SHELBY, Ohio – A beloved holiday tradition makes its way back to Shelby on Nov. 22 with the city’s third-annual Moments of Christmas Magic hosted by the Shelby Area Business Group.
After a yearlong planning process to entertain an expected crowd of more than 3,000, this year’s event involves more than 55 businesses in downtown Shelby and other city and county organizations.
The main event will begin at 5 p.m. with the highly-anticipated arrival of the Ashland Railway’s Polar X-Press. This year’s train arrival will take place along High School Avenue across from Central Gymnasium, a different location than in years past.
Jennifer Arms, president of the Shelby Area Business Group, said the train arrival moved locations at the suggestion of Ashland Railway due to safety and liability issues.
In years past, parents and children ignored safety barriers put in place. Some walked across the tracks to set children on the train.
“We want this event to go on as long as possible, and if something happened it would be shut down immediately,” said Arms. “We want it to stay positive.”
The public will have the opportunity to take pictures with the train and the many Christmas characters arriving with the train, as long as safety barriers are respected and children are kept away from the train area. Arms noted the Polar X-Press has been upgraded this year, with new murals painted on the train.
“If you think the first train was cool, wait until you see this one,” she said.
After the arrival of the Polar X-Press, the conductor will perform his traditional reading of the accompanying story. This year’s story time will be held on a stage across from Central Gymnasium.
In the meantime, before the arrival of the train at 5 p.m., all stores and activity centers will keep the public abreast of the train’s arrival at 30-, 15- and five-minute intervals.
The holiday fun will begin at 1 p.m. with the opening of downtown businesses hosting special activities for both children and adults. The activities can be found by looking for Christmas characters and signage outside the storefronts along Main Street.
Between 1 and 3 p.m., downtown businesses (including Roush’s Floors & More, the Coolest Shop in Town, Pretty Flamingo, FOE Eagles, Legends Sports Bar & Grill, and Connie’s Place) will provide raffles, snacks, Christmas crafts, and letter writing stations for Santa Claus.
A number of holiday characters will be present as well, including the Grinch, Rudolph, the Christmas mouse, Scooby Doo, a Christmas angel and a live Nativity scene.
The downtown businesses will also provide a number of opportunities for pictures with Santa Claus. Roush’s Floors & More will host Santa Claus starting at 1 p.m., Pretty Flamingo will have Santa Claus starting at 3 p.m., and the Shelby Fire Department will have Santa Claus after the arrival of the Polar X-Press. All pictures must be taken with your own camera.
At 1:30 p.m., parade line-up will begin at the Lutheran Church parking lot, with the annual Polar X-Press Parade beginning at 2:30 p.m. The parade will travel west on Main Street, turn north on Gamble Street, east on Whitney Avenue, and will disperse on Mohican Street at the Sack-and-Save.
Children’s activities at Central Gymnasium on High School Avenue will begin at 3 p.m., hosted by Pioneer Career & Technology students. All activities within Central Gymnasium will be free, but only available while supplies last.
Inside the gymnasium, children will have the opportunity to decorate their own Christmas cookies, make a Christmas craft, and write letters to Santa Claus with the assistance of Pioneer students.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Explorers will host a fingerprinting booth, and the Shelby Cruise-In will have a drawing for a boy’s and girl’s bike. Entertainment will be provided by local DJ Ed Gutchall, the Richland Performing Arts, and the Shelby Dawgettes.
Social media users are encouraged to add pictures from this year’s event on Facebook and include the hashtag #SABG and #shelbypolarexpress.
Parking for Shelby’s Moments of Christmas Magic will be available at the Skiles Field parking lot and off Tucker Avenue, marked by event parking signs and staff. Restrooms will be available within Central Gymnasium and by portable toilets beside the cabin on High School Avenue.
Arms noted Moments of Christmas Magic was initially established to help the Shelby Area Business Group kick off “Small Business Saturday” the following weekend on Nov. 28. By encouraging shoppers to participate by shopping in local, independently owned businesses including downtown Shelby, the Shelby Area Business Group fulfills its mission to foster community development.
“We are challenging and urging the public to buy local whenever possible this Christmas season, and other times throughout the year,” said Arms.
For more information about Moments of Christmas Magic and the Shelby Area Business Group, email shelbyareabusinessgroup@yahoo.com or visit the group’s Facebook page.
