Area communities to celebrate holidays with Santa, shopping, music and more

With the Christmas season at hand, businesses and communities are planning a long list of holiday activities now through New Year's Day. Fremont will be busy with many activities in downtown and at the Rutherford B. Hayes Center.

Area cities and villages also have holiday sales, craft shows and fun activities aimed at both children and adults. Here is a list of some of those activities in Sandusky County:

Bellevue

Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum, 233 York St., will hold its annual Holiday Train trip on Nov. 25, Nov. 26, Dec. 2, Dec. 3, Dec. 9 and Dec. 10. Tickets are $6 and must be purchased in advance. Ride the train, enjoy cocoa and meet Santa Claus. Visit madrivermuseum.org/events.

St. Paul Episcopal Church, 282 W. Main St., will hold a benefit Christmas Concert and singalong at 4 p.m. Dec. 10. Special performers include Marianne Webb, vocalist; Pastor Ed Kovacik, trumpet; Rose Darling, pipe organ, and Geoffrey Darling, emcee and actor. A free will offering will benefit the church, Flat Rock Homes, Care Center and Community Services.

The Bellevue Community Christmas Parade will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 7. There is no fee to enter the parade. Download a parade registration form by visiting: fnblifetime.com/2023/10/27/2023-bellevue-christmas-parade-registration or pick up a form at First National Bank located at 120 North St. Registration deadline is Nov. 30.

Clyde

Doebel's Flowers and Greenhouse Petting Zoo, 401 W. McPherson Highway, a long-time Clyde tradition, will open again this year beginning Nov. 25 and remain open through Christmas Week. The zoo had been closed in recent years partially due to the pandemic. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. There is no cost to visit the Petting Zoo. The greenhouse also will have a large area set up for visitors to pose for photos including a porch, sleigh and more. Donations to help cover the cost of the zoo are welcome.

Jingle on Main will be 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 8. Several downtown Clyde businesses will host 30 vendors to set up at their stores for holiday shopping. Participating businesses include Buckeye Styles, Wild Brew, Cosi Bella, Sirona Healing, Sandco Sweeties, Blue Collar Bistro, Lash by Haley, Mane Station and Calico Cat. There will be live music in the downtown Main Street area.

The Communities for the Arts will host its last concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra performing at the Clyde High School Auditorium. The Communities for the Arts is folding after 18 years serving the Clyde-Green Springs communities and this will be a free concert with complimentary tickets. Tickets are free and available at the Clyde-Green Springs Board of Education, Clyde Public Library and from Communities for the Arts board members. Any tickets not taken ahead of the show will be available at the ticket window before the show on Dec. 16.

Fremont

The “Hayes Train Special” model train display rolls into the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums on Nov. 24. Admission to the train display, which is in the museum auditorium, is free. A donation box will be available for those who wish to make a gift to Hayes Presidential for the display. The “Hayes Train Special” will remain on exhibit though Jan. 7. For hours and holiday closings information, visit rbhayes.org/visit-us/visitor-information or call 419-332-2081.

The Hayes Trackless Train Rides at the Grove, will be 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 24 at Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums, Spiegel Grove. Kids and adults can ride around Spiegel Grove in a train. Romick Railway of Findlay will bring its trackless train to the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums and offer rides around the exterior of the museum. Tickets are available online at rbhayes.org/news/2023/11/01/general/ride-miniature-train-through-spiegel-grove-see-model-trains-in-museum. Walk-ins also are welcome.

Lights of Spiegel Grove will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 on the grounds of the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums. Admission is free. The large Christmas tree in the museum rotunda, as well as the rest of the lights around the Grove, will be turned on at 6:15 p.m. Tickets will be sold the day of the event on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are available at rbhayes.org/news/2023/10/31/general/kick-off-the-holiday-season-by-seeing-spiegel-grove-light-up-visit-with-santa-more.

The Downtown Fremont Annual Christmas Tree Lighting will be 7 p.m. Nov. 24 in Downtown Fremont. Use 105 S. Front St., Fremont, as an address if searching for the location using GPS. For more information, visit:  downtownfremontohio.org.

The Santa’s House, Corner of Croghan and Front Street, opens Nov. 24 and will be open 5 to 7 p.m. Fridays; and 1 to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Come visit with Santa and share with him your Christmas wish list. Visit Santa for free. For information, visit downtownfremontohio.org.

