New Philipsburg holiday event was inspired by big, beloved holiday landmark

A new holiday event is coming to the area this season, one that organizers hope will give residents a glimpse of what Philipsburg was like in its heyday.

Philipsburg’s Mid-Century Christmas, hosted and sponsored by the Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation, will be held on Dec. 14 along Front Street in downtown Philipsburg. The event is intended to transport event-goers back to the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s — a time when Philipsburg Borough was in its prime.

PRC President Eric Rusnak said that the event was inspired by a seasonal borough landmark constructed during that time period — the huge Santa Claus display, affectionately known as Big Santa, that’s erected each year at Cold Stream Dam.

“That massive Santa Claus was built in the ‘60s, and that train of thought led us to want to show people a glimpse of what Christmas in Philipsburg was like during that time — a time when the borough was at its best,” Rusnak said. “We also hope that it helps them imagine what another heyday in Philipsburg could look like in the future.”

The PRC has been working toward that future by tackling the blight problem that’s been facing the borough in recent years. In May, the PRC was awarded a $147,000 grant to turn a formerly-blighted property into a small community park, and the PRC’s headquarters at 104 and 110 N. Front Street was also a blighted property that’s been renovated for modern use.

In the ‘60s, Rusnak said a substantial amount of money was brought into the borough due to a boom in the coal mining industry, which thrust Philipsburg and the surrounding area into the spotlight as a premier destination for visitors and mining companies alike.

While the borough may not be the same as it was back then, those going to the Dec. 14 event will find reminders of past Philipsburg Christmases all along Front Street. Windows of nearly every business on the street have been adorned with decorations themed to the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, with no two storefronts looking the same.

Many of the decorations are from that time period as well, according to event organizer Ronni Murphy, who also called the businesses’ decorating work “a huge community effort.”

“While I’m sure there are some businesses that are decorating their windows with modern decorations, to my knowledge, most of them are using decorations that they, their friends or their families have saved from that time period,” Murphy said. “If a business is looking for more window decorations or doesn’t have enough, other businesses in town have come to help them out. It’s been really awesome to see that kind of togetherness here.”

Some of the unique window displays that can be seen along Front Street include a “Susie Snowflake” display, “A Christmas Story” display, a “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” display and more.

There will also be windows displaying holiday themed paintings, courtesy of recent Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District graduate Colton Hanson and current P-O senior Camille Stanton.

Those attending the celebration will be asked to vote for their favorite window display on the event’s Facebook page. Event-goers can also cast a vote for the best-decorated wreath, with each wreath made by a student from P-O and Moshannon Valley school districts. The winners will be announced during the lighting of the Christmas tree at 6:30 p.m.

Other festivities include: appearances from Santa Claus, the Grinch and Clearfield County’s beloved Rudolph and Rudy; performances from the P-O Select Choir and the Work in Progress youth band; a showing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Rowland Theatre; sales and giveaways at several Front Street businesses; a soup sale at Brown Dog Catering; and a “Mid-Century Bash” at the Dead Canary Brewing Company, featuring the Second Chance Band.

A full list of events can be found on Facebook, with the schedule kicking off starting at 10 a.m. Dec. 14.

More about Philipsburg’s iconic Santa

The Philipsburg Elks Club is in charge of getting the 37 1/2-foot-tall Santa display set up for the holiday season, and member Jay Harrington expects the landmark to go up on Sunday.

When standing, the massive wooden Christmas icon is believed to be the tallest Santa display in Pennsylvania. It was painted in the 1960s by the late Bill Adams, and also includes a huge painted toy bag and toy soldiers. The “A” on the wooden block inside Santa’s toy bag serves as Adams’ signature on the piece.

The beloved display has been at various spots in Philipsburg through the years but has made an appearance at Cold Stream Dam every year since 2005.

Some of the spots it’s been situated at have been in the parking lot of the Philipsburg American Legion, outside the Harbor Inn and in front of CMP Energy, formerly the Mitchell Oil Company.

While the Cold Stream Dam will remain the site of the landmark for the foreseeable future, Harrington said it’s far from the perfect location, and someday, a move could be on the cards.

“Cold Stream is a fantastic place for Santa because so many people can see him coming into town, but we have had to do a decent amount of maintenance on him since he’s been located there,” Harrington said. “It’s a very windy spot down there, and sometimes the moisture from the dam blows into the wood, weakening it or tarnishing the paint. I can’t say for certain if we’ll ever move him again, but if we do, it’ll be because we found the absolute perfect spot.”

Wherever Philipsburg’s cherished Kris Kringle ends up at though, Harrington believes the giant Santa will continue to be loved by the borough’s residents and visitors alike, much as it has been since its creation.

“I think that statue is incredibly important to this town and its history,” Harrington said. “Tons of folks have seen it over the decades it’s been here, and no matter where it’s been at, people still love it. I’ve heard stories of people from other countries who happened to have been in Philipsburg and seen it, and it’s caused them great joy. I’d like to think that it’ll create joy for a lot more people over the years too.”