Christmas happenings aplenty in Youngstown

Lewiston Porter Sentinel, December 3, 2005

Not to be overshadowed by the plethora of Lewiston Christmas Walk celebrations taking place this weekend at various locations in the Village of Lewiston, Youngstown officials report there are holiday happenings aplenty taking place in that community over coming weeks.

Leading off, the Village of Youngstown Recreation Department has announced plans for a rather special Christmastime happening of its own – “Holiday In the Village.”

Sponsored by the Recreation Department, “Holiday in the Village” takes place Saturday, Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Village Red Brick Municipal Hall, 240 Lockport St.

The festivities begin with the Donuts the Clown Magic Show for the little ones, and continue in the afternoon with visits from Santa, face painting activities, children’s crafts, refreshments and more.

Open to area residents of all ages, attendees are encouraged to bring an ornament for decorating, which will adorn this year’s village tree and then be kept for use in future years.

For further information, contact the Recreation Department at 745-3606.

The following weekend, residents are invited to partake in a holiday favorite with the holding of “Winter Nights by Candlelight,” a fund-raiser to benefit Old Fort Niagara. This event will take place evenings, Friday, Dec. 16 and Saturday, Dec. 17 on the Fort grounds.

Visitors are asked to arrive the Fort Niagara Lighthouse between 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. either night. Guides will be on hand to lead them through several of the historic Fort’s buildings and fortifications, where soldiers of the 1700s period will tell stories of life at Fort from Christmas time of centuries past.

Inside the Fort’s French Castle, visitors will be able to explore rooms that have been decorated in a Christmas theme by members of the Youngstown Garden Club and illuminated by candlelight. Included will be opportunities to meet 18th century trappers and traders along with French officers and soldiers dressed in period attire, who will share their experiences as well as the holiday traditions of New France.

At scheduled times each evening, visitors can experience the Firing of the Christmas guns, a traditional Colonial spectacle of musket and cannon firings.

Tickets for this event are available at the Fort. For further information, contact the Fort at 745-7611 or visit its Web site at www.oldfortniagara.org.

Rounding out the list of holiday events, the Youngstown Lions Club has announced a rather fun Christmas time event of its own with the annual Holiday Lighting Contest. Open to residences in the Village of Youngstown and Town of Porter, judging of the eye-catching homes carrying a holiday theme will take place by members of the Youngstown Lions Club, Saturday evening, Dec. 17.

Bill Foote, Youngstown Lions Lighting Contest chairman, reports that first-, second- and third-place prizes will be awarded for the most attractive residences. The first place winner will receive a $100 Tops gift certificate, while the second place winner will get a $75 Tops gift certificate and third place a $50 Tops gift certificate.

Lions Club officials report that winners from the last three years are ineligible for consideration.

No purchase is required.

For further information on the Youngstown Lions Holiday Lighting contest, contact Foote by e-mail at dfoote345@adelphia.net.