Community Events

Kick-off the holiday season with The Exchange Club of Dublin’s Christmas Parade in Downtown Dublin on December 6th at 6 PM! Stretching over a mile through the Bellevue and Downtown Historic Districts, the Christmas Parade adds a touch of wonder, delight and all at night. 

Petting Zoo Painters

Join the Animal Care Team and one of our talented animal artists, meeting either the Zoo’s “VanGoat” or “Baaahlo,” and take home a unique work of art in this unforgettable experience.

Learn about the positive reinforcement training process of becoming an animal artist. See firsthand the ways this enrichment activity fits into high standards of care for animals at the Zoo when you meet a goat or sheep and see their art creation in action. Please note that we cannot guarantee a specific animal for your program.

• Meet at the Petting Zoo area of Outback Station 15 minutes before the Wild Encounter start time. 
• Availability is limited for all Wild Encounters. Advance registration is recommended.
• Encounter spots may be available on the day of the program. Please meet the Wild Encounter Guide at the check-in location 15 minutes before the program begins to inquire about availability and to purchase tickets.
• Includes one (1) take-home canvas per registered group.

Days Available: Saturdays at 3:15 p.m.

Member Cost: $67.50  |  Includes one painting per group of four people.

Non-Member Cost: $75 per group of up to four people, + individual Zoo Admission  |   Includes one painting per group of four people.

Age Range: All ages

Adventure Cubs presented by Carter’s Charitable Foundation is for toddlers and their favorite grownups for a morning of exploration, learning and fun!

Embark on a new journey each month with a Zoo Educator as families get to learn and play together.

Engaging activities will get you and your little one moving and creating. Each month, young explorers will learn about a new animal through a game, craft, story, and singalong. At the end of the program, participants will visit the animal of the month’s habitat to make observations and draw connections to the lesson. You and your family will then receive a themed scavenger hunt to do in the Zoo on your own. This is a great opportunity to make friends and spend time with your little explorers as they discover new skills and learn about wildlife.

All topics and activities are designed for children ages 2-5, with opportunities for exploration for ages 0-2. During the winter months, this program will be held indoors.

2025 Dates:
November 1 & 20
December 6 & 18

2026 Dates:
January 3 & 15
February 7 & 12
March 7 & 19
April 4 & 16
May 2 & 21

Time: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. 

Zoo Member Cost:
$21 for a parent/guardian and child (each additional child participant will be $5/each)

Non-Member Cost:
$26 for a parent/guardian and child (each additional child participant will be $5/each)*  
*Program registration includes Zoo admission.*

THEMES:

Each month, a new adventure awaits with new animals to observe. Adventure Cubs will explore a new region of the world to investigate the animals and environments there! The purpose of each program is to expose young children to the diversity of animals around the world and to draw connections to the ways we are similar and different. For each adventure they go on, Adventure Cubs will engage in an activity, read a story, and create a take-away memory.  

Cookies with Santa at Zoo Atlanta

2025 Dates: December 6 & 7
Limited timed reservations are available from 8:30 a.m. – 7:10 p.m.

Be here when Santa makes his first stop – and get Santa Photos at Zoo Atlanta!

Bring the family for a personal visit with Santa and a professional Santa photo to remember the moment.

Gather the whole family for a magical meet-and-greet with Santa himself, complete with a professional digital photo to capture the memory. While you’re here, snack on festive cookies, get crafty with seasonal activities, and snap holly jolly photos at every turn. It’s a winter wonderland you won’t want to miss!

All Sessions Include:

- A Professional Photo: Remember the moment with a professional family photo with Santa! Photos will be available for free download.

- Holiday Nibbles: No visit with Santa’s elves is complete without a cookie and juice!

- Festive Sights and Sounds: Immerse yourself in the holiday magic with cheerful photo spots and jingle-bell jams!

- Cheerful Crafts: Get creative with hands-on holiday crafts.

Book soon as this event has sold out in the past!

Tickets

Zoo Atlanta Member Pre-Sale
Age 3 and over: $20
Age 2 and under: Free

Zoo Atlanta Member
Age 3 and over: $25
Age 2 and under: Free

Non-Member
Age 3 and over: $35
Age 2 and under: Free

New for 2025:

- Less waiting, more Christmas spirit! We’ve added extra sessions with fewer guests per session, giving your family more options to enjoy the magic.

- Dashing Through! Each session lasts 30 minutes, which is plenty of time to meet the Big Guy in Red, enjoy the activities, and then dash out to the Zoo so you don’t miss a minute of outside fun.

- The North Pole goes digital! Want a better way to drop your image into the family holiday card or share on social media? We’ve got you covered. All photos will be digital and available for download only

Come downtown for Main Street’s Jingle& Mingle and Candy Cane Crawl on Dec. 6!

You can sip and shop and stroll from 11AM-4PM and bring the kids for some Holiday fun!

When the patrons of the Doublestack Diner stopped for a quick bite to eat on Christmas Eve, they didn’t anticipate that 6 inches of snow would mysteriously fall on Highway 27. And the City of Colquitt doesn’t own a snowplow!

