Looking for lights? 10 places in the Athens area to see Christmas displays this season
With Christmas around the corner, Athens is decorated in dazzling lights this holiday season. Here’s a list of where in Athens and the surrounding area to tour lights.
Winter WonderLights
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia on South Milledge Avenue is dressed up in lights this month until Jan. 9. Tickets are $15 and while going through the show and enjoying the lights, visitors can snack on cookies, s’mores, hot chocolate and coffee, along with Condor Chocolates Winter WonderBar available for purchase.
Christmas at Lunsford Farm
A 45-minute drive from Athens, Elbert County’s Christmas on Lunsford Farm features Christmas lights until the end of the year. Visitors walk through the light display, which opens every day at 6 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays. The display is free to enter and takes place every night with weather permitting. 2730 Sand Hill Road Bowman, Ga.
Winterville
The Winterville Arts Council Contest is hosting its third annual holiday lights contest, where people can visit the town's lights display and vote online for their favorite decorated home or business. A map of the nearly 20 spots to see can be found online, along with the voting form.
Athens' Electrical Elf
Off of River Bottom Road, resident Jonathan Ruhlen becomes Athens’ Electrical Elf as he decks out his house with a light show synchronized to music. Visitors can drive by the show daily, which runs from 6 to 10 p.m.
Electrical Elf's 2021 High Voltage Holiday Show goes live tonight at 6pm and runs daily from 6pm-10pm. Fun for all ages! The show contains @UGARedcoatBand @UGAAthletics @Brooks_UGA @AnnaKendrick47 @SnoopDogg and other themed music 😉. pic.twitter.com/IhQc1uSUo8
— The Electrical Elf (@jonathanr37) December 1, 2021
Cole Springs lights
Another residential light show is just a 25-minute drive from Athens, where the Anderson Family puts on its Christmas light display in Bishop at 1360 Cole Springs Road.
Elder Mill Covered Bridge
This bridge in Oconee County is one of 13 covered bridges in the state and around Christmastime, is decorated in colored lights by a Boy Scout Troop. When walking along the Georgia Antebellum Trail, visitors can walk under the bridge and surround themselves in the lights. The bridge is located at 1441 Elder Mill Road and is available at all times to see.
Nations Church
Nations Church in Athens lights up every night with more than 130,000 lights on display. Located at 8780 Macon Hwy in Athens. The lights dazzle along to music from 6 to 10 p.m. every night
Christmas on Dixie
Christmas on Dixie in Madison lights up for visitors to walk through, with Santa Claus making an appearance each Sunday. This display is open until Christmas Eve and is free to visit. In addition to the lights and Santa, each Saturday stew is also sold by the quart. The last chance to see Santa here this year is Dec. 18. Located at 2300 Dixie Hwy, the lights display is open weekdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday it closes at 10 p.m.
Downtown Christmas Tree
Every year, Athens-Clarke County is given a tree, seeking donations during the month of November from the community. The tree is cut down free of charge and placed in front of City Hall. The tree is lit up in bright multi-colored lights and downtown visitors can walk up to the tree and take photos in front of it and walk along the streets, shopping for last-minute gifts under downtown lights.
Chick-fil-A on Atlanta Highway
Drivers traveling along Atlanta Highway have no doubt already seen Chick-fil-A lit up in bright, white lights during the last several weeks. This year, the lights are dedicated to a former employee and UGA student, Shawn Kuhn, who died from COVID-19.
More: Athens Chick-fil-A Christmas light display goes viral on social media
More: Memorial scholarship set up in honor of UGA student Shawn Kuhn who died from COVID
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the dates for Bear Hollow Zoo's Deck the Hollow. This event took place in early December and has passed.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Christmas lights in Athens, Ga.: Where to find displays in 2021