The holiday season is fast approaching and after being forced to shutter their cheer in 2020, holiday events are prepping their triumphant return with bells on.

Here are some key Cincinnati holiday events returning this year:

Macy's Light Up the Square and Downtown Dazzle

Events at Fountain Square are back with a cheerful vengeance after taking a hiatus in 2020. Full holiday programming kicks off Nov. 26, at 6 p.m. with live music and an appearance by Santa Claus. Downtown Dazzle will run Saturdays from Nov. 27 to Dec. 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., where people can watch Santa rappel down a Cincinnati high-rise and enjoy a fireworks display. While on the square, visitors can enjoy the ice rink, which has been open since Nov. 1 and several other attractions.

Kings Island WinterFest

WinterFest returns: The park began transforming into a winter wonderland once more in 2017, but was forced to sit out 2020 like most others. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, it will offer ice skating, holiday-themed events, and 20 rides, including Mystic Timbers and Flight of Fear (the weather is too cold for most steel coasters). The Eiffel Tower will be turned into a giant holiday tree and a new Winter Wonderland parade will march through the park.

PNC Festival of Lights

The Cincinnati Zoo's Festival of Lights, a Cincinnati tradition for many families, kicks off on Nov. 19 and continues on through Jan. 9. Activities begin at 4 p.m. each night, though the zoo's hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The North Polar Express begins giving rides at 2:30 p.m.

Shillito's elves return

Initially set to return in 2020, the iconic Cincinnati elves will toil in a window-front once more at Findlay Market beginning the day after Thanksgiving. They'll be on display in the old Leader Furniture building at 130 W. Elder St. Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The elves will be animated on the weekends.

Findlay Market is also hosting a music series, pop-up lounge and other events in the Leader Furniture building throughout the holiday season, where visitors can enjoy the elves alongside other special events.

Lebanon's horse-drawn carriage parade & festival

Featuring more than 100 decorated carriages pulled by everything from mini horses to Clydesdales. The festival will also have live entertainment, shopping and food and craft booths. It kicks off on Dec. 4.

The Christmas Ranch

Visitors can enjoy a walk-through display of around 1 million LED lights at the ranch in Morrow from Nov. 19 to Dec. 23. The ranch will also offer holiday shops, pictures with Santa, themed train rides and food and drink.

Yuletide Village

Open from Nov. 26 to Dec. 18, the Yuletide Village is located on the grounds of the Ohio Renaissance Festival in Waynesville. It features a 16th century-styled holiday celebration with era-inspired light shows, music, live entertainment and more.

Light Up College Hill

Hosted by the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, Light Up College Hill will happen on Dec. 7 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. along Hamilton Avenue. The event will include live reindeer feeding, penguins from the Cincinnati Zoo, train rides for kids, Santa, a letter-writing station and mailbox, caroling and concessions. It will wrap up with the lighting of the 20-foot tree in Patrick Wolterman Memorial Park at 8 p.m.

Holiday in Lights at Sharon Woods

Driving through Sharon Woods to see holiday lights has been a holiday tradition for more than 28 years, and this year will be no different. Displays this year feature everything from Santa Claus and his elves to every animal on the ark. The Hamilton County park will transform into a winter wonderland with thousands of sparkling lights from Dec. 1 to Dec. 29. Carloads cost $7 and busloads are $55.

Holiday Junction at Union Terminal

Holiday Junction is already open and will run through Jan. 2. The iconic Duke Energy Holiday Trains are celebrating their 75th season, bringing nostalgic cheer to Cincinnatians since they first debuted downtown in 1946. While Holiday Junction's riding train won't be in operation this year, many other events like LEGO sculptures, scavenger hunts and visits with Santa will keep the holiday cheer strong.

Timed entry is required, so it is recommended that visitors buy Holiday Junction tickets in advance. They're $10 for everyone over the age of 3; anyone younger than 3 can get in for free.

Coney Island's Night of Lights

Experience the wonder that is the Christmas Nights of Lights' 2 1/2-mile drive-through light show. It is synchronized to both traditional and rocking holiday music played through your car radio. Tickets are $7 per person, or it's $30 per carload, with other pricing options for large groups. The show begins lightly at dusk and runs until 10 p.m. from now until Jan. 2.

Journey Borealis at Pyramid Hill

Boasting an expanded route, new lights and new music, Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park will hold Journey Borealis from Nov. 19 to Jan. 2. Visitors can embark on the journey through glimmering trees and arches before winding through Jerusalem's Hanukkah celebration before arriving at Swan Lake. Next is Germany's Candy Cane Forest, with more than 50 yarn-wrapped trees, before creeping into the Grinch's Greenland. Also included is Bethlehem's birth of Jesus and a visit to the North Pole and more.

