How to go
What: Christmas in the Country
Where: Downtown Shandon, Cincinnati Brookville Road (Ohio 126), at the Shandon Congregational Church’s Community House in downtown Shandon and at St. Aloysius Church on Chapel Road (one mile west of downtown)
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1
Cost: Free parking and admission. Open to the public.
More info: (513) 738-0491 or (513) 738-4180
Shandon’s 37th annual old-fashioned Christmas in the Country will include an appearance by Santa Claus, horse-drawn carriage rides and Welsh cakes.
Presented by Shandon Civic Association, the festivities will be held Saturday, Nov. 30, and Sunday, Dec. 1, at the shops and business throughout downtown Shandon, at the Shandon Congregational Church’s Community House and at St. Aloysius Church on Chapel Road. The event will feature a variety of homemade food, drinks, music, antiques, crafts and family-friendly activities.
According to Jon and Sian Stow, event chairs and owners of Plas Cadnant Bed and Breakfast, many of the businesses and churches within the community will participate in the longstanding holiday event.
“This has become a family tradition and the vendors do a lot of business. They come back every year,” said Jon Stow. “All of our neighbors always tell us how great it is. We are a very small community, but people seem to enjoy it.”
As far as a few of the highlights, Santa Claus will make an appearance at the old firehouse Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Dec. 1 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Free carriage rides will be offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. A harpist will also play Welsh music.
In keeping with the strong Welsh heritage of the community, it is only fitting that the event will feature Welsh cakes, which will be available at many locations. The historic local shops will also be open to showcase antiques and collectibles, furniture, country crafts and alpaca products. Visitors can choose to take historic tours that will include a stop at Paddy’s Run Old Welsh Cemetery, which was established in 1821.
“We wanted to bring a Welsh flavor to the event. Both churches will be making Welsh cakes all day. They are a novelty and they’ve become very popular,” said Sian Stow. “Shandon was founded by Welsh immigrants and our home, which is the bed and breakfast was built by a Welshman in 1832.”
Shandon, Southwest Ohio’s first Welsh settlement, was established in 1801. The community is best known for its antique shops, historic Welsh cemetery and annual strawberry festival. The Christmas in the Country event is the community’s largest celebration of the year. A few thousand people are expected to attend. Saturday is the busiest day to visit. After expenses, monies raised go to the Shandon Congregational Church and at St. Aloysius Church.
“This is a chance to step back in time and to reach out to new people within the community,” Sian Stow said. “You can stop in at the bed and breakfast, or the country store as well as the other stores and the two churches.”
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