By Jessica Harlan
In December 1980, Magnum P.I. premiered on TV; the Pac-Man video game became a craze at arcades across America; and the Rubik’s Cube (price: $1.99) was on every kid’s Christmas wish list.
Also in 1980, a holiday tour of decorated Grant Park homes was held to benefit a local daycare facility. Fast forward 35 years, and the Candlelight Tour of Homes is one of the most eagerly anticipated holiday events of the season in southeast Atlanta, as well as an important fundraiser for three neighborhood organizations: The St. Paul United Methodist Church, the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool, and the Grant Park Parents Network.
Although few copies exist of the tour programs from the early years, a program from the third annual tour is preserved in the archives of the Atlanta History Center. According to the program, tickets that year were only $4.50, and eight houses were on the tour, including 640 Grant Street, which was decorated in a Victorian manner with dried flowers, fresh fruits, and balsam garlands; the 1915 bungalow at 376 Milledge Avenue; and 532 Boulevard, which was built in 1899 and was once a condemned triplex before being rescued and lovingly restored.
Longtime Atlanta resident Robin South has fond memories of the Candlelight Tour throughout the years. “My wife and I put our home on tour twice during the late 1980s and early 90s,” he recalls. “In the 80s and early 90s, almost all the homes were works in progress. The charm of the tour in those days was to see what your neighbors were doing in the renovation of their home. It was not unusual to tour a house with some walls still two-by-fours, with rough floors, and a kitchen that was barely functioning. There was a sense of shared experience as most of us were renovating our own homes.”
Acknowledging that the neighborhood has evolved since those early days, South says, “As I prepare to enjoy the 35th anniversary of the tour, I look forward to seeing how far the ‘hood’ has come since those early days.”
This year, tour-goers are more likely to see the finished results of these painstaking renovations than construction zones, and of course, the entire neighborhood will be decked out for the holidays. The Candlelight Tour will be held Saturday and Sunday December 12 and 13 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm.
Weekend festivities at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 501 Grant Street, include the annual Winter Wonderland, sponsored by the Grant Park Parents Network. It includes activities and games for kids and the chance to meet Santa. Winter Wonderland will be held Saturday, December 12 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The Artist’s Market, featuring unique, handcrafted gifts, will be open Saturday from 4:00pm to 9:00pm and Sunday from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. There will also be a holiday concert featuring the St. Paul United Methodist Choir in the church’s sanctuary on Sunday at 5:00pm.
Tickets for the tour are $20 in advance and $25 the days of the tour. As part of the anniversary festivities, a limited number of VIP tickets are being offered by tour sponsors WineSmith and Bennett’s Market & Deli. These $30 tickets will include admission to the tour as well as a private kickoff party at Bennett’s featuring a wine tasting, appetizers, and live music.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.candlelighttourofhomes.com. And be sure to follow Candlelight Tour of Homes on Facebook for regular updates on sponsors, events, and the homes featured on the tour.
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