Community Events

Seating is first come, first served. Gates open at 7 p.m. Concert starts at 8 p.m.

Before Ashleigh Smith won the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, she studied classical music at Georgia’s Columbus State University on a full-ride scholarship. After attending a jazz camp at the prestigious University of North Texas, she transferred to UNT and graduated with a bachelors degree in vocal jazz performance. 

Shortly thereafter, she was awarded a Concord Records recording contract that set the stage for her critically acclaimed 2016 debut album "Sunkissed," which blends her signature mix of R&B, funk and jazz with both original compositions and inventive cover interpretations.

For these Valentine’s weekend performances, Ashleigh and her band will grace the stage with an evening of delicious ballads designed to make their audiences feel the love!

Time: 12-5 p.m.

Come be part of the Fire & Ice Chili Cook Off and Craft Beer Festival in Downtown Blue Ridge. It's a wonderful family-friendly affair!

Warm up with the cozy goodness of chili made by local chefs, then set out on a frosty adventure, hunting for enchanting ice sculptures as you explore our charming shops.

Savor the perfect blend of fiery chili, frosty ice sculptures, craft brews and mesmerizing entertainment.

Atlanta-based Jazz vocalist Karla Harris and big band leader Joe Gransden serve up their wildly popular, fun-for-the-whole-family Valentine’s Day performance.

Soulful and swingin’ from start to finish, this isn’t your average holiday concert. Expect timeless romantic classics, heartwarming ballads and a perfect night of music, laughter and love.

Special Guest:  Multi-instrumentalist Marla Feeney

Come celebrate German Mardis Gras with music, dancing and fun!

Decorate a table with your friends in your favorite theme, or just wear your favorite costume. Anything goes!  (Costumes are encouraged but not required-just come for the fun!)

We will be serving bratwurst with kraut, hot dogs, barbecue and more. We will also have pretzels!

Food and drink (non-alcoholic drinks, beer and wine) are available for purchase.

Prizes awarded for Best Costumes and Best Table Decor.

Live music and dancing!

We are encouraging groups to come and decorate a table. You can pick a theme and dress in costume and decorate the table according to your theme.

Tables may be purchased for groups of 6 for (Price TBA)  which includes 6 passes. If you have more than 6 people, the cost would be the regular admission price of (TBA) per person.

Tables would need to be reserved and paid for in advance.

If you would like to reserve a table for your group, please give us a call at (706) 878-1908 or email us at helenchamber@helenchamber.com.

Please note: we do welcome everyone, even if you are not part of a group! The entrance fee for individuals is (TBA) per person which includes music, dancing and fun!

We hope to see you at Fasching!

At each location (Helen Arts & Heritage Center, Sautee Nacoochee Center, Unicoi State Park, Hardman Farm), local and regional artists will display, sell and demonstrate their skills and bring to life new and exciting pieces. Visitors may purchase raffle tickets to win artwork contributed by participating artists.

Food service or vendors are present at some sites.

There is no charge for WinterFest at each venue.

Discover the rich stories woven into every quilt, tales of heritage, community, journey and roots.

Visit Stitching Our Story: A Celebration of Black History Quilt Show, a vibrant celebration of these powerful narratives brought to life through the artistry of quilting. Celebrate creativity and culture in this inspiring, free event open to everyone, proudly presented by See Clayton County.

1945–1979 Quilts explores changing trends in American quilting from the end of World War II through the resurgence of the craft in the late 1970s. The exhibit highlights the evolution of styles, colors, and fabrics over three transformative decades.

Early quilts reflect patriotic themes and palettes inspired by the postwar period, while quilts from the 1950s introduce new patterns and fresh color combinations. By the 1960s and 1970s, quilters pushed creative boundaries, experimenting with bold colors, unconventional fabrics and expressive designs.

Sacred Threads is a biennial exhibition that features quilts reflecting personal and spiritual journeys.

