If you don’t think 10 years can make a big difference, all you have to do is to take a look at downtown Steubenville.

There have been a lot of changes in the past decade, and many of them have been driven by the excitement generated around the Steubenville Nutcracker Village and Christmas at the Fort.

Both events helped to launch the holiday season the week of Thanksgiving, and both make this time of year a little brighter.

“Tonight is a super-exciting event,” Mark Nelson explained while trying to get warm inside the Nutcracker Village Welcome Center on Fourth Street shortly before opening ceremonies began on Nov. 26. “The project was started 10 years ago with the goal of the revitalization of downtown Steubenville and the growing of the community.”

Nelson’s the owner of Nelson Fine Art and Gifts, and together with his family, volunteers and members of the Steubenville Cultural Trust, he has helped to make the Nutcracker Village the success that it has become.

“Here we are, 10 years later on opening night, a night very similar to what we had 10 years ago, and the community’s out here and it’s a wonderful celebration,” Nelson added.

There were fewer than 40 nutcrackers that were part of that first season. The roster has steadily expanded, and now includes about 210 of the life-size figures spread throughout the downtown area. That makes it the largest display of its type in the world.

“We never suspected it would grow the way it did, and we are very, very pleased with how it has” Nelson explained. “It attracts people from all over the country. Last year, we saw people from seven different countries come as well.”

He added that since the debut of the Nutcracker Village, about 20 new businesses have opened and around 30 buildings have been sold in the downtown area.

“So, it’s really helping the entire community,” Nelson added.

That momentum that has sprung up around the nutcrackers has helped lead to many other exciting activities in the downtown area, including the monthly First Fridays on Fourth; the Steubenville Eggsibition, which is held during the Easter season and features nearly 50 hand-painted giant Easter eggs; and the Catfish Crawl Artwalk, which brings about 15 giant catfish that have been painted by local artists to the city’s streets.

Excitement generated by the return of the nutcrackers carried over to Historic Fort Steuben on Nov. 29, when the city held its annual Steubenville Lights Up the Night. It’s an evening that holds special meaning to Jerry Barilla.

“I think that the light-up night means it is a community event,” Barilla said just before the city’s annual Christmas lighting event got underway. “I think people are finally over all of the political stuff that we’ve gone through. This event says, hey, let’s have family, let’s be at peace, let’s share fellowship and friendship. What you see here tonight is a gala of happiness.”

Barilla was doing double duty at the event, representing the community as mayor and through his work for the fort.

There is plenty to do at the fort, just as there is with the Nutcracker Village. There are vendors and activities for children, as well as live music events. And it’s all, for the most part, made possible through the efforts of volunteers.

The Nutcracker Village, in fact, sprang from a discussion Nelson and Barilla had after the mayor suggested putting nutcrackers in the windows of closed buildings in the downtown area.

“I want to congratulate Mark Nelson and his family and the nutcracker display,” Barilla said while speaking to those who had gathered to see the city’s tree officially lighted and enjoy the fireworks display that followed. “Because of them, we are nationally known. It’s something unique, something you just don’t find anywhere else.”

It was a sentiment shared by Matt Grimshaw, president and CEO of Trinity Health System, title sponsor of Christmas at the Fort.

“If it not for Jerry, I don’t think we’d have any of this,” said Grimshaw, who will soon be leaving Steubenville to take on a new role with CommonSpirit Health in Kentucky. “So, Nelsons, Jerry, thank you, and for all of the volunteers, on behalf of Trinity, thank you for making this one of the biggest tourist events in the Ohio Valley, ever.”

“What a beautiful and perfect evening to kick off the 10th anniversary of Christmas at the Fort,” added Joe Wallace just before the lights were turned on.

“On behalf of all of our friends at the university, we’re so blessed to be in this community of Steubenville and to be a part of everything that’s happening downtown.”

Like Barilla, Wallace was wearing a couple of hats. He’s the director of community relations at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and also is the coach of the Barons’ mens basketball team. Wallace was joined by members of his team in leading the countdown to the lighting of the tree. The university is the sponsor of the 32-foot-tall Christmas tree at the fort.

“This is the 10-year anniversary of having Christmas down here, and it is just such a special gathering, people can be downtown and celebrate Christmas and the Christmas season together,” Wallace explained before the ceremony began. “It means a lot for the university to be a part of this — it means so much for Steubenville.”

By the time the Nutcracker Village and Christmas at the Fort wrap up, it’s likely that somewhere in the vicinity of 100,000 people will have taken in much of what is offered at the events.

Bringing that many people into the community is important. And it all starts with the kick-off ceremonies for the Nutcracker Village and Christmas at the Fort. Those events, which attracted residents from across the Tri-State Area and beyond who came for nothing more than to enjoy themselves and experience the camaraderie inspired by the Christmas season, mean a lot for the community.

“I think we need more and more nights like this. We have so many outstanding people here in Steubenville and all of our surrounding communities, but when we come together, great things happen,” reflected the Rev. Jason Elliott. The pastor of First Westminster Presbyterian Church in Steubenville, Elliott was speaking shortly after he delivered the blessing of the tree.

“This is another example and indicative of when we’re willing to work together and come together as a community that outstanding things happen,” he added. “I hope this becomes the blueprint and continues forward. It’s the 10th anniversary, but, my goodness, when we start to look at our economy and a vision for transforming our region, a night like tonight can bring that into perspective — just working together.”

(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times.)