Newcomerstown in the News: Newcomerstown Now to host Christmas event

NEWCOMERSTOWN − “Who Loves Whoville?”

Village residents will get a chance to answer that question when Newcomerstown Now, a non-profit community development group, will host an event Dec. 17 with pictures with Santa, food trucks, vendors, kids activities, games, prizes and a scavenger hunt.

Pictures of pets with Santa will be available with from 9 a.m. to noon, and pictures of children with Santa will be available from 1 to 4 p.m.

For the scavenger hunt, cards will be available at participating businesses.

Officers of Newcomerstown Now said many activities are planned, and craft vendors or direct sale/home consultant vendors are being solicited.

“We are offering set-ups along Main Street at no cost to vendors,” officers said. “Spots will have access to electricity and tents may be put up. It’s December so no one never know what the weather will be. We are working on an indoor option if vendors are not wanting to set up outside. Indoor spots will be charged a fee and those spots will be limited.”

For more information, call 740-227-8383.

Christmas parade

Newcomerstown Chamber of Commerce will host a Christmas Parade with a “Polar Express” theme on Friday.

Lineup will begin at 4:30 p.m. at Cy Young Park with the parade following at 6 p.m. After the parade, there will be a tree lighting ceremony and a Santa contest.

Any business that would like to participate in the parade should email the chamber at nctchamber@gmail.com; send a message on the Chamber's Facebook page; contact Chamber President Dee Stocker; or call the Newcomerstown Public Library at 740-498-8228.

The parade will end at the Newcomerstown Olde Main Street Museum for the tree lighting ceremony and the "Everyone is Santa" contest. Anyone is welcome to dress up as Santa for a competition. Following the tree ceremony, the "real" Santa Claus will pick the top three Santas for prizes.

Painting to be unveiled

Alan Fitzpatrick, artist/historian, will unveil his portrait of the head of the Delaware (Lenape) Turtle Clan, Chief Netawatwees, at 1 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Olde Main Street Museum on Canal Street.

Fitzpatrick is an author, historian, artist and lecturer with extensive knowledge of 18th Century American History with focus on the Eastern Woodland Native culture in the Ohio Country during the French and Indian Wars through the American Revolution. His six non-fiction American history books detail the Native-American side of the story of wilderness war during the 1700s. Fitzpatrick’s oil portraits are often subjects that he has written about and capture the emotion and spirit of individuals in an ultra-realistic style. Lecturing for more than a decade, his presentations bring to life Native culture during a tumultuous time in history through dress, artifacts and paintings.

Netawatwees is considered to be the founding father of what is known as Newcomerstown. It was Netawatwees , also known as “The Newcomer” that settled along the Muskingum River which is now known as the Tuscarawas River. He had moved his clan from Cuyahoga Falls down to a town he named “Gekelmukpechunk.” Netawatees was known by the whites living in the area as Chief or King Newcomer. Most Europeans bestowing the rank of royalty upon the Lenape Chief whereas this was a foreign concept to most indigenous peoples, Netawatwees or King Newcomer (c. 1686-1776, Lenape) was Sachem (principle chief) and spiritual leader of the Delaware. His name, meaning "skilled advisor" or "first in council," is spelled in a variety of ways including Netaut Twelement, Na-taut-whale-mund, Neattawatways, Netahutquemaled, and Netodwehement.

A book signing and question and answer session will be held after the unveiling. For more information, call 740-498-7735 or email newcomerstownmuseums@gmail.com.

Christmas party

The Newcomerstown American Legion 431, 1 Canal Court, will have a Christmas party for children ages 8 and younger at 1 p.m. Dec. 17. Children should be signed up by Dec. 7. For more information, call 740-498-4110.

Position open

The Water Department has a position open for a Water Distribution and Collection employee. Drop off a resume at the Water Department, 777 E. State St., or fill out an application on the village website.

Senior Citizens

There will be no Bible study or cards at the Newcomerstown Senior Citizen Center in December. Membership renewal starts Jan. 1. The center will be closed Dec. 26-30. Lunch reservations should be called in the previous day by 11:30 a.m. For more information, call 740-498-4523.

To submit an item for “In The News,” email the information to rbooth7747@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Newcomerstown in the News: Newcomerstown Now to host Christmas event