The exhibit aims to provide a safe space for quilters to express their experiences and emotions through their artwork. The themes explored include joy, inspiration, spirituality, healing, grief and peace/brotherhood.

The Ringgold Depot Opry has been entertaining the Ringgold community for 32 years, and this year is a show-stopping season like no other.

The first show of the year features ’80s rock band, Aunt Betty, live on the Depot stage! Come on out for A Night of Love and Songs at The Ringgold Depot Rock Opry. Door fees collected from the concert will be donated RDO's nonprofit partner, Friends of Crossroads Inc. Celebrate Valentines Day the right way at RDO.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Show starts at 8 p.m.

More Info | nothinlikeringgold.com

Tickets | https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/friends-of-crossroads-inc/aunt-betty-ringgold-depot-rock-opry

The Ringgold Playhouse presents "Boeing Boeing," a comedy by Marc Camoletti, directed by Adam Cook. The show starts Feb 14, with additional performances Feb. 20-22 and Feb. 27-28.

Senior/Student tickets are $12 and General Admission tickets are $15. Tickets are available at the door or online at the link below. All Playhouse performances this year will be held at their brand new location at 7847 Nashville Street in downtown Ringgold.

Friday and Saturday Shows: 7:30-10 p.m.

Sunday Shows: 2-4:30 p.m.

Synopsis:

This 1960s French farce adapted for the English-speaking stage features self-styled Parisian lothario Bernard, who has Italian, German and American fiancées, each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent “layovers.” He keeps “one up, one down and one pending” – until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris, and Bernard’s apartment, at the same time.

More Info | nothinlikeringold.com

Tickets | https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/city-of-ringgold-dda/696113034580853bbc81e89e

Join Georgia Tech Women’s Tennis for the 2026 season as the Yellow Jackets host an exciting slate of home matches. Georgia Tech will face high-powered opponents such as Georgia, Texas Tech, Louisville and more throughout the season.

Admission is free for all fans at every match. To view the full schedule, visit ramblinwreck.com/w-tennis.

Land and Sea Georgia, an exhibition by renowned metal and jewelry artist Barbara Mann, will be on view Jan. 30 through March 7 at the Madison Artists Guild Gallery. 

Mann’s work references flora and fauna ranging from pokeweed and pine trees to sea algae, oysters, sea turtles and microscopic marine life. The exhibition celebrates the interconnectedness of these environments and reflects a deep respect for the natural world.

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

Celebrate love, fresh air or a little adventure with a Valentine’s Trail Ride. Whether you’re sharing the moment with a partner, a friend or treating yourself to something special, this guided ride offers a peaceful escape through beautiful scenery and a chance to slow down together.

Show your Valentine’s spirit by wearing red and enjoy 15% off your ride. A little color goes a long way. Riding rates can be found at https://gordon.armymwr.com/programs/hilltop/riding-rates.

Ride Times: 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Registration is required. Spots are first come, first served.

Don't have gate access of want to join in on the fun? Register for gate access at https://pass.aie.army.mil/steps/installation_selection.

For questions or to reserve your trail ride, please call (706)791-4864.

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.

How many chickens do you weigh?

How tall are you in apples or inches or pennies? Can you use your foot as a ruler?

Explore these and other questions in this new interactive exhibit in the Discovery Garden!

It may be common to measure using standard tools such as measuring tapes and cups, but Measurement Rules explores non-standard tools such as balancing scales, odometers, calipers, 3-D imaging and counting “Mississippis.” Explore this exhibit and become confident in the language of measurement through length, weight, volume and time.

The museum is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

We’ve all imagined what it’s like to live and work in space, but only a select few have done it. Opening on Oct. 10, those who have lived in space will share their experiences with visitors in our newest traveling exhibition, Journey to Space.

Using hands-on and large-scale interactive exhibits and multimedia components, Journey to Space gives visitors a glimpse at the extraordinary conditions of human space travel, as well as the unique challenges and rewards of life on board the International Space Station.