Trapped in their booths for what looks like the night, the gang of locals and out-of-towners alike band together to make the best of their situation. And it’s not just the pancakes that are double-stacked, it’s the love stories, too!

Dec. 5-6, 12-13
Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. & 6 p.m.

Kick off the holiday season with "Let’s Hang On!," the nation’s premier tribute to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, live on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m.

Performing to sold-out audiences nationwide, this dynamic show captures the unmistakable sound, crisp harmonies and sleek choreography that defined a generation. Take a nostalgic journey through the greatest hits of the 1960s, featuring classics like "Sherry," "Big Girls Don’t Cry" and "Walk Like a Man," along with some of your favorite holiday tunes! Proudly dubbed America’s No. 1 Frankie Valli Tribute Show, if you loved Jersey Boys, you won’t want to miss Let’s Hang On!"

Eisenhower Lakes invites all Youth On Course golfers to play their course!

Youth On Course provides young people with access to life-changing opportunities through golf. Youth On Course is a PGA of America initiative to break down the high cost barrier for junior golfers while giving them access to play the game at an affordable rate.

Staff at Eisenhower Lakes will verify the juniors YOC membership through the PGA/Georgia Section.

Juniors, between 6-18 years of age, have access to Eisenhower Lakes Golf Club facilities Monday through Saturday after 12 p.m.

For questions or to book a tee time, please call (706)791-2433.

The Greens Fee cost is $5.

Daily Special: The Art of John Miller serves up a visual feast of American food favorites, all set within an environment that evokes classic diners and other eateries of the 1950s and 1960s.

Miller hand blows and molds his exuberant, oversized glass sculptures of hamburgers, French fries, frosty soft drinks and decadent donuts that pop off the plate and into the gallery. His work pays homage to post-war popular design and draws inspiration from pop art, particularly the soft sculptures of Claes Oldenburg.

Miller grew up going to diners with his parents in his hometown of New Haven, Connecticut where his father had a motorcycle shop. He began working with glass as an undergraduate at Southern Connecticut University and went on to earn an M.F.A. in sculpture from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He worked at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, WA, beginning in 1993.

Miller is an associate professor of glass at Illinois State University and has exhibited nationally at museums and art institutes. His work is in numerous museum collections, including the Corning Museum of Glass, the Chrysler Museum of Art, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City, the Museum of Glass, Tacoma, and the Cafesjian Museum of Art, Armenia.

A Blue Ridge Holiday tradition, St. Luke's Anglican Church's Annual Christmas Bazaar, lets you shop for great Christmas gifts, food and decor while assisting our mountain neighbors. All proceeds are donated to organizations in the community. The event is 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Homemade goodness awaits your holiday dining with our freshly made entree casseroles, frozen and ready for you to bake and serve. 

Baked goods, jams, jellies, candy, cheese balls and cakes will be available.

Handcrafted gift items including knitted scarves, socks and more, plus fun gift items such as cork reindeer, jewelry and whimsical holiday decor will be available. All items are locally made by mountain artists.

Silent auction. Indoor event. Free admission. Free parking. Handicap accessible. Cash and checks please.

The Helen Chamber of Commerce is holding the 18th Annual Helen’s Christmas Market on Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 6-7.

Helen’s Christmas Market offers unique handmade Christmas gifts and decorations along with an assortment of sweets and treats. Savory foods are available at our fine restaurants in town.

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum—an acclaimed museum dedicated to celebrating and preserving America’s maritime legacy—is delighted to present “Beyond the Plate: Sea and Sky,” an exciting new solo exhibition featuring nautical-inspired, mixed-media art by Rob Strati, from September 25, 2025, through April 12, 2026. 

“Beyond the Plate” will showcase new work by one of America’s hottest contemporary artists. Strati has recently enjoyed sold-out exhibits at Duane Reed Gallery in St. Louis and FREMIN Gallery in New York and has sold work to top international art collectors in New York, London, Hong Kong, Dubai and beyond.

Strati’s art incorporates broken porcelain plates that have been embellished and adorned with creative details. The exhibition features the artist’s latest bold, kinetic mixed-media works and limited-edition prints as well as an ambitious site-specific installation that will be suspended from the ceiling of the Ships of the Sea atrium.

All of the art in “Beyond the Plate” will be available for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum.

Join the team at the Zambezi Elephant Center and immerse yourself in what it takes to care for the largest land animals on the planet! Spend the morning working alongside the Elephant Care Team to prepare the habitat for the day and ensure the elephants’ needs are met.

This unique experience is sure to educate and inspire you about these special individuals, help you learn more about the rigorous requirements of professional elephant care and gain an understanding of the ways Zoo Atlanta is working to protect wild populations.

Before registering, please understand that during this program:

• Participants will perform similar tasks as members of the Elephant Care Team, which may include raking, sweeping, hosing, scrubbing and shoveling, and should expect to do some hard work and be comfortable getting dirty.
• Participants will be expected to participate in all weather conditions, lift up to 30 pounds and be on their feet for up to four hours.
• Participants must have the physical ability to bend, lift, stoop, kneel and stand for extended periods of time.
• Participants may be exposed to potential allergens such as insects, hay, animal waste and other potential allergens. Please reach out in advance if you have any questions or concerns.

