decorated downtown store windows set the stage for Saturday's holiday parade

The windows of Youngstown are trimmed with tinsel.

Why?

This Saturday the winner of the first-ever downtown youngstown window decorating contest will be announced, and a whole lot more.

This year's holiday parade will be really ramped up compared to years past. Besides the parade, there will be a lot to do...

10am - Oh WoW opens up for the day, filled with science and family fun. (till 7pm)

1pm - "The Nutcracker" by Ballet Western Reserve will be at the Warner Theater

1pm - at 20 Federal Place (the ol Strouss') there will be free train rides, free hands-on activities by the SMARTS downtown pioneers, baked good vendors, Youngstown Club nippy cheese, more food, and fresh-cut wreaths and garlands for purchase.

3pm - the parade gets underway, with floats and floatsam down Federal Street.

4pm - the Central Square downtown christmas tree will be lit, with Santa making an appearance. Free pictures with Santa courtesy of YSU photography students.

7pm -  another "The Nutcracker" performance by Ballet Western Reserve

Looking to be a nice day Saturday with 50 degrees and Sunny!

Many of the newest downtown lunch and coffee shops will be open as well...

Here's a few pictures of some other downtown windows:

well done!

I love how our architecture is captured in the reflections of the windows.

The handprint wreaths on the Oh Wow center are really imaginative...

And the YSU Student Art Association (SAA) deserves mad props for decorating many many windows downtown with high quality paintings.