoryka added that those businesses cite the approximately two-month nutcracker village period as producing about half of their respective income.

Originally, Therese Fedoryka painted each nutcracker, of which there were 35 to begin with, carved by Brodie Stutzman, Dan Fedoryka’s brother-in-law. Nutcrackers were displayed at Historic Fort Steuben at first, Dan Fedoryka said, but have branched out to reach other businesses such as Naples Spaghetti House. The furthest nutcracker resides at the Jefferson County Historical Association’s museum on Franklin Avenue.

“The dream is being realized,” Fedoryka said, noting that this is the first year the City of Steubenville contributed money toward the nutcracker village. He added that the Steubenville Nutcracker Village is featured on the official Ohio tourism website’s front page.

The cultural trust gained official 501(c)(3) status around two years ago, which Fedoryka said will allow it to grow exponentially, provided others give generously to aid the trust’s revitalization efforts. The cultural trust is funded through individual donations and grants.

“Consider making the cultural trust your gift for Giving Tuesday (on Nov. 28)” Fedoryka said, adding later that volunteers are needed for the nutcracker village’s upcoming dates.

Susan Dumas, a member of the cultural trust’s nine-person board of trustees, said she grew up in Steubenville and went to Catholic Central High School with Mark Nelson. Dumas said she left the area for around 25 years, but returned to find it transformed by Nelson’s efforts, so she considers being on the board a privilege.

“(Steubenville) has a whole new feeling of life and health,” Dumas said. “It never crossed my mind that (the city) could be like this.”

Board member Ken Perkins said it’s “unbelievable” what the cultural trust has done for the downtown. Perkins and his wife, Becky, also a board member, own Tri-State Financial Services, and they have supported the Nutcracker Village from day one, being the top sponsors by donating $5,000 each year and sponsoring two nutcrackers, in addition to the trust’s Easter eggs and catfish statues.

Ken Perkins, who moved to Steubenville from Poland, Ohio, called attention to the fact that most of the trust’s board members are non-natives or “folks who came back.”

Mark Nelson said his idea for the Nutcracker Village was inspired by his time growing up in Kansas City, Mo. He recalled buying popcorn at a specific plaza, where every building was trimmed with lights.

Just as the plaza made memories for him, Nelson said he wants to “create happy memories for the next generation.”

Village attendees Tanner and Gavin Welsh liked the Pittsburgh Steelers and mushroom nutcrackers respectively, while Jackie Vukovcan appreciated the nutcrackers in traditional Eastern European garb.

J.R. and Bethany Pflugh of Smithfield took in the sights and sounds. Bethany Pflugh said she has been attending Christmas celebrations in Steubenville for years, with her father formerly playing Santa Claus, though the recent Christmas celebrations have been getting better and better. J.R. Pflugh added that the Steubenville Cultural Trust is “doing good for the community.”