Walker County Messenger

Tourist hotspot Candleligh­t Forest unveils a new onsite event venue

- By Jasmine R. Rothman

On the outskirts of Cloudland Canyon, one may find babbling brooks, sunny coves, twinkling lights, and the musical stylings of Frank Sinatra.

Hickory Hall, the newest event venue in Candleligh­t Forest, celebrated an open house/unveiling event for vendors to network and see the property.

“Both of our venues are part of a larger concept called Candleligh­t Forest, which is a kind of resort” says owner John Tatum. “It includes these two venues, but we also have trails, treehouses, paddleboat­s, canoeing, outdoor games, a mason jar treasure hunt, a farm stand.

“There’s another gate which goes into a private community we’re building called Cloudland Station. That’s for people who live there, where we have a whole different set of amenities. This is a second venue we’re creating.

“We already have another, called the Homestead. We found this beautiful ridge with an old cottage in the wood, and we split the hickory trees and made this very steep tent structure, which is not normal for tents. It’s almost European-inspired. We found the oldest tentmaker in the country, who have been making tents since circuses in the 1800s. We also have a cottage on site which will be a bridal suite.”

The newest venue features beautiful lights and a large pavilion. Perhaps the most impressive of these is the bridal suite, which, so far, features a cozy living room with a wood-burning fireplace. The venue is very clearly targeted towards weddings and appears to be a fairytale dipped in confection­er’s sugar.

This hidden gem of Walker County is located on Ga. Highway 193 and is one of the best-kept secrets of the tourist attraction­s and event venues.

 ?? / Jasmine R. Rothman ?? Above: Pictured: Owner John Tatum and Public Relations Specialist Nancy Tao. Above right: The bridal suite is located in a building across the street from the venue and features a wood-burning fireplace, living room, and upstairs area that is in the constructi­on process. Right: Several potential wedding vendors (photograph­ers, caterers, etc.) mingled and networked with one another while exploring the newest venue in Walker County.
/ Jasmine R. Rothman Above: Pictured: Owner John Tatum and Public Relations Specialist Nancy Tao. Above right: The bridal suite is located in a building across the street from the venue and features a wood-burning fireplace, living room, and upstairs area that is in the constructi­on process. Right: Several potential wedding vendors (photograph­ers, caterers, etc.) mingled and networked with one another while exploring the newest venue in Walker County.
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