I LOVE A PARADE — Among the participants scheduled to appear in this year’s Steubenville Christmas parade on Dec. 7 will be a small float dedicated to Historic Beatty Park. Last year’s float featured Morgan Strachan, who walked alongside the park’s scene atop the display in which Jackie Welling sat and waved to the crowd. Following the parade, the fifth-annual Christmas in the Park event will take place at Beatty Park. -- Contributed

These examples, along with that feeling of what the holiday represents, soon will be coming to Historic Beatty Park. This year’s fifth-annual tradition of Christmas in the Park is scheduled to take place from noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 7, following Steubenville’s Christmas parade.

Those involved with the nonprofit volunteer organization Friends of Beatty Park, plan to participate in the parade as well, and some members will ride on a small float.

Organizers want to make this an entire day in which area residents can gain that magical sensation of the season — first with the parade — and then, with the Christmas in the Park celebration.

According to founder and chair Flora VerStraten-Merrin, Friends of Beatty Park remains the key to the progress that is being made in the revitalization of the historic city park.

LIVE NATIVITY — A live nativity at the caretaker area offers children and their families the opportunity to enjoy farm animals that represent the setting of the first Christmas. Children are permitted to pet and feed the animals. -- Contributed

Located at 621 Lincoln Ave., the outdoors will be filled with everything Christmas.

From a live nativity to a choir, the event will offer something for everyone. No matter one’s age.

“This is our largest annual event that is completely planned and carried out by our volunteers and through all types of donations,” VerStraten-Merrin stated. “The donations aren’t just monetary items, but more important, donations of one’s time and talents to create an afternoon of simple Christmas fun and memories. If that doesn’t show community support, I don’t know what does.”

Those visiting the park will begin the festivities at the entrance, where guests will encounter a live animal nativity. Individuals are permitted to pet and feed the farm animals, which serve as a representation of the sacred nativity scene. The Tri-State Community Brass Band, the Brasshounds band and the Sycamore Choral Choir will perform musical selections for the holiday throughout the afternoon. Christmas music will be played between performances.

Inside the first shelterhouse, visitors will find the jolly old bearded man himself, Santa Claus, as well as his wife, Mrs. Claus. The couple will travel from the North Pole just for this special occasion, presenting every child with a small gift or candy. The Claus’s and their helpers are bringing their decorated sleigh and plan to pose for photos with children and pets in attendance.

FIRESIDE TALKS — Naturalist and archaeologist John Boileigh will share stories about nature during the annual Christmas in the Park event at the Old Stone Lodge. Joining Boileigh will be Flora VerStraten-Merrin, founder and chair of Friends of Beatty Park. -- Contributed

Beatty Park will have an entire green space dedicated to the Holiday Storybook Walk. This large, 20-page, outdoor, framed Christmas Story is for children ages 10 and younger.

The green space area is a great location for fun and family photos, VerStraten-Merrin said. She explained a very large nature mural has been added in which children can seek and find the animals spaced throughout the mural. They can learn the letters of the alphabet within the mural as well.

VerStraten-Merrin thanked those involved with the Steubenville Art Association for painting the large mural which spans an entire concrete wall where the swimming pool was previously located. This is now the Storybook Walk area, she noted, saying a special thanks is being given to the SAA and its president, Judy Schmidt.

Schmidt is responsible for painting wooden Christmas trees throughout the green space, adding to the mural’s beauty.

“We encourage everybody to visit this space so they are able to enjoy a tiny piece of beauty and nature the area has to offer,” VerStraten-Merrin commented. “It is a wonderful area for a Christmas photo opportunity.”

Within the basketball court area will be a bouncy house and slide for children to play on, weather permitting, she added.

The second shelterhouse will feature free refreshments, while supplies last. A nature craft can be made by those who are 12 and under. The craft can be taken home once completed.

The shelterhouse will offer the opportunity to take part in geocaching. This family-friendly hobby offers participants a chance to navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates. Those taking part will then attempt to find the geocache or container that is hidden at that particular location. This world-wide game of hide and seek has become more popular throughout the years, officials said, adding there will be free drawings and give-a-ways taking place inside the park and at the adjoining historic Union Cemetery.

The second shelterhouse will hold drawings in which contestants can win one of two Beatty Park paintings or one of two hand-carved walking sticks. A $5 donation will purchase three tickets for the drawings. Winners do not need to be present. Donations for this drawing will be used toward revitalization projects and will allow the Friends of Beatty Park to continue providing the community with these types of events, VerStraten-Merrin said.

