Crews from the Port Clinton Street Department and the Gill Construction Company put up this year’s Port Clinton Christmas Tree on North Madison Street on Friday,. (Photo by D’Arcy Patrick Egan)

BY D’ARCY PATRICK EGAN

Port Clinton’s annual Christmas tree rolled down the Catawba Peninsula and along the Lake Erie shoreline to downtown Port Clinton last Friday, a magnificent fir that now stands on North Madison Street, ready for the holiday season.

Mother Nature, though, had something to say about it.

“Sunday’s gale force winds wreaked havoc with our Christmas tree, and just down the street the winds toppled Wylie Walleye from his trailer,” said Mayor Mike Snider. “Luckily, a couple of Port Clinton firemen were on hand and managed to climb the tree and stabilize it.”

The big evergreen was donated to Port Clinton by Brian and Jana Snyder of Catawba Mini Heated Boat Storage. The Gill Construction Company again transported the massive tree to its final resting place in downtown Port Clinton.

City crews had planned to begin decorating the tree on Monday, but had to shore things up first.

“We’re 90% sure the Christmas tree will be okay, but it did suffer some damage,” said Snider. “We’re not planning an official lighting ceremony, but rather planning a virtual tree lighting on Friday, Nov. 20 at about 6 p.m. if all goes well.”

The 5th annual Sip & Shop to encourage people to come to Port Clinton’s downtown shops and restaurants on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. has been canceled because of the COVID-19 surge right now and new state mandates. Local merchants are hoping a lot of shoppers will still make the trip to browse in the shops and have dinner.