Christmas in the Ville is a holiday tradition in the making as it celebrates the completion of its fifth season. 

Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce President Sherri Wilt says the main goal of the event, which runs from early-December and early-January, is to bring people downtown to celebrate the Christmas season and shop local. Wilt says the Chamber estimates there was over 20,000 people that visited downtown Bartlesville. She says she went down to Christmas in the Ville at the Chamber Depot, 201 SW Keeler Avenue, on Christmas Eve because they were receiving calls from their security company stating that there were people on site milling around and wanting to be there even though the area was closed.

Having a big turnout for Christmas in the Ville means people were stopping to eat and shop at local venues.

Wilt says Christmas in the Ville saw over 5,600 people take to the ice skating rink in 2021. Wilt says they saw an almost a 5-percent increase from 2020. She says 2020, however, was up 16-percent from the year prior.

Weather played a factor in this matter as well. Wilt says the ice rink was open 14.5 hours less in 2020 than in 2021. She thanks high temperatures in the 80s for keeping Christmas in the Ville open. In 2020, wind chills made temperatures fall below zero at times.

Out of town skaters was up, too. Wilt says more people from southeast Kansas came to Christmas in the Ville this year. She says they were even able to attract resident from Skiatook and Collinsville to town.

Over 100 volunteers served during Christmas in the Ville. Wilt gave kudos to ConocoPhillips for enhancing its Christmas lights last holiday season. She is appreciative of everyone that made this season special.