COLUMBIANA, Ohio (WKBN) — Despite the weather Friday, Christmas in Columbiana is like a scene out of a movie as the city began its holiday season with its annual Christmas parade.
“Columbiana is a hallmark Christmas town,” said President of Columbiana Tourism Bureau Bryce Miner.
It was raining on Columbiana’s parade tonight but that didn’t stop the picture-perfect Christmas community from kicking off holidays.
Vylee Garstick and Phil Swope lit up Columbiana’s Christmas tree. It was a special honor for the pair. They’re the remaining original members of Columbiana’s City Charter Commission which was established exactly 50 years ago.
“We studied charters from all over the country and picked what the best parts of each we thought were and wrote a charter for what’s now the city of Columbiana. It’s still standing today and we’re extremely proud of that,” said Swope.
Swope was in his 20s when he helped establish that system. He says it’s been a tremendous success. The city’s population has doubled and now sits at around 7,000 and is full of businesses.
“We felt that it was a tremendous decision. They made our population increase almost 100 percent over the period of time and we’re really proud of our growth and I think we’re prepared to grow into the future,” said Mayor Rick Noel.
“It’s a tremendous honor for them and we’re so thankful for them and their vision to layout our community to the town it is today and so thankful to call Columbiana home,” said Miner.
If you missed Columbiana’s parade, you can still take a ride through Firestone Park to enjoy the Joy of Christmas Light Show 2024. It kicked off Friday and runs from 6-8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Dec. 28.
It’s $20 per car and all the proceeds benefit park maintenance and other events in the city.