She explained if the 1884 historic arch bridge is completed in time for the event, a special celebration will be held at 2 p.m. Officials will unveil the historic sign and those gathered will be the first to take a walk over the newly-renovated bridge. All are welcome to visit the bridge for the brief presentation that is a large part of the park’s history — preserving it for future generations to enjoy.

Should the bridge be completed to cross on foot or by automobile, golf carts will be used to assist those who need a ride to the Old Stone Lodge.

Here, stories told by a fireside will be told by naturalist and archaeologist John Boileigh, from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Boileigh and VerStraten-Merrin, who serves as president of the Jefferson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society and is a local historian, will be available throughout the afternoon.

The pair will share various stories and answer questions. Boileigh will provide information regarding the natural world, while VerStraten-Merrin will share historic stories about the park, the adjoining cemetery and the city’s history.

There will be lawn chairs, fires, chestnuts roasting and other goodies available at this location, which is tucked away inside the park.

“This year, we will celebrate our successes and the progress that has been made — not only with projects that have been completed throughout this beautiful, 99-acre nature park, but we will celebrate the success of the community — those enjoying nature’s beauty and the peace that Beatty Park brings to their lives,” VerStraten-Merrin stated.

“Many people aren’t even aware of the rich history that is held in this old stone structure,” VerStraten-Merrin stated. “This is a must-stop for anyone interested in nature or the history of the park. I’d like to note that John has been a big supporter of Beatty Park since the very beginning. When no one knew the name of our group, when no one knew very much or cared very much about the park, he was always available when we invited him to organize a hike on one of our four trails, or in the creek to search for fossils and interesting rocks.”

“He has been so supportive and his love of nature and the park is obvious,” she continued. “Our group cannot thank him enough for helping us to bring awareness and a love of nature to the community. There are plenty of premiere parks in the city and Tri-State Area, but there is only one historic nature park. It offers experiences and feelings to one’s spirit. We realize not everyone is interested in quiet beauty. But in the world we live in today, with technology in our faces and our children’s faces, we all need a healing break. And, well … we can get that feeling of renewal when we take a stroll through the park or a rigorous hike on one of its nature trails.”

VerStraten-Merrin stressed how none of this would be possible without the help of volunteers. People who have donated supplies, donated foods, given their talents and their skills, but, most of all, shared their time toward making this event and others, a success.

“We rate our success by those that attend and the smiles we see on their faces,” she said. “Last year, we counted more than 700 people who attended the event throughout the afternoon. We are always praying for good weather for all of our events since we are out in the elements. I ask the community to join the Friends of Beatty Park in saying a prayer for great, dry weather that day. While we begin near the entrance of the park with the animal nativity, representing Christ’s birth, we recognize there are fun elements to the holiday season, too, including the visit of the real Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and their helpers.”

VerStraten-Merrin shared a brief story about a small child who, a couple of years ago, approached her and said with all the seriousness in the world, “Did you know that the real Santa Claus is here?” That moment, and experiences like it, make all of the organizing, all of the planning and only relying on the work of volunteers and donations, so worth it.

Parking will be available along Lincoln Avenue. There will be limited spaces throughout the park, so drivers are asked to be considerate when driving through the area during the event. Caution should be used, as the road was cut and built in the mid-1800s specifically for horse-drawn carriages, bicycles and walkers who were interested in visiting the nature park. Vehicles are to be kept off grass areas.

A few important items to note: If the weather the morning of Dec. 7 is either raining or icy, the event will be canceled and not rescheduled.

Christmas in the Park is completely pet-friendly; however, pets must remain on a leash at all times, officials said. Attendees should dress to walk through a nature park. Guests are encouraged to wear layered clothing and comfortable, dry footwear.

An updated calendar for 2025 can be found on the Friends of Beatty Park Facebook page and in the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times newspapers.

Annual events to look forward to in the coming year will include: Winter hiking in February, a spring flower hike identifying various flowers and plants in April or May, an Easter egg hunt in April, an outdoor patriotic concert in May, the Dino Dash 5K Run/Walk on June 14, a summer hike, an outdoor summer concert, historical tour in September, a stream stomp and identifying leaves in October and Christmas in the Park in December.

Those wanting to donate to revitalization projects with a tax-deductible monetary donation, can mail their contribution to: JCC OGS, P.O. Box 177, Stratton, OH 43961. In the memo line, write “Beatty Park.”