Stark County roundup: News from around the Canton region

Canton Repository
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Karly, 4, along with her sister Morgan, 7, and mother Clarissa Pantzer, read to Gibson the Scottish terrier at the Stark Library Jackson Branch's Pups and Pages program.
Karly, 4, along with her sister Morgan, 7, and mother Clarissa Pantzer, read to Gibson the Scottish terrier at the Stark Library Jackson Branch's Pups and Pages program.

Light Up Canton is Thursday

CANTON − Light Up Canton will be 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday in downtown Canton. Festivities include 14 city blocks of attractions, ice skating, entertainment, refreshments, sleigh rides, singers and dancers, a visit from Santa and a fireworks show. The family-friendly event is free.

Canton Out of Canton food giveaway Dec. 9

CANTON − Canton Out of Canton, a group of former local athletes, scholars and business leaders will team up with the Greater Stark County Urban League to present the fourth annual Warren “Speedy” Pyle’s Food Giveaway at 11 a.m. Dec. 9 at St. Paul AME Church, 1800 Tuscarawas St. E.

The event will run until all the food is given away.

Canton Outside of Canton will hand out turkeys, hams, perishable and nonperishable items during the giveaway. The Greater Stark County Urban League, City of Canton, Stark County Moving Forward, Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, Absolute Health, Aultman Health Foundation and the Hall of Fame Village are helping with the event, which will feed over 1,000 families.

To donate or for more details, contact the Urban League at 330-754-1576.

Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank holds online holiday auction

CANTON – Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank's Holiday Online Auction runs until Nov. 30, with 25 items to bid on and an opportunity to donate to Make A Change for families that are suffering from diaper need and period poverty. The link to the auction https://www.kikoauctions.com/upcoming/details/15015. Auction items include Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Playhouse Square tickets, a Nick Chubbs signed photo plaque, American Girl doll, Sluggers and Putters gift card, Glenmoor Golf for four, and Nintendo Switch.

The diaper bank will distribute 440,000 diapers and period products this year through its network of 25 Community Distribution Partner sites in Stark, Tuscarawas, Carroll, Wayne, Medina, Harrison, and Summit counties, according to a news release. Partners include food banks, social service agencies, health departments, and faith-based organizations.

The nonprofit also supports teens and adult women with period packs are offered through its Distribution Partners and with support of the Stark County Educational Service Center 23 school districts in Stark, Wayne, Carroll, Tuscarawas and Summit counties.

For more information, contact Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank at 330-488-7558.

Stark County Holiday Tour of Homes

CANTON − The Stark Library Foundation's Holiday Tour of Homes will feature local homes decorated for the holidays to raise funds to help support the Stark Library. Tours are from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 3.

Tickets are $50 per person and must be purchased in advance at starklibraryfoundation.org/events. Tour-goers are welcome to tour one or all five decorated homes in Canton and Jackson Township, and tickets are valid for both days.

Holiday rock opera Friday at the Palace

CANTON − The Wizards of Winter, a holiday rock event for the whole family, will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Palace Theatre.

The show features former members of classic rock giants The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rainbow, Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult and Trixter, along with Broadway and theater veterans, performing a Christmas holiday rock opera titled “The Christmas Dream.”

The 11-member ensemble will perform everything from rock and pop to ballads, and Mrs. Claus will visit. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For tickets ($34 to $69) or more information, visit https://cantonpalacetheatre.org/ or call 330-454-8172.

Edison, 5, and mother Carissa Smock read to Gibson the Scottish terrier as sister Ella, 1, holds the leash at the Stark Library Jackson Branch's Pups and Pages program.
Edison, 5, and mother Carissa Smock read to Gibson the Scottish terrier as sister Ella, 1, holds the leash at the Stark Library Jackson Branch's Pups and Pages program.

Canton Country Music sets events

CANTON − Canton Country Music's band for Dec. 3 at the American Legion, 1633 Cleveland Ave. NW, will be the Jim Davidson Band. Donation is $3 at the door, and food will be available. Doors open at 1:15, music and dancing is from 2 to 5 p.m.

Vintage Country Band will play on Dec. 10 for the Christmas Party. Donation will be $5 at the door and will include food. There will be a 50/50 drawing and lottery tree. No alcohol or outside food is permitted.

