You don’t need a passport to celebrate the joy and magic the holiday season brings in countries near and far.

From November 29 through January 4, Crushers Stadium in Avon will partner with USA Expositions to present the debut of “Christmas Around the World,” an immersive holiday extravaganza filled with live entertainment, food and cultural experiences from almost two-dozen countries. More than 100,000 people from throughout the nation are expected to make the fete part of their seasonal festivities.

“People are used to Christmas light displays they can walk or drive through,” says Lake Erie Crushers president and Avon Lake resident Vic Gregovits. “This holiday event will be so much more immersive.

“Baseball season is obviously very important to us,” he adds, “but one of our overall missions is to make Crushers Stadium a community asset, not only for Avon but for the region throughout the entire year. We believe this festival fits right into accomplishing those goals.” 

The fact that the complex is easily accessible off I-90, with plenty of parking and is familiar to the 90,000 cars that pass by it every day on the freeway are also pluses.

“Christmas Around the World” is being produced by Westlake-based USA Expositions, creators of Cleveland’s Oktoberfest at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds — the largest annual outdoor event in Northeast Ohio, which was voted the best festival of its kind by USA Today readers in 2023 — and Dyngus Day, held in the Gordon Square Arts District on Easter Monday to celebrate Polish culture.

“It took us three years to research what ‘Christmas Around the World’ should include,” says USA Expositions president and Avon Lake resident Adam Roggenburk. “I traveled to Europe to learn what holiday events are like there, and visited cities throughout the United States.

“I realized,” he adds,” that I wanted to create an event similar to Cleveland’s Oktoberfest where generations can come together to honor and celebrate their family’s special heritage. It will be a groundbreaking experience, unlike anyone has ever seen in Northeast Ohio.”

Yuletide customs represented at the fete include those practiced in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Asia, the Middle East, Iceland, Africa, Greece, Italy, Finland, Scandinavia, Spain, France, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, UK, Ireland, Russia — and the North Pole.

“‘Christmas Around the World’ will be a powerful way for our community to come together,” says Garry Gibbs, director of the Lorain County Visitors Bureau, one of the organizations funding the festival. “It will also lead to a huge infusion of economic impact in businesses ranging from hotels to bars and restaurants. People from around the country and beyond will come to experience it.

“I see it,” he adds, “becoming a premier annual tourist attraction.”

Don't Miss 

  • Heated tents with bands performing music from around the world
  • The massive 150-foot high snow tube hill
  • An ice putt-putt course dotted with replicas of iconic landmarks, including London’s Big Ben, Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa and Egyptian pyramids.
  • A 50-foot-tall, animated, interactive Christmas tree, one of the largest in the Midwest
  • The North Pole Sweet Shop, where kids can fill their bags with treats from around the world
  • The largest Glockenspiel in the United States and a favorite attraction at Cleveland’s Oktoberfest, which, during “Christmas Around the World,” will be transformed into the North Pole and feature a stage with live singers and dancers.
  • The opportunity to have family photos taken with Santa in front of screen depicting a choice of cultural scenes linked to personal heritage.