The holiday season in Athens, Georgia, offers opportunity for endless celebration! Visitors can enjoy festive heritage events, artist markets for one-of-a-kind gifts and, as always in Athens, live music. 

The Downtown Christmas Parade of Lights ushers in the holiday season in Athens. This popular annual event gives viewers and participants the opportunity to enjoy an evening parade in Downtown Athens while it is decorated for the holiday season. On Dec. 4, dozens of floats, bands and groups will wind through downtown streets awash in twinkling lights. This year's theme, the "The Twelve Days of Christmas," will have Christmas cheer ringing all through the city. The hour-long parade begins on the corner of Dougherty and Pulaski Streets at 7 p.m. and ends in front of City Hall. The traditional tree lighting ceremony hosted by Santa and Mrs. Claus will follow.  More information is available at 706-613-3620.  

Athens is well-known for its art scene, making holiday artist markets and special events the perfect opportunity to find one-of-a-kind gifts. This year the Indie South Fair: Holiday Hooray on Dec. 6 and 7 brings an eclectic selection of emerging artists and crafters from the southeast and beyond to downtown Athens. The fair provides a venue for artists to directly connect with the community by sharing their techniques and creative processes as well as market their wares in a recreational, street-fair atmosphere that is always free and open to everyone. 

Celebrate the holiday season this year at The Classic Center in downtown Athens on Dec. 13-14 & Dec. 20-21. Christmas at The Classic Center will be a fun filled wonderland featuring Athens' only ice skating rink, a Festival of Trees, pictures with Santa and a Santa's workshop full of holiday crafts for kids. Other highlights include the Athens Master Chorale Holiday Performance and The Nutcracker with shows Dec. 20 and 21. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Extra Special People. Tickets for the festival go on sale November 17 at 10 a.m. Visit ClassicCenterChristmas.com for tickets and more information. 

The Holiday Spirits Museum Mile Tour on three consecutive Sundays in December will transport participants to Christmases past. This special holiday version of the Museum Mile tour will focus on holiday traditions spanning the 19th century by exploring four unique historic houses from the Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian periods. The tour includes live music, professional theatre, light refreshments and culminates with a glorious Victorian Christmas at the Ware-Lyndon House. The tours begin at 2 p.m. on Dec. 6, 13 and 20. Tickets are $25 each and are available through the Athens Welcome Center at 706-353-1820. 

There are a number of holiday shows and performances to catch this season.  The Santaland Diaries is a fun and hilarious show for adults over the age of 18.  Presented by the Rose of Athens Theatre, The SantaLand Diaries is a brilliant evocation of what a slacker's Christmas must feel like.  Showtimes are Dec. 3-4, 7 p.m. at the Melting Point. Town & Gown Players presents Inspecting Carol this holiday season.  Shows are Dec. 5 - 12 at The Athens Community Theatre. See website for times and tickets. On Wed., Dec. 10 Tuba Christmas will be at The Classic Center.  2014 marks their 41st anniversary of sharing Christmas tunes worldwide.  

On Dec. 4-5 at Hodgson Hall, the UGA Symphony Orchestra, Hodgson Singers, and University Chorus will come together in their annual UGA Holiday Concert for a night of holiday music magic. Tickets are $25. More information can be found at music.uga.edu. The Athens Chamber Singers invites guests to join them for their annual Yuletide Musical Dinner on Dec. 11, 12 or 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Trumps. This event features a delicious dinner buffet alongside wonderful holiday tunes. If you want to participate in a public musical performance art piece in the form of a holiday caroling party, gather on Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Little Kings Shuffle Club forUnsilent Night. 

The State Botanical Garden will host several holiday events for families this season. On Dec. 7 from 1:30 to 4 p.m., the State Botanical Garden will host a Holiday Open House.  The Visitor Center & Conservatory will be decked out in Christmas sparkle while Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause will be on-site for photos, Christmas wishes and hugs.  There will be puppet shows and musical performances for families to enjoy all afternoon long.  This event is free and open to the public.  On Dec. 9 the Gardens will host Classic City Band for their official holiday concert and on Dec. 14, New Horizons Band will be performing holiday tunes.  

What better holiday present could there be than plans for a New Year's Eve getaway to Athens?  A variety of venues are hosting special events this year. Graduate Athens is hosting a Dancing in the Street New Year's Evepackage with entertainment at Foundry with Martha Reeves & the Grains of Sand Band from $329.  Hotel Indigo's New Years Eve Party featuring The Highballs offers fabulous cocktails and live music in their elegant Rialto Room. Don't miss Hotel Indigo's special New Years Eve Overnight Package.  For $199 couples receive a luxury boutique hotel room, two tickets to The Highballs exclusive concert and a champagne toast at midnight. The 40 Watt New Year's Eve show will include Reptar, Murk Daddy Flex and Shade at 10 p.m. Tickets are $11. The Georgia Theatre will be hosting The Revivalists, AJ Ghent and Larkin Poe for their New Year's Eve extravaganza.  Doors open at 8:30 p.m. A visit to Athens this New Year's Eve will ensure the first memories of the New Year are ones to never forget.  

The Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau is an excellent resource for planning a holiday getaway to Athens, Georgia. More information about these events, other holiday-themed activities, special offers, hotel recommendations and other travel resources is available at www.VisitAthensGA.com or by calling 706-357-4430.