Residents of Hamilton can get in for free on Tuesdays with a current ID and utility bill. Tickets are $20 for Mondays through Thursdays and $25 from Friday through Sundays. Member tickets are $15.

CINCINNATI — Longtime resident John Back knows all too well about the serious need for greater access to parking in Over-the-Rhine, particularly near Findlay Market. Despite having access to a lot, he said he can still get stuck without a space to park. It’s even tougher to make space for guests at his home.

“It's challenging, you know. People who don't have a parking spot, sometimes they'll take yours because they don't know whose it is. Sometimes your parking spot gets blocked.”

He, like a number of other residents and community stakeholders, welcome Hamilton County’s idea to build a parking garage in the area to meet the need. The garage is expected to include spaces for the public, especially Findlay Market patrons, soccer fans from TQL Stadium, in addition to spots for local developers like The Model Group and Urban Sites.

However, Back is one of a number of people deeply invested in Over-the-Rhine and historic preservation who take issue with how Hamilton County wants to execute the plan. Organizers of the project intend to shut down part of Logan Street between Elder and Findlay Street, and build over the current street to create the new parking structure. They are also looking to create a new access street behind the garage that will connect to Central Parkway.

Tomorrow, the city’s planning commission is scheduled to review Hamilton County’s application for a portion of Logan Street in Over-the-Rhine to be vacated and sold in order to paving the way for the garage. In addition to taking issues with the city planning for the project, critics argue Hamilton County did not adequately seek out community input before taking this to the commission.

Residents say passing through Logan street is important for their commutes. Building the garage with this design will disrupt the historic neighborhood grid, making it more congested and degrading residents' quality of life.

"I'm in favor of it,” Back said. “But the main issue here is that there's a street called Logan street that people use, every day." Back happens to be a developer, and has flipped a number of properties in the area. He also works for a real estate company and is an architect by trade. Yet he said his concern about this effort is rooted in his professional background, but his love and passion for Over-the-Rhine as a neighborhood.

"I can't think of anything more obtrusive than erasing an entire street and cutting off access to people."

Jennifer LeMasters, also a longtime resident and architect, shares Back’s concerns. LeMasters is the co-chair of the infill committee at the Over-the-Rhine Foundation. She senses that those who have been given sufficient information and engagement in the project have been affluent corporate professionals who are tapped into Over-the-Rhine’s business community. More than that, she and other critics argue that those who have been been consistently corresponding with Hamilton County about the new garage are those who stand to benefit the most from the structure.

Meanwhile, ordinary, marginalized residents that are disconnected from city bureaucracy and Cincinnati’s business scene are out of the loop, according to LeMasters. She feels the county and project organizers should have done a better job of reaching out to more residents who will be affected so they would have had a better chance to provide input.

“There's meaningful engagement, and then there's just check the box engagement. And I do think they've checked the box on this engagement to 80%, 70% maybe, but, but have they had meaningful engagement here? No."

But Phil Beck, Hamilton County’s construction executive, objects to this criticism.

“I can say categorically that that is not the case.” Beck, the head of the garage project, shuts down the idea that Hamilton County did not make a concerted and forceful effort to inform and dialogue with various residents as well as prominent institutions. He said Hamilton County led about twenty meetings with people in the community in recent months.

Joe Hansbauer, the president and CEO of Findlay Market, stands by county officials in the face of the criticism. Hansbauer said he's never seen more community outreach on a project in his 10 years at Findlay Market.

“Ultimately, I think they have selected a design that maximizes the community input. Does it mean that they have hit 100% of all the concerns? Of course not. It's not possible, right? But they recognize where, you know, that there were concerns that they were not able to meet. And I think that's what it's all about."

Bobby Maly of The Model Group also challenged criticisms that the garage disproportionately skews to the needs of private businesses by giving them the bulk of spots. He said much of those spots will double as parking for workers during the day, and public parking on nights and weekends.

Still, critics like LeMasters and Back take issue with the county for not formally engaging Over-the-Rhine’s community council before approaching the city's planning commission to vacate and sell the Logan Street land plots.

"I hope that the planning commission will realize that this is against the comprehensive plan," Back said. "This is against the values that we have adopted as a city."

The planning commission is scheduled to address the vacation and sale of Logan Street at 9 AM on Friday, Sept. 17. Those interested in following the discussion can watch a live stream here on the city’s website.

Monique John covers gentrification for WCPO 9. She is part of our Report For America donor-supported journalism program. Read more about RFA here.

If there are stories about gentrification in the Greater Cincinnati area that you think we should cover, let us know. Send us your tips at moveupcincinnati@wcpo.com.