2025 Dates:

Thursday, Aug. 28
Saturday, Sept. 6
Thursday, Sept. 25
Saturday, Oct. 18
Thursday, Oct. 30
Thursday, Nov. 13
Saturday, Nov. 29
Saturday, Dec. 6
Thursday, Dec. 11

Times: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Member cost: $325
Non-member cost: $360

Age range: 16 and up

Join The Madison Artists Guild Gallery for the 7th Annual Holiday Market, a treasure trove of unique handcrafted gifts. This juried show features the works of multiple local talented artists, offering one-of-a-kind items perfect for the holiday season.

The Madison Artists Guild Gallery is open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Stroll through the heart of Madison, Georgia, this Dec. 5-6, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., or 5-9 p.m., as the town opens the doors to some of its treasured historic homes. The Christmas Tour of Homes offers a rare glimpse inside private residences and beloved landmarks, each prepared to welcome you during the most wonderful time of the year.

This self-guided tour lets you move at your own pace, allowing our guests to enjoy all that our charming small town has to offer. Every home reflects the spirit of its stewards, offering unique touches and heartfelt holiday cheer around every corner.

Whether you come with family, friends, or on your own, you’re invited to slow down, take it all in, and make a memory in one of Georgia’s most picturesque small towns.

Stroll through the heart of Madison, Georgia, Dec. 5-6, from 5-9 p.m., as the town opens the doors to some of its treasured historic homes. The Christmas Tour of Homes offers a rare glimpse inside private residences and beloved landmarks, each prepared to welcome you during the most wonderful time of the year.

This self-guided tour lets you move at your own pace, allowing guests to enjoy all that our charming small town has to offer. Every home reflects the spirit of its stewards, offering unique touches and heartfelt holiday cheer around every corner.

Whether you come with family, friends, or on your own, you’re invited to slow down, take it all in, and make a memory in one of Georgia’s most picturesque small towns.

Step back in time to Christmas of 1877. Come see the Mansion at West End decked in gorgeous period holiday decor, and learn about Victorian Christmas traditions from reenactors in period dress. This open house on Friday and Saturday nights in December is highlighted by twinkling candle lights, live music, smores around the campfire and more!

 The Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum has three new exhibits that will run through Dec. 20. Each of these unique exhibits will highlight a different type of textile art providing for a multifaceted museum experience. 

Cosplay to Quilts: Outlander showcases Teri Biglands’ journey from quilting into the world of costuming. Inspired by the Outlander Book Series, Biglands combines her quilting and embroidery skills to create incredible works of wearable art. As a competition-winning cosplay artist, Biglands’ exhibit features several costumes and quilts she handmade. 

Navajo Textiles, curated by Robert Quall, showcases an impressive personal collection of Navajo weavings collected by Quall. These dense weavings give viewers a peek into the history of Western textiles and offer an intimate look into Navajo culture through textiles. 

The final gallery features Geometric Quilts by Janna Thomas, the creative genius behind Bloc Loc Quilting Rulers. After publishing several books through a company she co-found with her husband, Janna Thomas designed several quilts and taught millions of people how to make their quilting journey more accessible and enjoyable with her innovative quilting tools.

Along with these unique exhibits SQTM will offer a variety of community programming including Introduction to sewing and quilting classes, cosplay workshops, and more. 

Nov. 24 - Dec 31, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

The Currahee Artist Guild Christmas Market at the Studio in Toccoa will feature a wide variety of unique handmade gifts.

There will be pottery, quilts, glass art, jewelry, wood and gourd crafts, and of course, Christmas ornaments of all kinds.

In addition there will be wonderful paintings by award winning local artists.

We hope to have something for everyone on your list! Shop art made from the heart! Shop local!

As a minimalist ceramic sculptor, Yuichiro Komatsu draws inspiration from the pliable yet enduring nature of clay, using its transformation from raw earth into ceramic as a metaphor for the dialogue between fragility and permanence. His work reflects on the transient nature of societal structures while seeking to transcend temporal boundaries and explore the poetic resonance of space. Through modular forms and techniques such as hand-building, slip-casting and wheel-throwing, Komatsu examines the interplay between form and formlessness, inside and outside, and the Japanese concept of “Ma,” which honors the elegance of simplicity and negative space. His artistic practice aims to capture a fleeting yet enduring sense of beauty, existing at the intersection of delicacy and resilience.

Yuichiro Komatsu is a Tokyo-born contemporary ceramic artist and educator, earned his BFA from SUNY New Paltz, apprenticed with renowned ceramicist Toshiko Takaezu, completed his MFA at Alfred University, and a DAAD Postgraduate Research Fellowship in Berlin. His work has been exhibited internationally, he has participated in acclaimed artist residencies around the world, and he currently serves as Professor of Art at Columbus State University in Georgia.