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It was just after 6 p.m. on Nov. 24 when Joe Wallace looked out at the many hundreds of people who had gathered in Fort Steuben Park to take part in this year's Steubenville Lights Up the Night event and helped to put the evening into perspective.
"I think it just shows -- you know, with all of the people here. It started here, and now it's spreading throughout downtown. It's really becoming such a special tradition," said Wallace, who was enjoying the festivities while preparing to help perform one of the most important duties of the evening through his dual roles at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Wallace, who serves as the director of community relations and head mens basketball coach at the university, would be joined by a few members of his Barons' squad in leading the countdown to the annual tree-lighting and fireworks show.
The university is the sponsor of the Tree Plaza, the area that occupies what is during the warmer months the fountain that greets visitors entering at the corner of Third and Market streets.
No one was really sure what kind a turnout there would be for the festivities, which included musical presentations, performances by local dancing students, vendors lining the area around the tree, the chance to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus and fireworks courtesy of the Kloska and Brogan family. Originally scheduled for a couple of days earlier -- Nov. 21 -- the event was postponed when heavy rains moved through the region.
As it turned out, there was no reason to be concerned about the size of the crowd.
"I knew there would be a lot of people," said City Manager Jim Mavromatis. "This isn't just for Steubenville -- it's for the whole valley. People have come from all around. I guarantee you some people stayed over from Thanksgiving just to be a part of it."
Activities surrounding the Christmas holiday season are bringing people into the Steubenville area. In addition to Christmas at the Fort, attractions include the Rink at Franciscan Square, which opened for ice skating on Nov. 17, and the Steubenville Nutcracker Village, which opened for the season on Nov. 21 in spite of the rain.
"From what I could tell, this past weekend (Nov. 21 through Nov. 26) was one of the largest attended yet," Mark Nelson, president of the Steubenville Cultural Trust, which coordinates the nutcrackers, said Monday afternoon.
"We saw people from all over the country. Some are in town visiting family and friends, while others traveled in just to see the nutcrackers and take part in the other festivities. It was exciting to see. The purpose and vision of the project was to work toward the revitalization of the town. It seems like it's working," he added.
That success was not lost on Wallace.
"You get so many people in town," he said Nov. 24. "And then you're adding on with what we at the university are doing with the skating rink. We're trying to have a really nice winter area for people to enjoy themselves. It means a lot."
Seeing the large numbers of people in the downtown area was important to Judy Bratten. The acting director of Historic Fort Steuben said the turnout was encouraging
"It was really beautiful," she said Monday afternoon. "It was wonderful, the happiness that pervaded the area. People were celebrating, and it was a wonderful family atmosphere, especially in these troubled times. It was a breath of fresh air.
"The place was packed -- all the way along Fourth Street and Market Street," she added about the tree lighting and nutcrackers. "I think it really gives people a sense of ownership and pride. They feel good about what we have here and about bringing their friends and family to the downtown."
Bratten said that pride showed.
"You know, after the tree-lighting festivities were over, there was no litter, and nothing was broken," she said. "Everyone was so civil. It says a lot about our community. They have respect for what we have done here and for what others have done for the community."
That atmosphere is paying off for the city, as the community continues to get positive feedback. In fact, the November-December issue of OhioMagazine.com lists the Nutcracker Village and Advent Market as being among the top festive events in the state.
"I think having that type of acknowledgment is huge for our community," Nelson said. "What's great about our event is that it's completely free. Families can come and spend as much time as they want, and it's free. It's quite amazing that we are able to do it that way."
Nelson added the city has become an important stop for tourists this time of year, noting the large and increasing number of visitors who make the 40-minute trip from Pittsburgh. But they also are coming from Cleveland, Youngstown, Columbus and other areas. Some make it a day trip while others spend the night.
"That really helps everybody," Nelson said.
That's why it's important for events like the annual light-up that can attract large crowds to continue.
"For me, it means we had an extremely positive event," Mayor Jerry Barilla, who also plays an important role at the fort, said Monday. "It makes Steubenville proud. It's a family event and people gathered to enjoy the camaraderie. All of that represents unity, family and Christmas. I couldn't say it better than that.
"I was teary-eyed up there -- to look out and see how many people there were. I am thankful for the volunteers who make it happen. It was a win for everybody in our city."
That turnout on Nov. 24 could lead to a change in when the city officially lights up for the Christmas season.
"We found that moving it was very successful and are looking at doing it on the day after Thanksgiving in the future," Barilla said.
Just what happens next year and beyond will be determined in the weeks and months to come. For now, the city is taking advantage of the chance to grow in the positive atmosphere that has been created by the opening of the Nutcracker Village and Steubenville Lights Up the Night.
"It was magical," Barilla said. "It was a magical moment for our city. I'm humbled to have been a small part of it."
(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times)