By Julia Turner

After the holiday parade, annual theater productions and concerts, what else is there to do in Atlanta for the holidays? Plenty! We’ve rounded up some upcoming events that you should add to your calendar if you’re looking to entertain the kids, family or just take a break from shopping.

Christmas on Peachtree
The event is billed as the largest indoor Christmas festival of its kind in the Southeast, featuring more than 70,000 square feet of festive family fun, food and shopping. See the Symphony of Lights music and light show, let the kids play in the Cartoon Network Children’s Adventure Area (which includes a life size toy train), enjoy a meal in the North Pole Café and shop in the retail village. Get your child’s photo made with Santa with a number of affordable packages available for purchase.The festival is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and to 8 p.m. on weekends from Nov. 25 to New Year’s Eve. Tickets are only $12 for adults and $8 for children and can be purchased online at ChristmasOnPeachtree.com.

Holidays at the Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium is celebrating the holidays with mermaids, mantas, and Santas. Beginning Nov. 26, the aquarium has five weeks of fun for the holiday season. There will be holiday face painting, arts and crafts on select dates and more, including the “Fin-tastic 5th Birthday” live musical revue, which will continue Thursdays-Sundays through the holidays. The mermaids of Florida’s Weeki Wachee Springs State Park will perform in the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager exhibit. Their synchronized underwater acts are performed to holiday music while breathing through special air hoses. Photos with Santa in the aquarium atrium will be available on special dates. For more information visit georgiaaquarium.org.

Gingerbread House Holiday Workshop
The Piedmont Park Conservancy offers the Gingerbread House Holiday Workshop on Dec. 4 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Participants construct their own gingerbread house to decorate and take home. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit piedmontpark.org.

Chanukah Wonderland
Want to see Atlanta’s largest Draidel? On Sunday, Dec. 18, have fun losing yourself in the festivities at the annual Chanukah Wonderland presented by the Intown Jewish preschool. This free event is fun for the whole family and will feature activities like olive press shows, face painting and arts and crafts. For more information call (404) 898- 0434.

Elf on the Shelf Cupcake Tea and Book Reading
On Dec. 19, The Mansion on Peachtree welcomes The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition authors Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell to host the Elf on the Shelf Cupcake tea featuring a book reading and signing. Young visitors will be treated to a special holiday tea service menu complete with festive miniature cupcakes and traditional assorted tea sandwiches for adults. Young guests are encouraged to bring their own copies of Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition for the signing and gift sets will also be available for purchase. The tea will be held at 2:30 p.m. in NEO Restaurant and is $40 for children ages 3-12 and $52 for adults including a glass of prosecco. The price includes tax, gratuity and valet parking. Reservations are required by calling (404) 995-7545.

Santa at Underground Atlanta
On Saturday, Dec. 19 from 1 to 4 p.m., Santa makes his appearance for Santa’s Holiday Celebration at Underground Atlanta. Visit with Santa and his reindeer, sing-a-long to your favorite holiday tunes, get festive with face painters and balloon artists and have fun at the arts and crafts activity table. For more information, visit underground-atlanta.com.

Garden Lights
Experience a dazzling extravaganza featuring nearly 1 million lights crafted into displays inspired by nature at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Midtown. Highlights include a galaxy of stars in the woodlands; whimsical bees, butterflies, and other lighted pollinators in the Edible Garden; and 200 show-stopping, color-changing topiary forms choreographed to holiday music on the Great Lawn. The lights were turned on in November and will remain until Jan. 7. Tickets are $14.95 for adults, $9.95 for kids ages 3-12. AtlantaBotanicalGarden.org

Downtown Countdown
For the eighth year in a row, Lindy Promotions & USA Entertainment, along with Metromix, Dave FM and Heineken, are coming together to present Atlanta’s largest New Year’s Eve party. Located in Downtown Atlanta, at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Hotel. It’s conveniently located in the heart of Atlanta’s Peachtree Center, and in close proximity to the Georgia Dome, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola, and the CNN Center. The all inclusive party ticket will get you a premium open bar, an array of the Hyatt’s top notch cuisine, decorations, party favors, access to all areas of entertainment, and Atlanta’s largest balloon drop at midnight as well as a late night breakfast buffet. You must be 21 or older to attend the event. Dress is formal, creative black tie, optional. downtowncountdown.net

By Sydia Bell

The holiday season is here and the events will be coming fast and furious until January. Here’s a selection of events coming up in November and early December for you to put on your calendar.

