HOLIDAY SEASON APPROACHING — The Brooke County Area Chamber of Commerce, TEAM Ford Wellsburg and Trinity Health System have teamed to hold this year’ s Wellsburg Christmas Parade and Christmas Market, a day of holiday festivities that will begin at 10 a.m. Nov. 22. On hand for the announcement were, from left, Daniel Kidder and Charlie Rubel of TEAM Ford Wellsburg; Chamber President Eric Fithyan; Paige Hashman of TEAM Ford Wellsburg; Jessica Elias of 7 Ranges Entertainment; Realtor Tony Viola; Sandy Kemp and LuAnn Radcliffe of the Brooke County Senior Center; and City Manager Steve Maguschak. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — This year, the Wellsburg Christmas parade will be moving to a new date and time, with another holiday event to follow it.

Held for many years by the Wellsburg Chamber of Commerce, the procession on Charles Street has been a Wellsburg tradition, helping to usher in the Christmas season for many Brooke County residents.

And now under the Brooke County Area Chamber of Commerce, a merging of the Wellsburg and Follansbee chambers of commerce, the event will be held at 10 a.m. Nov. 22, with a Christmas Market to follow it at about 11 a.m. on the Town Square.

Chamber President Eric Fithyan, who has coordinated the parade since 2013, said the move has opened the door for more sponsors and more participation from groups that previously weren’t able to get involved in the evening parade.

Fithyan said the marching bands from Brooke and Weir high schools will appear as well as seven professionally produced floats.

He added as in previous years, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be part of the parade and meet afterward with children on the Town Square, which is decorated each year for the holidays.

There they will be joined by civic groups offering activities for children and vendors selling merchandise.

Trinity Health System is serving as sponsor for the event.

The Christmas Market debuted last year in the Wellsburg Banquet Hall, and vendors who took part then and others are encouraged to e-mail the chamber at brookeareachamber@gmail.com.

Fithyan said those interested in appearing in the parade are asked to e-mail him by next Monday.

Participants again will line up at 23rd and Charles streets for the procession, which will continue from there to the Town Square.

Fithyan announced the theme for this year’s parade will be “Welcome Home for the Holidays: A Salute to Our Local Veterans,” and members of the Wellsburg and Follansbee American Legion posts and the Ohio Valley Veterans Memorial Squad have been invited to appear so residents can show their appreciation for their military service.

Paige Hashman, general manager for TEAM Ford Wellsburg, said the auto dealership is looking forward to sponsoring the parade again.

“It was the first event Eric came to see us about when we took over the dealership in 2022,” she said.

In addition to sponsoring a float in the parade, the auto dealer again will be providing vehicles to transport many of its celebrity participants.