Winter festivities abound
Here is a preview of what is happening this weekend.
This weekend is the first day of December as well as the official start of the Christmas season, and will be full of festivals, parades and Christmas spirit.
Here is your guide to this weekend’s festivities.
Cave Spring and Lindale will both be full of Christmas cheer as Small Town Christmas in the Country kicks off at Rolater Park, while the Christmas in Lindale Arts and Craft Festival will also take place.
Cave Spring’s Christmas in the Country, now in its 15th year, expects to draw over 160 vendors, according to organizer Susan Childers. This year’s event will be held rain or shine on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m. Breakfast vendors will be on hand from 7 to 11 a.m. Admission is free. Booths will be set up at both Rolater and inside Hearn Academy. Guests are also encouraged to visit downtown shops while in town as well as the cabin on the square. Food vendors will also be on hand.
Small Town Christmas, according to organizers, is a more personal version of an arts and crafts festival, with everything from canned goods to hand-crafted jewelry, wood-turned bowls, clothing, home décor and gift baskets.
Christmas in Lindale 2018 will kick off with a 3 p.m. parade on Saturday, while the Arts and Craft Festival runs from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Gilbreath Recreation Center, 110 Garden Ave. Local vendors, music and treats will be part of the festivities, followed by the star lighting at 6 p.m.
The Rome Winter Wonderland Carnival and Ice Festival runs from Friday through Sunday. The threeday event will provide a platform for various social, religious, ethnic and cultural groups to share how they embrace the festive time of year. The event is free and open to the public, though local vendors and artisans will be hosting booths, selling and showcasing their products throughout the weekend. The Festival begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 11 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m.
A full schedule of events is available at percga.org/romewinter-wonderland. The Winter Wonderland Carnival & Ice Festival is presented by Peacefully Engaging the Rome Community, and runs alongside the Forum on Ice, where community members can ice skate for $10, ages 5 and up, and $3 for ages 4 and younger.
The annual Winter Art Market celebrates Georgia artists, crafters and growers. With an expanded collection of gift foods and outdoor decor, the market will provide one-of-akind holiday gifts. The market will return to Jackson Hill at the Rome Civic Center and will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Scrooge the Musical,” a twist on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” will be performed by the Rome Little Theatre today and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, and $12 for children.