By Sonia Fuller
The annual Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes, scheduled for Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm, is just weeks away and includes a whole weekend of fun-filled activities. Each year, close to a thousand people from near and far make the trek to share in some of Grant Park’s history and hospitality. The tour organizers hope you’ll help light up the park with your holiday lights, welcoming visitors into Grant Park during this special weekend.
Approximately ten of Grant Park’s fabulous homes are included in this year’s tour, along with the more than a century-old sanctuary at St. Paul United Methodist Church and the L.P. Grant Mansion, an antebellum treasure which is now home to the Atlanta Preservation Center. The famed Burns Mansion, a 33-room home that was built soon after the Civil War ended, is once again being featured on the tour. Homes chosen for the tour include a mix of design styles and ages, including some with recent renovations and newer homes built to reflect the historic district’s character. Grant Park is Atlanta’s largest historic district with homes built in the Victorian, Craftsman, Italianate, and various other styles from the turn of the 20th century.
That same weekend, the Artists’ Market will feature local craftsmen, artists, baked treats, and hot apple cider. The market will be housed inside the St. Paul United Methodist Church sanctuary, adjacent to the ticket booth. The market is open both nights, beginning Saturday at 4:00pm and Sunday at 6:00pm, closing each night at 9:00pm. Organizers are still taking applications for the Artists’ Market, but hurry as the entry deadline is Friday, November 14 and spots fill quickly. If you are interested in participating, email candacemccollough@gmail.com for more information.
On Saturday afternoon only, be sure to drop by the Winter Wonderland Carnival from 4:00 to 6:00pm for some treats and crafts or just to meet neighborhood families for some socializing. Located upstairs in the gym at St. Paul UMC, Winter Wonderland will once again host a special visit from Santa.
On Sunday, everyone is invited to a special candlelight Christmas concert featuring the St. Paul UMC choir at 5:00pm, with the ticket box office and the Artists’ Market opening immediately afterwards.
Tickets for the Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes are $15 each if purchased in advance of the event. Tickets can be bought online at www.CandlelightTourofHomes.com or by calling 404-688-7501. After Friday, December 12, ticket prices increase to $20 each and are only available for purchase in person at the St. Paul United Methodist Church box office at 501 Grant Street. The Winter Wonderland, sponsored by the Grant Park Parent Network, Artists’ Market and Sunday’s concert are free and open to the public.
There is still time to join the festivities as a sponsor of this weekend that showcases Grant Park and its area businesses. If you would like to learn more about the tour’s sponsorship opportunities, email donwallace1968@gmail.com. Many of the sponsors provide special offers during the weekend, so be sure to visit (and select “Get Notifications”) the tour Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GrantParkCandlelightTour for these offerings as well as many other updates leading up to the tour.
Thanks to participating sponsors and hundreds of ticket sales, each year this festive holiday celebration provides funds to three of Grant Park’s community-enriching nonprofits – St. Paul UMC, the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool (GPCP) and the Grant Park Parent Network (GPPN). For more information, please visit www.CandlelightTourofHomes.com.
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