35th Christmas in Springboro event kicks off the holiday season

Organizers expect more than 60,000 visitors for the three-day festival

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

The 35th edition of the Christmas in Springboro festival opens at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18 and is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the community.

Gavin Peters, festival president, said the holiday event has grown from a single afternoon to the final three-day festival of each calendar year in the Tri-State region.

“We’re expecting between 60,000 and 75,000 over the three-day festival,” he said.

The event in historic downtown Springboro runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Christmas in Springboro will offer a continuous shuttle bus service from Springboro Junior High, with drop off at Clearcreek Elementary during the festival weekend.

Bus operation hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Peters said the family-friendly festival is popular because of the large amount of food vendors (30 this year), various types of entertainment ranging from school groups to a couple of rock and roll bands in the evenings, a hospitality tent, and a children’s tent, and craft tents with 80 craft-related vendors.

In addition, there will be various rides, a zip-line, ice skating, and new this year, an axe-throwing area.

“The festival has grown so much because it’s the last three-day festival of the year and the first Christmas festival of the season that has always been on the weekend before Thanksgiving,” Peters said. “It helps people get into the Christmas spirit, and they come out in droves.”

There is also a 5K festival run starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, and late registration is available online at springborofestivals.com or before the race at the entertainment tent.

The festival’s annual parade starts at noon Saturday and will head south to north on Main Street. Peters said as of Tuesday, there were 86 entries in the parade.

For more festival info, visit springborofestivals.org.

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