*as seen North Canton Living Magazine November 2023
My grilled cheese oozed in my hand as I dipped it in the creamy tomato basil soup. On his knees, my five-year-old companion watched earnestly as he copied my action. We were discussing the best soup-to-sandwich ratio. We were factoring the angle of the bread into the bowl, the level of the dip, the heat of the elements and melting points as well as the follow-up sip of ice water. He approached our lunch with an analytical mind as we sat in the Leonardo Coffee Shop in downtown Steubenville. Gaily dressed customers stood patiently in line with Santa hats and elf costumes. Christmas music played quietly in the background as we munched contentedly on our lunch.
Downtown Steubenville celebrates the holidays with life-size nutcrackers up and down the streets and on every corner. More than 200 nutcrackers from the Wizard of Oz to Dr. Who graced the sidewalks of the historic downtown. The sun was shining on this late November afternoon and perfect for exploring.
The Steubenville Public Library created a storytime walk-like scavenger hunt. Scattered through the downtown blocks were pages of a nutcracker-inspired children’s story. The first page was outside of the coffee shop and my young companion was itching to start exploring.
The Nutcracker Village began in 2015 as a gift to the people of the Ohio Valley. Each nutcracker takes at least forty hours to design, carve, and paint according to their website. That is over 8,000 hours of work to create the village.
Many of the nutcrackers are sponsored by local businesses and often represent the business. Such as the soldier nutcrackers in front of Fort Steuben and the police nutcrackers in front of, well, the police station.
But there is more than the corporate representation on display. There is Superman and Lois Lane, Buckeye Pride, and the cast of The Wizard of Oz. And more. So much more.
We wandered up and down Fourth Street – down to Fort Steuben – and back on the Holly Trolly as we searched for all the nutcrackers. As we came upon each page of the storybook walk, I appreciated the colorful illustrations, and imaginative story but also the prompts at the bottom of the page. My young friend took them quite seriously answering each question earnestly.
Steubenville is a town facing urban decay; factories shutting down; changes in the energy industry and the overall struggles of many small Ohio towns. But this afternoon, this year, as we strolled and dodged buggies and dogs, I felt hopeful for the community. There is genuine joy in their nutcracker village. A true Christmas spirit.
What I Learned
There is real artistic mastery to each nutcracker from the funny to traditional to garish. Each one a delight. For more on how they are made and maintained, check the video below.
Fort Steuben is interesting in its own right as an important part of Ohio history.
The grilled cheese sandwich to tomato soup ratio is relative. Pickles ruin the vibe.
Five-year-olds are inexhaustible.
Before You Go
The Nutcracker Village will be on display until January 7th, 2023. For more details, https://www.steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com/
The special of the day grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup was delicious and only $6 at Leonardo’s Coffee Shop. Order spiced cider to go for a warm treat and only $2.00.
If you want to imbibe, then visit the Gluhwein Garden for mulled wine. I ordered a special ornamental mug and I must admit the hot mulled wine warmed me to my toes.
Walking shoes are a must! If you do the storybook walk, you will miss pages and retrace your steps. This is lovely because you will find something you missed before! So take your time and enjoy the experience.
