Christmas Fest, Parade Highlight Weekend in Toccoa

Downtown Toccoa is gearing up for a busy holiday weekend.

It all starts tonight with Main Street Toccoa’s sixth annual Christmas Fest.

This year, Christmas Fest comes with something new, an outdoor ice skating rink that will be set up on Sage Street between Tugalo and Doyle streets between 3 and 9 p.m. today.

Main Street Toccoa Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby said it will cost $10 an hour for a person to skate and that includes skate rental.

Crosby said she thinks this is the first time there has been an outdoor ice skating rink in Toccoa.

“For those who know how to skate, it will be fun to show off in front of people they know and for those who have never skated, it will give them a chance for the first time to skate and we are just encouraging people, even if you do not want to skate, to come down and watch the skaters,” said Crosby. “It will be a lot of fun.”

Crosby thanked PTL Equipment and ASI for sponsoring the ice skating rink.

Then from 5 to 8 p.m. tonight, there will be entertainment, a horse and carriage ride, Santa’s Express train, a live nativity, and of course, Santa in downtown Toccoa.

It all leads up to the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree at the corner of Pond and Doyle streets at 8 p.m. tonight.

This year, Crosby said Christmas Fest will also include a Christmas Sage Market from 3 to 9 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday inside on Doyle Street.

“We have 23 craft vendors and it will be set up in the former Gold’s Gym Building, easy for people to locate there on the corner of the street,” said Crosby.

Also, the Festival of Trees is open through 8:30 p.m. tonight in the historic Stephens County Courthouse. At 8:30 p.m., the trees will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the United Way of Stephens County.

Crosby said people are encouraged to come downtown tonight for Christmas Fest and also on Saturday as Toccoa gets into the swing of the holiday season.

“Many of our downtown businesses and stores will be open so it is a great time to come,” said Crosby. “It is so pretty downtown for people just to walk and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season.”

Moving to Saturday, Toccoa will hold its annual Christmas Parade.

The Toccoa Woman’s Club is once again organizing the parade.

Bonnie Sparks is with the Woman’s Club.

She said the parade will start at 4 p.m. Saturday and make its way through downtown Toccoa.

“The theme this year is ‘Winter Wonderland’,” said Sparks. “The money we get from the parade entries goes towards our Stephens County High School scholarships. The parade will go the same route we usually do.”

Sparks said they are excited for this year’s parade.

“We are asking the parents keep their children back for safety,” said Sparks. “A lot of times they like running out and getting candy. We ask them to keep their kids back. We want a safe parade. We hope everyone will come out. It does not look like there will be rain this year, so we are excited about that.”

AM 630 WNEG will broadcast live reports both tonight at Christmas Fest and Saturday prior to the Toccoa Christmas Parade.