Community Events

Sharon Baptist Church provides a life-changing experience on a hayride through different scenes of the Life of Jesus Christ.

Bring your family to the Columbia County Fairgrounds for our Christmas play, and enjoy free hot chocolate and children activities.

Warm your heart during Chattanooga’s most enchanted holiday celebration.

Experience Rock City Gardens as a nighttime winter wonderland. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the season amidst the unparalleled natural beauty of this enchanted place. This uniquely festive light experience has become a beloved holiday tradition and is not to be missed during this anniversary event.

Journey down the all-new Christmas tree walk to visit Santa at Carter Cliffs, the original home of Rock City’s founders. Decorate your own GingerGnome cookie and experience the enchantment of a winter celebration like no other – all after dark.

Don’t miss creating holiday memories with your family and friends as we celebrate 30 years of magic, moments and memories during Rock City Gardens Enchanted Garden of Lights!

Come join us for Darien's Annual Christmas Event.

Festivities begin at Grant Chapel at 4:30 p.m. with their Annual Community Events.

Lighted Christmas Parade begins at 6 p.m.

The Discover Darien Community Christmas Tree Lighting with Caroling will be at the corner of Hwy 17 and Broad Street immediately following the parade.

At 7 p.m., pictures with Santa will be hosted by MAA at the McIntosh Art Association Old Jail Art Center.

Luminaries hosted by McIntosh Recreational Department will run through the historic district.

Our downtown business will be staying open late to allow for Christmas shopping and lots of Christmas Cheer!

The Festival of Trees is a holiday highlight!  Take a walk through a collection of beautifully decorated Christmas trees throughout the Museum of Aviation Rotunda and on the second and third floors. The view from above is amazing!

The Festival of Trees is open to the public and admission is free. This community-wide affair will put you in the holiday spirit.

Plus, this is a chance to wear your ugly Christmas sweater and take photos by your favorite tree. Don’t forget to post those pics on Facebook!

Festival of the Nativity 2-4 pm. Celebrate the Christmas Advent season with a special display of nativities in our Narthex. Join us as we focus on the true meaning of the season with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We will be serving cider and cookies to those who attend.

Starting in November through Christmas Eve, grab a Santa Shuffle card from a participating business! Once you spend $100 downtown you are entered to win unbelievable prizes. Ask participating businesses for a card!

In recognition of the vital importance of increased visibility and diverse representation of LGBTQ+ communities and issues, particularly in our rural areas, the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art is honored to present Queer Perspectives, a juried exhibition in Fall 2024.

A beloved Christmas tradition shines even brighter!

This holiday season, discover the brand-new Tree of Traditions, a 40-foot Pixel Pine Tree, lighting up festive winter nights in Callaway Christmas Village. Step out of your car and into a real-life Winter Wonderland of twinkling lights, oversized ornaments and a forest of perfectly decorated trees. Then climb aboard the Jolly Trolley for a dazzling journey along the classic seven-mile Fantasy In Lights drive-through experience, illuminated with 10 million twinkling lights and 17 dazzling Christmas scenes! Discover 2,500 acres of Christmas cheer with your family only during Fantasy in Lights presented by Georgia Power.

Join us every weekend at the Callaway Discovery Center for our Woodland Workshops Series! Woodland Workshops is a hands on workshop for children of all ages.

• Sept. 21-22 - Animal Track Molds
• Sept. 28-29 - Bee/Bug Hotels
   
• Oct. 5-6 - “Pebbles” the Stone Snake
• Oct. 12-13 - Make a Garden Stone
• Oct. 19-20 - Monster Pumpkins
• Oct. 26-27 - Monster Pumpkins
   
• Nov. 2-3 - Pinecone Bird Feeder
• Nov. 9-10 - Leaf Pounding
• Nov. 16-17 - Animal Track Molds
• Nov. 23-24 - Gourd Birdhouses
• Nov. 30-Dec. 1 - Dried Leaf Art
   
• Dec. 7-8 - Wood Ornaments
• Dec. 14-15 - Wood Ornaments
• Dec. 21-22 - Make a Winter Wreath
• Dec. 28-29 - Make a Garden Stone

It's a Hartwell tradition! Bring your friends and family and join us for our annual Christmas parade. Prizes will be given for the best float following our theme.

The parade will commence at HCHS, and you'll have the perfect vantage point as it winds its way down Franklin Street through the heart of town, ending at the Ace Hardware Shopping Center. Be sure to bring your family, friends and neighbors to share in the joy of this festive event.

Parade registration information can be found below. Contact the Chamber of Commerce office for more information: (706) 376-8590.
 

The Madison Artists Guild & Gallery's 6th Annual Holiday Market is filled with one of a kind gifts ready to purchase for the holidays – wreaths, ornaments, pottery, jewelry, glass art, paintings and more.

The market will be open Oct. 18-Dec. 31, during regular MAGallery hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., with extended hours of 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Shop Sip ‘N Stroll Saturdays in November, during Madison’s Fifth Fridays (open until 7 p.m.), Holiday Tour of Homes and Candlelight Shopping (open until 7 p.m.).

With more than 30 artists providing a variety of handmade items, shoppers will find something for everyone this holiday season.

Come early to find the best selections.

Limited timed reservations are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Be here when Santa makes his first stop – and get Santa Photos at Zoo Atlanta!

Bring the family for a personal visit with Santa and a professional Santa photo to remember the moment.

Santa is taking his workshop on the road and making his first stop at Zoo Atlanta’s Action Resource Center (ARC) building! Bring the family for a personal visit with Santa and a professional Santa photo to remember the moment. While you wait for your turn with Santa, enjoy cookies, hot chocolate, holiday crafts, and of course, holly jolly photo opportunities for all! 

