Steubenville Nutcracker Village

The Misson of the Nutcracker Village

The Steubenville Nutcracker Village is a gift to the people of the Ohio Valley, born out of the woodshops of Nelson’s of Steubenville, created to bring magic and hope to a city ready for its next great story.

Sitting on the banks of the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio, the city of Steubenville is home to the world’s largest collection of life-size nutcrackers with 185 at last count and still growing.

Like many river towns in the Rust Belt, Steubenville had to reinvent themselves after the decline of the steel industry which resulted in many families moving away. Local business owner, Jerry Barilla, came up with the idea to put collections of nutcrackers on display throughout the downtown during the Christmas season to help rebuild the community.

In 2015, local businessmen and brothers, Mark and Mike Nelson, and their families were inspired and created the first 6-foot-tall prototype in Mike’s wood shop. Needless to say, the prototype was a hit, and more businesses were also inspired and followed suit. Within three years, 150 nutcrackers filled the downtown and refreshed the spirit of the town.

All of the nutcrackers are carved and painted right in Steubenville. Each nutcracker takes at least 40-hours to design, carve, and paint. Additional hours are spent repairing and keeping the nutcrackers fresh and clean for each new season.

The Steubenville Nutcracker Village is an annual outdoor event that is free and open to the public 24/7 from late November through early January. The event also includes the Advent or Christmas Market which is a centuries-old tradition in Germany that brings the communities together with food, drink, and unique gifts. Maps are available at a number of businesses to find all the nutcrackers, but Leonardo’s Coffeehouse on 4th Street is a good starting point to grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate before heading out. Drosselmeyer’s Nutcracker Shoppe, named after Clara’s godfather in the play “The Nutcracker,” is right next door and has a large number of nutcrackers to take home to display or hang on your tree along with many other Christmas souvenirs. The shoppe is open year-round. Once you have scoured the town for all of the nutcrackers, make your way back to Drosselmeyer’s to claim a prize. Pets are welcome but need to be crowd friendly and on a leash.