Includes holiday market, reindeer, llamas, singing

The Lawrence County Festival of Trees and Christmas Market starts this Friday and runs through Sunday. It will feature a forest of decorated Christmas trees and handcrafted holiday items, singing, children’s activities as well as real reindeer and llamas.

Massie Schemmel, the past president of Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, said they moved to the Chamber of Commerce building this year because they could have the event a week before Thanksgiving.

“We used to hold it Thanksgiving weekend and that was really tough on our members,” she said. “And we added a market, we will have 20 vendors and it is all hand made gifts, no imported stuff from China. It’s handmade stained glass, woodworking items, scarves, candles.”

She said she spent six years in Germany and the way they celebrated Christmas and it was near and dear to her heart to have a Christmas event, that included things people couldn’t get anywhere else.

“First, we wanted to help local businesses and local artisans, that is the mission of the Chamber,” Schemmel said. “And we wanted to give people the opportunity to get quality handmade items for their family and friends.”

And in the Christmas spirit, the festival will feature “real live reindeer from the North Pole,” said Schemmel. “They will be there on Friday from 3-8 p.m. and on Saturday from 1-6 p.m.

We honestly just thought it would be something totally different, nobody else around here does that. And it will bring in kids and their parents will bid on the trees and that will help fund our local scholarship program, she said.”

Schemmel said part of the money from the event goes to fund the business development and Chamber operations. Half of the money goes for scholarships for Lawrence County students.

“We have done that every year,” she said. “In the past, we have given a $500 scholarship to one senior at every high school in the county and we helped set up a $30,000 endowment at Ohio University Southern.”

There will be approximately 30 decorated Christmas trees up for bid, each has a different theme.

“For example, my tree is a Harley Davidson tree. But it’s orange and black, so it could work for Ironton, too,” Schemmel said. “We will have a Ohio State University and a Marshall tree.

Each one is unique, we have something for everyone.”

Schemmel said that the trees can be delivered to the winner’s home or they can pick it up themselves.

There will be a kid’s event from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, which is free entry with the donation of a non-perishable food item, which will go to a local food bank.

“There will be face painting, ornament making, cookie decorating,” Schemmel said. “And we will have Santa there for photos. We just wanted this to be family friendly.”

The Good New Llamas will also be there. And there will be a live Nativity scene from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday by Jeremiah 13

The Lawrence County Festival of Trees and Christmas Market runs from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Chamber of Commerce building, 218 Collins Ave., South Point.

On Sunday, it goes from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

For more information, go to their Facebook page, Lawrence County Festival of Trees and Christmas Market for a schedule of events.
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