Steubenville’s holiday tradition, Nutcracker Village, turns 10 this year and to celebrate, organizers will be debuting 10 new, life-sized statues. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Steubenville’s holiday tradition, Nutcracker Village, turns 10 this year and to celebrate, organizers will be debuting 10 new, life-sized statues.

Chief Designer Therese Nelson Fedoryka said the anniversary is a big one — marking not only the beginnings of the ever-popular Nutcracker Village a decade ago, but also the “the beginning of a renaissance for downtown Steubenville.”

“A majority of the downtown buildings were vacant (then) and have since been purchased and are in varying stages of renovation, with at least 10 new businesses opened since 2015,” Fedoryko said.

“As with any new venture, the goal is always a ‘success story,'” she said. “We are proud to have started an event that kicked off a new culture for Steubenville, one that is living and therefore must change and adapt with its surroundings and members. Not only does the Steubenville Nutcracker Village bring thousands of tourists to the area, but it sparked the creation of numerous downtown events, such as First Fridays on Fourth Street, various street markets and dances and many new public art projects.”

This year, Steubenville Nutcracker Village will have 215 inhabitants. The 10 new Nutcracker Village arrivals include a fairytale princess, a Christmas Story classic and a fully-articulating kung-fu king — but if you want to know more about them, Fedoryka said you’ll have to be downtown for the 2024 season opener, Nov. 26, “for the big reveal.”

“We won’t be giving any more details on the 10 new nutcrackers until after opening night,” she said.

Attendance peaked last season, with 60,000 unique visitors to Nutcracker Village. Organizers say it’s drawn tens of thousands of tourists from every U.S. state as well as across the globe to Steubenville to “enjoy the whimsical experience and visit the birthplace of Christmas crooner, Dean Martin.”

Fedoryka isn’t saying what surprises they have in store this year.

“By definition, a surprise must be unexpected,” she said. “Visitors can expect more of what makes the Nutcracker Village lovable — nutcrackers, lights, sparkle and magic.”

Fedoryka said additional events are being added daily, including live theater performances, concerts, craft days and more. Check their website — SteubenvilleNutcrackerVillage.com — for schedule updates.

But on weekends, there will be food trucks, live entertainment and visits from both St. Nicholas and Santa Claus as well as the Advent Market — featuring items from local artisans and crafters. There’s also a German Gluhwein Garden, filled with hot mulled wine, cider and local craft beer, Polar Express hayrides, the Library StoryWalk and the Children’s Corner.

This year will also bring the return of “The Artistry of the Nativity: The Dvorsky Collection,” showcasing Broadway star George Dvorsky’s extensive collection of more than 400 crèches from around the world. It will be on display in one of the historic Fourth Street storefronts with a Dec. 21 Christmas concert at the Renaissance Ballroom from Dvorsky himself.

This year, organizers say they’re gaining many large corporate sponsors from the region and beyond. Anyone interested in making a donation or helping sponsor an activity, display or nutcracker should visit https://www.steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com/.

Steubenville Nutcracker Village’s 2024 season will run through Jan. 10.