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  • Writer's pictureKristen W.
    • Nov 15, 2018
    • 5 min read

North Georgia Holiday Event Guide - Christmas Tree Lighting!



We've all been there. Standing in a group of people, starting at the biggest Christmas Tree you've ever seen, counting down from 10, a brief silence and then the tree just glows. Even at the age of 35, tree lighting's are something I love attending and it is just magical to watch the tree light up. I want to share some of the best tree lighting's around the Atlanta area, so you can start planning which one, or two, you would want to put on your agenda!

The Lighting of Avalon: If you don't know, Avalon is located in Alpharetta, which is north of Atlanta, and is an outdoor shopping center. Their tree lighting will take place this Sunday, November 18, 2018. Not only will they be lighting the tree, but they will also open the ice skating rink and Santa will also arrive. The festivities will start at 1 p.m., the tree will be lit at 7 p.m. and the festivities will end at 8 p.m. Don't worry about being there for the full 7 hours of activities, they had a lot of shops and great restaurants to help you pass the time! Admission is free.

Light Up Dunwoody: Sadly I have never been to this event, even though I lived in Dunwoody during my first year in Atlanta, but I have heard amazing things! Dunwoody is located about 10 miles north of Downtown Atlanta and the lighting will take place on November 18, 2018. Not only do they light a Christmas tree, but they also light a Menorah and you can visit with Santa. The festivities for Light Up Dunwoody will be from 3 - 5:45 p.m, the lighting will take place at 5:45 p.m. Admission is free.

Lighting of Atlantic Station: Atlantic Station is located in Midtown Atlanta and is accessible by car or MARTA (there is a free shuttle you will take from the MARTA station). The festivities will be held on Saturday, November 17, 2018. The activity village and meetings with Santa's reindeer will begin at 1 p.m. and the tree lighting and fireworks will begin at 8:00 p.m. Atlantic Station is very similar to Avalon, there are plenty of stores and restaurants to keep you busy during all of the festivities.

Macy's Great Tree Lighting: I think this may be the biggest tree lighting in Atlanta. The tree is located on top of Macy's at Lenox Mall, which is located in Buckhead. They will have live musical performances, fireworks and the tree lighting. It will take place on Sunday, November 18, 2018 and the tree lighting/fireworks will happen promptly at 7 p.m. If you don't feel like heading into Buckhead for the event, WSB-TV (Channel 2 News) will have a live broadcast of the music and tree lighting for you to enjoy at home. I know there is a lot of parking available at the mall, but I'm not sure which lots will be closed due to the event. Lenox is easily accessible from MARTA if you are looking for an easy ride down there.

Tree Lighting at Mall of Georgia: If you live around Metro Atlanta, this is going to be a hall for you. The Mall of Georgia is located in Buford, GA, which is about 36 miles north of downtown. The lighting will take place on Saturday, November 17, 2018 and the festivities will begin at 3 p.m. During the day they will have faux-ice skating, face painting, a balloon artist and a presentation of The Santa Clause. They will also have live performances leading up to the tree lighting. The mall is huge, so there will be plenty of shopping and places to eat while you wait for the tree to light. This would be a great time to get a head start on your shopping!

Lighting of the Great Tree: This tree lighting is on the east side of Atlanta in Lawrenceville, GA. The Gwinnett Historic Courthouse will be hosting the 31st Annual Lighting of the Tree. This tree lighting tradition is a little different than the ones above because this tree lighting takes place on Thanksgiving night. They will have activities for the kids, live entertainment, food vendors and visits with Santa. The event will take place from 5:45 - 8 p.m., which gives you enough time to enjoy your Thanksgiving Dinner before heading out. Admission is free.

Festival of Trees and Tree Lighting: I don't know about you, but a Festival of Trees sounds like a great way to kick off the holiday season. The festival and the tree lighting takes place is Historic Marietta Square, which is northwest of Atlanta (straight up I-75). The event starts at 4:00 pm , Santa arrives at 5:20 p.m, the lights the tree at 6:00 p.m. and everything ends at 8:00 p.m. Between these events, they will have local choruses and bands perform on the main stage. The even is on Thursday, November 29, 2018 and admission is free.

Dahlonega's Old Fashioned Christmas: Dahlonega is one of my favorite places in Georgia and I've heard their Christmas celebrations are amazing. Not only do they light a tree, but they light the whole town. The festivities will take place on Friday, November 23, 2018 and will start at 4:30 p.m. They will have family activities, performances on the plaza stage, carriage ridge, visits with Santa and the tree lighting at 6 p.m. One really cool feature of the tree lighting is they unveil the Dahlonega/Lumpkin County Christmas Ornament, which is a limited edition ornament. Only 600 of these are for sale. I was hoping to be able to attend this year, but I will be missing it. Admission is free.

Annual Lighting of the Village: Helen is another favorite place for me to visit in Georgia and they have some amazing decorations at Christmas. On Friday, November 23, 2018 they will be holding their Annual Lighting of the Village. Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive downtown and they will also assist in lighting the town. The event is from 6-8 p.m. and they have a lot of great German restaurants for your dinner plans. They will also have musical performances and children will be able to meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Admission is free.

Tree Lighting Celebration: Up in my area of Georgia, The Collection Forsyth will have the arrival of Santa and the annual Christmas tree lighting on Sunday, November 25, 2018. They will have kind's activities, horse drawn carriage ridge and a visit from Santa. They will also have a dance and sing along to your favorite holiday songs with live music. The tree lighting is the kick off a month of magical holiday events. Admission is free!

There are so many tree lighting events in Atlanta, I don't want to overwhelm you! I know there are a couple I may be attending, are you planning on attending a local tree lighting in your area? Comment below! I will be sharing other fun holiday events going on over the next few weeks! Watch out for more North Georgia Holiday Event Guide!

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