Photo by John Eaton

A young girl meets a reindeer at Christmas On Main Street.

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 8, 9 and 10, Christmas On Main Street will celebrate the rich history of Wellsboro’s production of Christmas ornaments made from the late 1930s to the late 1950s and beyond when the town was known as “The Glass Ornament Capital of the World.” 

Historic Christmas ornaments made at the Corning Glass Works Wellsboro plant will be on display in 34 Wellsboro businesses and the Gmeiner Art and Cultural Center all three days. 

The guidebook with a passport to the display locations can be purchased for $5 at four different businesses. They are: Pop’s Culture Shoppe at 25 Main Street, the Penn Wells Hotel at 62 Main Street, Wild Asaph Outfitters at 71 Main Street and The Farmer’s Daughters at 11719 Route 6, all in Wellsboro.

The names of visitors who get their passports stamped at 10 or more display locations and turn them in no later than 6 p.m. this Sunday, Dec. 10 will be entered in a drawing being held later that night. The three winners will be contacted and each will receive a basket of gift cards and merchandise valued at $150 or more. Those who enter the drawing need not be present to win.

All three days, there will be $5 one-hour walking tours of downtown Wellsboro to learn about life in the 1930s and 40s especially around Christmastime, including the buildings, businesses and people that made Wellsboro what it is today; tours of Goodhart’s Inn at 49 Central Avenue for $5 to see its Victorian charm, period décor and six live evergreen trees decorated for the holidays as well as to enjoy refreshments, a photo op with a live Victorian Santa and take home a keepsake ornament; an open house at Kelly’s Canyon Country Craft; trunk shows and sample sales featuring hats by Christine A. Moore at Dunham’s Department Store; an opportunity to meet local author Kevin Coolidge at From My Shelf Books and Gifts, creator of the Totally Ninja Raccoons 10-book series; photo op at West End Artisan Shop,152 Main Street; and an opportunity to play the “Christmas Story” game at Pop’s Culture Shoppe, 25 Main Street for a prize and a chance to take home a “major award.” 

Also on Friday will be a concert featuring Driftwood at the Deane Center.

At 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Warehouse Theatre at 3 Central Avenue,the Hamilton-Gibson Women’s Project is presenting “Holiday Shorts & Sweets” featuring 3 holiday-themed one-act plays, seasonal musical numbers, and readings of 6 creative holiday letters.

Among Saturday’s activities will be an opportunity to visit with live reindeer outdoors; see a Live Nativity on the Deane Center lawn; cast votes for a nonprofit to receive five percent of Saturday’s proceeds at Wild Asaph Outfitters; see “Elf” for $1 at the Arcadia Theater; attend open houses with refreshments at the Robinson House Museum, Tussey-Mosher Funeral Home and book sale and open house at the Green Free Library; free horse drawn wagon ridesbeginning at the Sherwood Motel and traveling down Main Street and a visit with Sparky the “Christmas” donkey; pictures with Santa’s Elves at Seniors Creations & Main Street Olive Oil, Candy Cane Sundae & Hot Chocolate Floats at The Main Street Creamery and holiday drink samples and bottle sales from Nomad Distillery of Williamsport at Dunham’s Furniture.

Offered at the UPMC Hospital Auxiliary Christmas on Main Street Craft Show on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall on Walnut Street in Wellsboro will be a variety of candles, soaps, crocheted items, Christmas treats, Christmas glass, wooden planters, fleece blankets, handmade jewelry, scarves, children’s items and more. The UPMC Auxiliary will be holding a bake sale including bread pudding. For lunch will be a variety of homemade soups and beverages. 

On Sunday will be Brunch with Santa from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Penn Wells Hotel with a delicious brunch buffet, holiday music and time with Santa (call the Penn Wells at 570-724-2111 for reservations); Hamilton-Gibson’s “Messiah: A Community Sing” at 2:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; and at 4 p.m. “Sights & Sounds of Christmas” Parade on Main Street.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Gmeiner Art and Cultural Center at 134 Main Street is hosting a PA Route 6 Makers market featuring Route 6 vendors.

For a detailed schedule for Dec. 8, 9 and 10 activities, visit WellsboroChristmasOnMainStreet.com.