Small Business Saturday, Downtown Fremont, is a Nov. 25 and is a day to celebrate and support small businesses. It’s a Holiday. Special discounts and promotions will be happening all day long, not to mention the unique gifts and ideas you will find in small towns. For more information, visit downtownfremontohio.org.

The Toledo Symphony Community Christmas concert will be at Grace Lutheran Church, 705 W. State St., at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1. General admission tickets are on sale at the church office. Ticket prices are adults $10, seniors 65 and older, $8 and students; and students, $5.

The Indoor Holiday Market will be held by Downtown Fremont from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 2. on Front Street in different historical buildings. Vendors, crafters and makers will be selling unique holiday items. Use 105 S. Front St., Fremont, for GPS. For more information, visit:  downtownfremontohio.org.

The Holiday Parade in Fremont will be 6 p.m. Dec. 2. through the downtown district. For more information, visit:  downtownfremontohio.org.

Trinity United Methodist Church, 204 N. Wayne St., will host the Taste of the Season Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 10 followed by the Annual Christmas Concert at 7 p.m. the feature group is the Fremont Ross Choir along with other musical talents. The four-course dinner tickets are $16 with reservations needed by Dec. 3. Call 419-332-8167.

Winter Wonderland at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds, 901 Rawson Ave. will be Dec. 11 to Dec. 22. The Holiday Light Display, will open nightly from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday for drive thru. The walk thru will be 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 15 and 16. For more information, call 419-332-5604 or visit sanduskycountyfair.com.

Ride through the wooded estate of President Rutherford B. Hayes in a horse-drawn sleigh, as the president did when he lived there, or a horse-drawn trolley. Sleigh and trolley rides will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 26, to Dec. 31. Rides are by South Creek Clydesdales. Tickets will be available at rbhayes.org/news/2023/11/03/general/ride-through-spiegel-grove-in-a-horse-drawn-sleigh-or-trolley-during-christmas-week. Advance tickets for the sleigh are recommended.

Experience the Christmas traditions of the Hayes family during Hayes Home Holidays tours offered on two nights in December. Participants will enjoy wassail, a hot spiced cider that was a popular holiday drink during the Victorian era. Tours are Dec. 21, and Dec. 22. Tour times are 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.  Buy tickets at the museum front desk if available or visit rbhayes.org/news/2023/11/01/general/hayes-home-holidays-experience-christmas-traditions-of-the-hayes-family.

The Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration with Downtown Fremont in downtown will be Dec. 31. For more information check the Facebook Page for this event: facebook.com/FremontNYE

Gibsonburg

The Annual Gibsonburg Tree lighting Ceremony will be in Williams Park at 6 p.m. Dec. 2. For more information, call 419-637-2634 or visit: gibsonburgohio.org

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Run and Walk, a Gibsonburg Holiday Tradition, continues for the ninth straight year. The run and walk be 9 a.m. Dec. 9. The 5K (3.1 Mile) run and walk will start and finish at Gibsonburg Town Hall on North Webster Street. As in years past, entry fee for this event will be a new and unwrapped toy or nonperishable food items. Toys are distributed to young people from the community by the Gibsonburg Ministerial Association and Gibsonburg School District and food items are placed on the shelves of the Gibsonburg Food Pantry. For more information or to obtain an entry form call 419-637-2634 or email m.glotzbecker@gibsonburgohio.org.

Green Springs

The Green Springs Holiday Tree Lighting will be 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at the large pine tree on the corner of Broadway and Euclid. The Clyde High School Brass Band will provide music. Santa will be escorted by the Green Springs Fire Department. Hot Chocolate will be provided by the Marion H. Peck Post 295 American Legion Auxiliary.

Woodville

Downtown Woodville will hold Holidays in the Village on Dec. 2. There will be crafts and shopping in the retail shops including ornament making, sweet treats and Santa Claus.

Santa comes to Woodville from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 2 and will be at NeNe's Sweets.

Holiday Crafts for Kids will be hosted at the Woodville Library 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays in December. Children can drop in and get crafty at the library for the holidays.

For upcoming events not included in this list, email details to fre-newsdesk@gannett.com or pcnewsdesk@gannett.com to be included in News Briefs and Community Events in coming weeks.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Area communities plan parades to welcome Santa to kick off holiday season