Ghost Town lit up for family fun

Ghost Town Christmas Lights & More, has been offering a family-friendly celebration of the season with lights, decorations, activities, live characters and food. Area residents can still catch the final two evenings of the fun — 5 to 8 p.m. this Monday and Friday — at Ghost Town, 10630 County Road 40, 2½ miles south of Findlay. There is no charge for admission, though donations are welcome. Santa Claus will be there both evenings. This isn't your grandparents' Ghost Town, which at times could be scary. "We wanted to lose that scary Ghost Town and really invited families," said Cheryl Larbus, who with her husband, John, owns Ghost Town. "We're family-friendly. Come and make some family memories." Fifteen buildings are decorated inside and out with themes, like Santa, snowmen and nutcrackers, Christmas village and ice skating. In one of the buildings, the Christmas story is retold. Characters like Sheriff Elfie and The Grinch mingle with visitors. On some nights, church groups have been singing for visitors. A scavenger hunt is offered for families to do together. Along the way, people are welcome to pick up a prize to take home. "We have got ornaments … bells … wreaths … garland … nativities … snowmen," she said. Individuals and families can have their picture taken in front of one of three backdrops. A donut trolley offers snacks, hot chocolate and spiced cider. The Christmas season event was originally the idea of an event coordinator, who a couple of years ago sought donations of decorations from the community. "We got so many it filled up half of a semi trailer, packed up a huge attic, plus multiple buildings," Larbus said. The event coordinator went on to do other things. Larbus felt a little overwhelmed. "We had all of these decorations and were not sure what was going to happen," she said. Then last year, the Larbuses and others used some of the donations to decorate the nearby Pleasant Grove Church for Christmas and held an open house. People loved it, and wanted more. "People were a little disappointed the whole (Ghost Town) didn't get decorated," she said. So the Larbuses found a team of volunteers this year to decorate the whole town. "It just took on a life of its own," John Larbus said. The Larbuses not only found enough volunteers, they found the right people. Their talents, tastes and interests are reflected in the motifs in each of the buildings, Cheryl Larbus said.