Holiday Season Kicks Off In Toccoa With Christmas in the Park

One of the first holiday events in Toccoa-Stephens County is coming up this Thursday.

It’s the annual Christmas in the Park and Tree Lighting event at Paul Anderson Park at the corner of Tugalo St. And Big A Road and it’s going on all day.

Events get underway Thursday morning at 10:30 and continue until the Christmas tree lighting at 7p.

Board treasurer Gary Bellamy tells WNEG News Christmas in the Park is an annual fundraiser that helps keep the park open.

“It is an annual event. We bring in Varsity trucks from Atlanta and the proceeds go to help us continue to do the maintenance in the park,” Bellamy said. “The park is 100% funded by our efforts. This is a non-profit group and it is very critical that we raise funds in order to continue to keep the park as it is today.”

The Varsity food trucks will be on site all day and tickets are available for the food truck Thursday or you can purchase the ahead of time from one of the Paul Anderson Park board members.

In addition the Varsity food truck, Bellamy said there will also be a silent auction.

“Also, the businesses in Toccoa are very generous and make donations of items and we do a raffle, and other individuals make donations and we do a silent auction. So, that goes on throughout the day and at the end of the day we announce the winners,” he said.

Other events Thursday include Photos with Santa, Christmas carols, and a telling of the Christmas story just before the tree lighting.

Bellamy said since it started Christmas in the Park has grown in popularity.

“Very much so. We normally sell around 1,000 Varsity tickets and throughout the day the Community comes out and the park is totally packed with people,” he said. “We will have a large group in and around the 5p and 6p period eating, and all of the Paul Anderson Park board members will have tickets that they’re selling and we will have ticket booth set up at the park the entire day.”

The Paul Anderson Park was created some 10 years ago to remember one of Toccoa’s most famous sons who overcame physical issues to gain fame as an Olympic gold medalist in weight lifting and one of the world’s strongest men.

In the 1960’s he and his wife Glenda established the Paul Anderson Youth Home in Valdosta.

Bellamy said some residents of the home will be in Toccoa this week to attend the Christmas in the Park event.

For more information on Christmas in the Park and on the life of Paul Anderson, you can visit the website at: www.paulandersonpark.org.