HIAWASSEE — A new Christmas attraction is coming to Towns County and opens on Thanksgiving.
The Mountain Country Christmas in Lights will run from 6-10 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee, Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.
There will be caroling, arts and crafts, food and entertainment throughout the event.
Hilda Thomason, manager of the Georgia Mountain Fair, and Commissioner Bill Kendall discussed the event during Thursday night's Towns County Commissioner meeting.
"This event is funded by $150,000 of your hotel/motel tax, and I'm sure it will return it many times," Kendall told the 400 people in attendance. "We're going to do Phase 2 next year. I've budgeted $50,000 more in next year's hotel/motel tax and we've applied for a OneGeorgia grant for another $100,000. We hope this is just the beginning of another good thing for our county."
Thomason said only about three of the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds' 65 craft booths are not booked for the Mountain Country Christmas in Lights event.
"The community has really come forth, not only Towns County but the whole tri-state area, in helping us fill all these booths," Thomason said. "We really think that we're going to have a lot of people come to this. We've had a lot of response already. I really think that we're going to have a huge tourism attraction with this new event that we've got."
The event will be a one-stop event, with food, entertainment, shopping opportunities and lights all in one location.
"Different businesses and civic organizations will be selling barbecue, hamburgers and pizza, all kinds of good things," Thomason said. "The crafters will be selling their items and businesses, some of them will be selling their items as well."
Cost to visit Mountain Country Christmas in Lights is $5 per person, with children under 12 years old admitted free. Groups of 15 or more (buses and vans) are $4 per person.
"We'll have a lot of carolers and musicians singing all over the fairgrounds at the different stages and in the different buildings," Thomason said. "Jerry Taylor has made a big display of organs down there in the exhibit hall and he'll be coming several nights and playing the organs and playing Christmas music down there as well."
And there will be a special guest in a red suit there each night of the event.
"Santa will be there every night, and the children can get their picture made with Santa," Thomason said. "That'll be at Booth No. 52 there on the fairgrounds."
On Saturday, Nov. 27, there will be a ticketed Thanksgiving concert featuring Brian Free & Assurance, Karen Peck & New River, Wilburn & Wilburn, and The Rumfelt Family featuring "Swag". Tickets for that event are $25 and $20 plus a $2 handling fee, with all proceeds going to Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Admission to the light show does not include the cost of this concert.
"On Dec. 3, all the churches in the whole tri-state area are going to come together and do a joint service," Thomason said. "They're going to be doing some Christmas singing on the stage in the [Anderson] Music Hall."
Thomason pointed out there is no additional cost for the Dec. 3 church singing in Anderson Music Hall.
The schedule for Dec. 3 is as follows:
- 6 p.m. — Introduction by Jim McKeral
- 6:05 p.m. — North Mt. Zion Church of God (45 minutes)
- 6:50 p.m. — Intermission
- 7 p.m. — Mt. Pleasant Church of God (30 minutes)
- 7:30 p.m. — Intermission
- 7:40 p.m. — Macedonia Baptist Church (30 minutes)
- 8:10 p.m. — Intermission
- 8:20 p.m. — Ministries of Grace (30 minutes)
- 8:50 p.m. — Intermission
- 9 p.m. — First Freewill Baptist Church (30 minutes)
- 9:30 p.m. — Dismissal by Jim McKeral
On Dec. 16, Lee Greenwood and Lorrie Morgan will perform "Patriotic Country Christmas" in the Anderson Music Hall. Tickets for that event are available at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds and include admission to the light show. Admission to the light show does not include admission to this concert.
The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds is located at 1311 Music Hall Road, Hiawassee, and the phone number is (706) 896-4191.
