By Jeff McCord
Since 1980, one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the holiday season in Atlanta is the annual Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes. Begun 36 years ago as a benefit for a community child care center that was in the space where the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool now resides, the Candlelight Tour is a much-loved tradition that provides a unique and intimate glimpse into the historic Grant Park neighborhood.
The tour this year will take place on Saturday, December 10, and Sunday, December 11, from 6:00pm until 10:00pm both nights. Held in the evening with the warm glow of candles and holiday lights, the Candlelight Tour is a great way to see the neighborhood and get into the holiday spirit with friends and family.
The Candlelight Tour features eight to 10 homes each year, usually representing historic preservation and innovative renovations, as well as new homes built to reflect the character and style of the historic district. Back on the tour this year by popular demand will be the stunning Burns Mansion, which is a restored 1868 Queen Anne Victorian home with 11 fireplaces, seven porches, and more than 30 rooms.
The tour will begin in the sanctuary of St. Paul United Methodist Church, which also hosts the holiday artists’ market (free and open to the public), a free concert by the St. Paul choir, and the annual Winter Wonderland Children’s Celebration on Saturday afternoon, which is sponsored by the Grant Park Parents Network. Here, children can delight in a photo opportunity and share their wish lists with Santa Claus himself.
Tickets for the Tour are $20 in advance and $25 for day-of sales at the Tour box office. You can pre-purchase tickets at www.CandlelightTourofHomes.com and at the Grant Park Farmer’s Market on certain Sundays in November and December. A special VIP ticket package also is in the works, so look for more details on the website and on Facebook. As always, the proceeds from this event benefit three Grant Park community organizations: St. Paul United Methodist Church, the Grant Park Parents Network, and the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool.
The Seasons Greeter sponsor package is back this year. As a Seasons Greeter supporter, you will receive two tickets for use on either night of the tour, no wait at the box office when picking up your tickets, and a yard sign that helps promote the tour as well as the sponsors’ support of the neighborhood.
Business sponsorship opportunities for the event are still available, and there are a limited number of spaces available for artists and crafters interested in selling at the Artists’ Market. For more information on either, please visit www.CandlelightTourofHomes.com, or email Candlelighttour@stpaulgrantpark.org.
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