Santa visits Hartville Kitchen

HARTVILLE − Santa Claus will visit the Hartville Kitchen, 1015 Edison St. NW, from 5 to 7 pm. Tuesday and Dec. 5 and be available for photos. A Santa Scavenger Hunt will be in the Children’s Shop upstairs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18.

Artist Jim Shore will meet guests at The Shops at Hartville Kitchen from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. For information and how to get pieces signed by Shore, visit https://hartvillekitchen.com/events/jim-shore-signing-event/ or call 330-877-9353.

Second Chance for Animals fundraiser

JACKSON TWP. − Second Chance for Animals will hold its annual holiday fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 3 and 10 at Pet Supplies Plus, 4944 Portage St. NW.

Professional photos will be available with Santa and Mrs. Claus for $15. Raffle baskets also will be available (cash only). For more information, email 2ndchance4animals@gmail.com, or phone 330-323-4783 or Pet Supplies Plus at 330-244-1554.

Comic Book, Toy and Nostalgia Convention

JACKSON TWP. − The Canton-Akron Comic Book, Toy and Nostalgia Convention will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at St. George Event Center, 4667 Applegrove St. NW.

There will be vendors, hourly prizes and guest comic creators. Admission is $5; ages 6 and younger free. Parking is free. For more information, call 330-462-3985 or visit https://tinyurl.com/3894z7xj.

Stark County Artists Exhibition opens

MASSILLON − The Massillon Museum’s 2023 Stark County Artists Exhibition will open Thursday with a free public reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Awards will be announced at 7 p.m. The exhibition will continue through Jan. 14.

MassMu’s Aultman Health Foundation Gallery will include 75 works of art selected from 221 submitted by 91 artists.

This year’s jurors are Cleveland artist Davon Brantley; University of Akron associate professor Melissa Stallard; and Salem artist/art instructor Steve Mountz. They will select artwork to be included in the exhibition as well as the prizes: best in show, $300; second place, $200; and third place, $100. Visitors throughout the exhibition will vote for the people’s choice award, $100, which will be announced in January.

The exhibition is annually open to current and former Stark County residents and to those working in Stark County, 18 and older. Artwork in any medium is considered.

Massillon library presents art and safety programs

MASSILLON − Massillon Public Library has scheduled the following programs.

  • Tuesday, 5 to 6 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium, "Start with Art - Jan Brett." Kids in grades 3-6 can get messy with paint and glue as they explore the work of famous artists. This session, they will learn about book illustrator Jan Brett and make their own watercolor paintings and "fascination boxes."

  • Wednesday and Thursday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium, "Home Alone - Staying Safe on Your Own." This two-part series presented by Akron Children's Hospital will teach kids ages 7 to 12 how to stay safe while home alone. From cooking safely to knowing what to do in a weather emergency, this course covers what kids need to know in those situations. A light supper will be served.

For more information, call 832-9831 or visit https://www.massillonlibrary.org/. To register, visit https://massillonlibrary.libnet.info/events.

Luca Stafford, 8, reads to Goose, a black lab, and his owner Libby Smith at the Stark Library Jackson Branch's Pups and Pages program.
Luca Stafford, 8, reads to Goose, a black lab, and his owner Libby Smith at the Stark Library Jackson Branch's Pups and Pages program.

Art show and auction at The Arbors at Minerva

MINERVA − The Arbors at Minerva, 400 Carolyn Court, will hold the Opening Minds through Art show and auction from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 4. OMA is an intergenerational art-making program for people with dementia.

The art show will begin with a reception and silent auction from 6 to 8 p.m. Guests can enjoy appetizers and beverages while meeting the artists, viewing the artwork and bid on the artwork. All proceeds will go toward providing future OMA sessions and assisting older adults. From 8 to 9 p.m., artwork will be presented to the highest bidders.

The Arbors at Minerva partnered with Kent State University's nursing program, which provided volunteers to assist the residents one-on-one in the art-making process. OMA was created by experts at the Scripps Gerontology Center at Ohio’s Miami University more than 10 years ago. Learn more about OMA at scrippsoma.org.

Sing Stark Chorale concert Dec. 3

PLAIN TWP. − Sing Stark Chorale will present “Under the Winter Sky” concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at Canton Trinity United Church of Christ, 3909 Blackburn Road NW. Admission is $15.

For tickets, visit https://singstark.ticketspice.com/sing-stark-chorale-under-the-winter-sky. For more information about Sing Stark, visit https://www.singstark.org/ or email info@singstark.org.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County roundup: News from around the Canton region