Parade, choruses, Santa, Christmas lights contest and museum tours
The second phase of Light Up Ellijay is on tap for this Saturday and will feature a parade, a Christmas lights contest, yuletide decorations and tours at the historic Tabor House museum and more.
The Dec. 7 date is “about community,” said Pam Burns with Engage in Gilmer and executive director of Gilmer Arts. She gave the schedule for events that begin at noon and conclude at 7:30 p.m.
Noon — Vendors will be open for business on downtown side streets near the courthouse. Downtown businesses and restaurants will be open for Christmas shoppers and other festivalgoers.
3:00 — Music on the square begins to herald the arrival of Santa on the courthouse steps for photo ops.
4:30 — Choruses from local schools will perform on the Downtown Welcome Center steps. Seasonal music will be playing between the performances.
6:00 — Parade begins and watchers are welcome to come to an “after party” on Sand Street (behind Dalton State College) to meet float participants and receive candy. (See information accompanying this article to enter the parade.)
Burns was asked what should draw citizens and tourists to the second Light Up Ellijay weekend.
“They’ll get to see the high school band play in the parade, and the dance school will be there too,” she said. “It’s about community.”
Christmas lights contest
Caitlin Neal, information specialist with the Gilmer Chamber, said the ongoing Christmas lights contest is being called “Downtown Lights Night” and includes lots of businesses around the square.
“The businesses are doing such a great job with their lights and their window displays, so we thought why don’t we just compile them and get a little contest going?” she said. “People can walk around and look at the lights after dinner, and it will give some of the storeowners recognition for all the work they’re putting into decorating their businesses. Awards will be given for ‘Best Window Display’ and ‘Best Business Display,’ and there will also be a ‘Best Overall’ for the business that gets the most votes in both categories.”
To help with voting, maps are available at the Downtown Welcome Center on the west side of the square; the contest runs through Dec. 22. Neal said almost 230 people voted on the first weekend the contest was open during last weekend’s first phase of Light Up Ellijay. Go online to gilmerchamber.com/downtownlightnights for more information, and find a QR code to help with voting.
Light Up Ellijay attendees are also encouraged to walk to nearby River Street, Dalton Street and North Main Street to see homes that are lit up for Christmas. It is hoped next year there will be enough homeowners interested to form a separate category for the contest.
“It’s been real fun,” Neal shared. “We’ve had about 14 businesses sign up this year. We’re hoping next year we’ll have more.”
Historic Tabor House open
Christmas at the Tabor House will also be celebrated Saturday from 11 a.m. — 3 p.m., and the museum is also open for tours at the same times on Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13 and 14. This Saturday, volunteers will be dressed in period clothes and feature Civil War re-enactments. There will also be the opportunity to interact with the re-enactors, as well as music and refreshments.
“We have everything from the 1600s to present day,” said Doug Piette, president of the Gilmer County Historical Society, of the museum. That span of centuries includes two eras of Native American inhabitations, early settlers to the area, the Civil War and the World Wars.
Admission to the museum is $5 for adults and children are free. Members of the historical society and sponsors will have free admission. The Tabor House was decorated for Christmas in “turn of the century” style by the Captain James Kell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Piette noted. The museum will also be competing in the downtown business Christmas Light contest of Light Up Ellijay II. The Tabor House is at 138 Spring Street, just a block south of the square.
“We look forward to talking with you about the history and heritage of Gilmer County,” Piette said on behalf of museum volunteers.
When told the weather forecast has a minimal chance of rain this Saturday, Burns exclaimed, “I know, I’m so excited — we’ve had rain the last two years!”