ASHLAND - A light snow fell in Ashland on Saturday evening for the seventh annual Old-Fashioned Christmas, adding to the ambience of the popular holiday event.
With temperatures hovering around 32 degrees, it was a good evening to bundle up and walk around the downtown business district, listening to carols, enjoying horse-drawn trolley rides and other activities.
Sponsored by Ashland Downtown Inc., Old-Fashioned Christmas began with the idea to get residents and non-residents to come to the downtown, enjoy some entertainment and visit the businesses. Many businesses stayed open or re-opened for the evening, some providing hot beverages and treats as people came in to browse and possibly get a Christmas gift.
While many of the Old-Fashioned Christmas features stayed the same, one major change was the venue.
Usually held on the 700 and 800 blocks of Centre Street, the event moved to Fifth and Centre street where ADI's new mini-park was created and dedicated earlier this year. The park, which contains the town clock, was a place for people to gather for conversation, along with meeting with Santa Claus.
The first block of North Fifth Street was closed to traffic, with tents set up for people to enjoy free hot chocolate, coffee and cookies, buy chances for prizes, and purchase hot dogs and ADI's first Christmas ornament, which will be part of a series.
Near the monument that includes a World War I cannon, the Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts group continued with their own tradition of performing a Living Nativity. The homemade wooden stable used since the beginning of Old-Fashioned Christmas was destroyed last year due to high winds, so a new display was erected at the base of the monument for the actors and singers, who were dressed as the characters in the Nativity story.
Throughout the three-hour event, the sound of horses' hooves was heard along Centre Street as free trolley rides were conducted. Adults and children lined up and waited for their chance to go up and down the street at a slow pace to see Ashland's decorations and buildings.
Richwood Percherons, Herndon, and Running Springs Farm Ltd., Spring Glen, provided the free rides through the sponsorship by ADI, the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce and the Schuylkill Area Community Foundation.
About two blocks away, the Ashland Area Historic Preservation Society held an open house for people to enjoy the many displays of historic Ashland and surrounding area.
ADI Board President Gary Glessner loved the way the evening turned out.
"I feel it's probably the best one we've had so far," said Glessner. "You can't beat the weather, especially with a little bit of snow, which adds to the spirit of Christmas. There are so many people on the horse and carriage rides."