Gainesville Theatre Alliance presents "The Play That Goes Wrong," by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, Feb. 13-21 at Brenau University's Hosch Theatre, inside the John S. Burd Center for the Performing Arts.

An opening night reception, catered by Nothing Bundt Cakes, follows the Feb. 13 performance.

It’s opening night at the Cornley Drama Society, and everything that could possibly go wrong—does! The set’s collapsing, the actors are forgetting lines (or repeating them), and the corpse won’t stay still. This madcap comedy is a love letter to the chaos of live theatre, where disaster becomes delight and failure is fabulously funny. Expect pratfalls, missed cues and non-stop laughs in this Olivier Award-winning global sensation. Fun for the whole family!

Gainesville Theatre Alliance is an inter-collegiate theatre collaboration between Brenau University and the University of North Georgia.

For tickets or more information, visit GainesvilleTheatreAlliance.org or call the GTA Box Office at (678) 717-3624.

At each location (Helen Arts & Heritage Center, Sautee Nacoochee Center, Unicoi State Park, Hardman Farm), local and regional artists will display, sell and demonstrate their skills and bring to life new and exciting pieces. Visitors may purchase raffle tickets to win artwork contributed by participating artists.

Food service or vendors are present at some sites.

There is no charge for WinterFest at each venue.

Winter Safari Camp at the Zoo
December 22-23, 2025
December 29, 2025-January 2, 2026
January 5, 2026
February 16-20, 2026

Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.  
Extended care available for $15/day from 8 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. Must be purchased for whole Camp session; cannot be purchased for individual days.

Age Range: 5-11

When school is out, Camp is in! 

We are here to engage and excite your young learners ages 5-11 during Winter Break.

Safari Camp is a great opportunity to engage young explorers in learning about the wild world around them and beginning their journey of conservation stewardship. Through Zoo explorations, up-close animal encounters, STEAM-based projects, hands-on science activities, environmental games and more, campers learn about attainable strategies and goals to combat environmental issues and are charged with finding simple ways that they can make a difference.

Please visit our website for pricing.

THEMES:

Each week campers embark on a different Zoo expedition, exploring wildlife and wild places. Young explorers will be immersed in hands-on, minds-on learning while having fun!  
 
December 22-23 (2 days)  

Protected Professionals: Lions, tigers, and bears! Oh my! These animals are wonderful to work with, but we have to be very safe in how we do it. Come along with us as we explore how we care for our Protected Contact species. At the end of the week, we will design and present a shift door to help our care teams safely move animals out of one space and into another so that we can perform critical care tasks on their habitats. It’s sure to be a roar-ing good time! 
 
December 29-January 2 (5 days)  

Zoo in Review: Zoo Atlanta provides an amazing home to its many animal residents. As we continue to experience cold weather in the winter, our warm-climate animals need somewhere to go. During the week, we will talk about ways we can create a winter-friendly habitat for our summer-loving species. At the end of the week, campers will share their very own designs for a new winter habitat for the Zoo resident of their choosing! 
 
January 5 (1 day)  

Who Pooed in the Zoo?: Every living thing eats, so every living thing poops… but not everything poops the same. Join us for a day of exploring how animal poop communicates with our Animal Care Team about the overall health of the animals. We will spend the day thinking about what makes a healthy poop across some of our diverse wildlife, and end the day with a scavenger hunt to see what kinds of poop we can find in the park. 
 
February (5 days)  

Instincts and Influences: Are they born knowing how to do that? Why does this animal look like that? How do they do that? These are all fabulous questions, and all have answers as unique as the species that call Zoo Atlanta home! This week, we will dive into physical and behavioral adaptations that animals are born with or learn over time, how we encourage animals to use their adaptations in a zoo, and how those adaptations would help them survive and thrive in the wild. At the end of the week, campers will present a comic strip on their favorite animal to highlight some of the behavioral and physical characteristics that they have learned about.

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.