Thursday’s Christmas in the Park Kicks Off Christmas Events in Toccoa

Christmas in Toccoa officially kicks off tomorrow with the Christmas in the Park event at Paul Anderson Park. The event begins at 10:30 A.M. and culminates with the Christmas Tree Lighting around 7 P.M.

The Varsity returns and will be serving lunch from 10:30 A.M.-2 P.M. and supper from 4-7 P.M. Tickets are $15. The Park’s largest fundraiser will also feature an all-day silent auction.

The event will include a visit and pictures with Santa Claus, and entertainment including the First Baptist Church pre-school, Stephens County Middle and High School Chorus, the Rhythm Dance Academy Company, and the Stephens County High School cheerleaders and football players will be caroling. Roy English will again be telling the story of Christmas.

Christmas in the Park is just the start of a series of Christmas events in Toccoa. Toccoa Main Street’s Christmas Fest will be on Friday night from 6-9 P.M. Main Street Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby says the event will begin with the tree lighting and light up the town at 6 P.M. “That’s when all of the lights, the tree, and all of the other beautiful displays will light on the courthouse lawn. It is a fun minute as we countdown together.”

Toccoa Christmas Fest will feature food, strolling Victorian Carolers, and stage entertainment, and a live nativity with live animals. Crosby says one of the highlights will be at Thacker Hall. “We will have the Festival of Trees; we also have the Christmas Holiday Market that will be there next to the entertainment stage as well. We have two horse and carriage rides, the Santa express train that will go around, food trucks, too. It is just a fun and magical night.”

Crosby reminds everyone to vote for your favorite tree or non-profit at the Festival of Trees. Each vote is $1 and you can vote as many times as you like for your favorite tree or your favorite non-profit.

Friday will also kickoff Toccoa on Ice that will be open each weekend until the end of the year.

The Toccoa Christmas Parade will be in Downtown Toccoa on Saturday morning at 10 A.M., and Crosby says this year there will be an event before the parade. “It begins at 8 and it will be called the Winter Health Fair. It will be on Pond Street and sponsored by Family Connections. There will be inflatables, hot dogs, with lots of informational booths for families.”

The weekend culminates Sunday with the Toccoa Symphony Orchestra and Currahee Artists Guild’s “Celebration of Christmas” with the Art Show at 2 P.M. and Symphony performance at 4 P.M. in the Grace Alford Center of the Performing Arts on the campus of Toccoa Falls College.