Roswell Offers Plenty of Holiday Cheer With Events

Roswell residents will have no shortage of holiday-related events to take part in this weekend.

Residents on Saturday, Dec 6. are invited to join the city for its annual Holiday Celebration on the Square.

The Roswell tradition will start at 5 p.m. The event will officially kick off at 610 S. Atlanta Street with the lighting of the city’s historic Town Square.

This fun-filled, family-friendly evening includes:

• choral performances from Esther Jackson, River Eves and Hillside elementary schools;
• a reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Roswell Mayor Jere Wood;
• tasty treats and coffee provided by Starbucks; and
• and a visit from Santa (pictures available for purchase).

Starting at 6 p.m., adults and children can hop on the Holiday Bus for a free ride over to Santa’s Secret Gift Shop at the Roswell Adult Recreation Center at 830 Grimes Bridge Road.

The elves have been hard at work all year so that children 12 and under can purchase gifts for their family. Gifts are affordably priced and wrapping is provided. The Adult Recreation Center will also feature children’s activities such as button-making, coloring and concessions. In addition, the Roswell Ramblers Chorus will perform holiday favorites.

All proceeds benefit the Roswell Ramblers Club. Santa’s Secret Gift Shop will also be open Sunday, Dec. 7, and will feature the same activities, along with a special visit from Santa Claus. For more information, call 770-641-3950.

For those looking for something to do earlier in the day, the city’s Southern Trilogy of historic homes will host its Twisted Tinsel Holiday Spectacular, a family-friendly event full of whacky winter activities that will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. 

Visitors will have the opportunity to ride a trolley between the three antebellum mansions, which will “all be decorated for the holidays and hosting crazy games, treats and zany entertainment,” the city said in its press release.

Some of the highlights include:

• Barrington Hall will host rides on Rudolph the Red Nosed John Deere, the “Yule-lympics” – including Candy Cane Limbo, Fruitcake Corn Hole, Santa Sack Race and a Light Strand Untangling Contest – carol singing and angel photos.
• Bulloch Hall will host the first-ever Ornament Races, a train ride with President Teddy Roosevelt, a photo op with a sleigh and elves, a storytelling elf, holiday crafts, s’mores, a Santa “Confessional” booth and festive music.
• Smith Plantation will host an Ugliest Holiday Sweater Contest, an exclusive look at the Smith Family’s Museum of the Worst Christmas Presents Ever, live music, Oddball Ornaments and a Kooky Cookie Decoration Station.

Admission to each home is $5, and children 12 and under are free. For more information, call (678) 639-7500 or visit the Southern Trilogy website.

Roswell also has a complete listing of holiday-related events on its website, and they can be viewed here.

Photo credit: Shutterstock