Not just because walkways around the mill were lined with pine boughs and red bows for the holidays, but because her sister, Donna McElroy, was visiting from Nevada, and they decided to visit the mill together.

They were among the thousands of people who thronged to the park over the weekend to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the Olde Fashioned Christmas at the Mill. It’s an annual event that organizers say draws people home each year from far and wide.

The event took place Saturday and Sunday.

“Most of the people we’ve talked with today said they’ve been doing this for years,” said Ginny Elser, special events programs manager for Mill Creek MetroParks. “They’re coming from all over the country to little ol’ Youngstown because it’s home.”