Get your tickets now to secure your reservation:

• 8:30-10:30 a.m. | Last entry 10 a.m. | Members Only*
• 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Last entry 1 p.m.
• 2:30-4:30 p.m. | Last entry 4 p.m.
  
  * Members Only Perk: Santa loves Zoo Atlanta Members and has reserved a time slot just for them! Members for the 8:30 a.m. time slot will need to enter through the Conservation Education Gate in the Cherokee Avenue parking lot.

Tickets:

• Member (age 3 and over): $25
• Member (age 2 and under): Free
• Non-Member (age 3 and over): $35
• Non-Member (age 2 and under): Free

Includes:

• Professional photo: Each ticketholder will receive (1) one printed 4” x 6” photograph with Santa and information to download the photo for free after the event.
• Festive sights and sounds: While you wait, snap a few photos with Frosty and Rudolph and enjoy all your favorite holiday songs with the family.
• Sweet treats: No visit with Santa’s elves is complete without a cookie and a cup of hot chocolate!
• Cheerful crafts: Create a holiday craft that’s worthy of the top of the tree!
• Admission to Zoo Atlanta: Wish “happy holidays” to giraffes, elephants, tigers, and more! Keep in mind that the last entry into the Zoo is permitted 1.5 hours before our scheduled closing time.

“Christmas Belles,” a play by Jones, Hope, Wooten, is an uproarious comedy that takes place in Fayro, Texas, at the local church’s Christmas Eve program. It spins hilariously out of control when feuding sisters, a surly Santa, family secrets and a reluctant Elvis impersonator come to life on the stage. This holiday journey through a misadventure-filled production is guaranteed to bring joy to your world.

Shows are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online at the theater's website or at the theater box office, one hour before each performance.  If you have any questions, send an email to taterpatchplayers@gmail.com.

Join us for one of Cobb and Marietta’s treasured holiday traditions, the GSO’s Holiday Pops!

Enjoy timeless favorites and fresh new classics that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit. The GSO Chorus will add to the joy and festive fun of the season, along with a visit from St. Nick himself.

Dec. 7, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Dec. 8, 3-5 p.m.

Show Dates and Times

Opening Night Reception: Thursday, Dec. 5, 6-9 p.m.

Dec. 6-7, Friday and Saturday, 12-9 p.m.

Dec. 8, Sunday   12-6 p.m.

Dec. 9-12, Monday-Thursday, 4-9 p.m.

Dec. 13, Friday, 12-9 p.m.

Dec. 14, Saturday, 12-6 p.m.

Check out the Instagram for wonderful postings of our last WICs: @roswellclaycollective

Art Center West was once owned by Bob Shane, founding member of the Kingston Trio. From a 100-year old farm house, he expanded the house to 14,000 square feet and raised a family. He hosted the Kingston Trio there a number of times. It is hallowed ground for Kingston Trio Fans. Also, it houses one of  the most complete ceramic studios in the state of Georgia with eight electric kilns, two gas kilns, two soda kilns and a wood-fired kiln.

This winter, the Byron L. Dobbs Exhibit Gallery is set to host a heartwarming temporary exhibit, A Century of Toys: 100 Years of Play, just in time for the holiday season. Curated by Chuck Douglas, the collection spans three generations of his family’s cherished toys, alongside contributions from other families and History Cherokee’s archives.

Expect to see a blend of modern-day favorites and beloved vintage treasures, ensuring there’s something to stir nostalgia in every visitor. From classic toys that defined childhoods to recent creations, this exhibition promises a captivating experience for children and adults alike.

Admission: Free for History Cherokee members, included with general admission for non-members

Location: Cherokee County History Center, 221 E. Marietta St. Canton, GA 30114

Dates: Nov. 13, 2024, through February 2025

See iconic buildings and spaces of Cherokee County turned into gingerbread works of art by local bakers. The gingerbread creations will represent cities across Cherokee County. Each History Center guest will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite gingerbread creation. The creator of the winning gingerbread building receives bragging rights until next year. Gingerbread houses will start arriving at the History Center Nov. 23, with the full exhibit installation and opening taking place Saturday, Nov. 30.

Admission: Free for History Cherokee members, included with general admission for non-members.

Dates: Nov. 30-Dec. 22

Public Ice Skating

Experience the joy of gliding across the ice under twinkling lights at our fully-covered ice rink. Perfect for family outings, date nights or just a fun day with friends. No cold weather needed!

Open Nov. 14 till Jan. 18, 2025. 

Weekends $13 Weekends/ Prime Days $17 Seasonal Pass $140 

Check the website for dates and times.

Bring your family for a wonderful holiday tradition.

The Lights Of The South will be open Nov. 22 until Dec. 30. They will be closed Christmas day. Enjoy a hayride or stroll thought acres of beautiful Christmas lights. Kid-friendly food is available on site.

See the world's largest vertical American Flag make out of Christmas Lights.

Experience the legendary tale of the Titanic like never before with Titanic: An Immersive Voyage.

Featuring over 300 artifacts, life-sized reconstructed rooms, 3D views, video animations and state-of-the-art technology, this immersive experience offers a riveting and emotional journey through one of history’s most iconic tragedies. From the ship’s grand construction to its fatal collision with the iceberg, you’ll get to fully immerse yourself in the Titanic's captivating story.

Wander through its lavish halls, watch the iceberg appear and relive the ship’s dramatic final moments in an immersive gallery. Plus, with a virtual reality exploration of the Titanic’s wreck site more than 2.5 miles deep into the ocean, it promises to be a retelling of the Titanic story like no other.

Get your tickets now for Titanic: An Immersive Voyage in Atlanta!

Find tickets at the link below.