The holiday season officially begins here on Thanksgiving night with the lighting of the great tree at Lenox Square, but it’s not Christmas in the city until a few other traditions take place: the Festival of Trees, the Christmas Parade and the opening of the Pink Pig.
The 2005 Festival of Trees runs Dec. 3-11 in Exhibit Hall A-1 at the Georgia World Congress Center Downtown. The annual tree extravaganza benefits Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and features 154,000 square feet of decorated trees, wreaths and designer vignettes, along with elaborate gingerbread houses, specialty shops, handmade dollhouses, children’s activities and live entertainment.
New this year, and sure to delight the kids, is a re-creation of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, with tableaus from the classic story, many of them interactive. There will be a huge indoor roller coaster, a giant slide, train and antique carousel, according to festival chair Gina Long.
Also new this year will be a custom-made waterfall that cascades down into an ice- skating rink, the centerpiece for this year’s festival. Professional skaters will be giving shows throughout the festival.
Hours for the Festival of Trees are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and kids ages 2-12, free for children under age 2. Call (404) 785-6635 or visit www.choa.org/festival.
Children’s Christmas Parade 2005. While New York has its annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, Atlanta has its very own Christmas Parade, which has been high-stepping through Downtown for more than two decades (above). The Saturday, Dec. 3, parade, also sponsored by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, acts as a kick-off for the Festival of Trees.
There will be marching bands, the Distinguished Clown Corps, giant helium balloons, antique cars, dogs dressed in holiday attire, dancers, floats and an appearance by Santa Claus. The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. at Peachtree Street near Baker Street and follows Peachtree before turning onto Marietta Street. It will then end on Centennial Olympic Park Drive. If you don’t want to brave the cold or crowds, WSB-TV will broadcast the entire parade. www.choa.org/festival.
The Pink Pig. The history of the Pink Pig is a bit confusing, but kids don’t care. They just enjoy climbing aboard Priscilla, below, for a ride through a magical Christmas land each year. A tradition in Atlanta for more than 50 years, the Pink Pig began as an indoor monorail at the old Downtown Rich’s department store. It was then moved to the roof of the store for a spectacular view of the Rich’s Great Tree that sat on the glass-fronted bridge that connected the two wings of Rich’s.
When Rich’s closed its Downtown store in 1990, the original Pink Pig went to the Atlanta History Center. Three years ago, Rich’s-Macy’s (now just Macy’s) resurrected the Pink Pig on the top of the Lenox Square parking deck, where it has become a holiday tradition for a new generation. The Pink Pig will offer rides through Jan. 2. December hours are Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. The ride will be open on Christmas Eve from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on New Year’s Eve from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3.
www.lenoxsquare.com.