The Pink Pig
The famous Pink Pig train ride is back at Lenox Square Mall starting Oct. 29. Kids of all ages are welcome to come and squeal with excitement as they take a journey through a super-sized storybook land – A Pig’s Tale featuring Pricilla and some of her friends. With rides starting out at just $3.00 this is one event for the entire family. For more information visit macysinc.com.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Now is time to experience Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in an entirely different way – live! Based on the original 1964 television special Center of Puppetry Arts presents the Jon Ludwig adaptation from Nov. 3- Dec. 31. Last year’s shows were a total sell out, so get your tickets now. For more information, visit puppet.org.

Stone Mountain Christmas
If being surrounded by two million Christmas lights sounds like fun, than it’s time to head over to Stone Mountain beginning Nov. 12. Enjoy the lights, more than a dozen live performances and that warm feeling you get when Christmas is right around the corner. If you make your way there after Nov. 23 be sure to check out Snow Mountain, where tons of snow are blown onto the lawn for tubing, snowball fights and more. For more information visit festivals.stonemountainpark.com.

Centennial Olympic Park Holiday In Lights & Ice Skating
Enjoy the winter season by taking a spin in Atlanta’s only outdoor ice skating rink from Nov. 19 to Jan. 29.  Visitors appreciate the observation seating accompanied by holiday music while enjoy the sights of the winter wonderland that the park becomes during the holiday season. Admission is $7 per person with skate rental starting off at $2.00 for 90 minutes of skate time.  centennialpark.com

Lighting of Macy’s Great Tree
The 63^rd annual event is a Thanksgiving night tradition, first at the old Rich’s Department Store Downtown and now atop Macy’s at Lenox Square in Buckhead. There will be musical entertainment starting at 6 p.m.  For more, visit macysinc.com.

Virginia Highland Christmas Tree Lighting
Come and celebrate a time-honored tradition in Virginia Highland, Murphy’s Restaurant and neighborhood friends at the annual Christmas tree lighting and neighborhood party.  On Thursday, Dec. 1, stay warm with complimentary hot chocolate and cookies while enjoying the sounds of some of the best local choral groups as they sing some of the favorite Christmas melodies. For more information visit murphys-atlanta-resturant.com.

Children’s Christmas Parade
Make sure not to miss this year’s annual Children Christmas Parade happening on Dec. 3 at 10:30 a.m. Now in its 31st year this traditional parade is herald as one of the premiere holiday events attracting more than 300,000 spectators. Beginning on Peachtree Street near Baker Street (downtown) the parade makes it way all the way through Centennial Park. Make sure to arrive early because parking is limited. For more information about event or street side bleacher seats visit choa.org.

By Timothy George and Collin Kelley

Boo at the Zoo: One of Atlanta’s favorite family Halloween festival returns for just four days: October 22, 23, 29, 30. Find your way through magical paths, sample sweet treats, meet whimsical characters, all while exploring more than 1,000 animals from around the world. Don’t forget to wear your favorite costume, as there will be a Boo Costume Contest. zooatlanta.org

Georgia A-Scary-Um: For the third year, the Georgia Aquarium is transforming for the Halloween weekend, Oct. 29-31. Not only will the Aquarium be decked out with Halloween-themed decorations, but there will be music, candy stations, craft tables and costume contests throughout the day. georgiaaquarium.org

Spiralween: Park Tavern is hosting their original Halloween Costume Party on Saturday, Oct. 29. Expect outrageous costumes, live music, DJs and dancing. Girlz Girlz Girlz will be performing live and DJ Jazzy and Wats will be lighting up the dance floor. Think you have the sexiest, most exotic, original costume idea? Put it to the test in the $1,000 costume contest. For more information, visit spiralentertainment.com

Netherworld Haunted House: Get your fright on just outside the Perimeter at the haunted house, which has provided thrills and chills for 14 years.  Last y ear it was ranked the #1 haunted house in America by USA Today and Fangoria. This year’s haunted house is open nightly in October and the weekend of Nov. 4-5 at the Georgia Antique & Design Center, 6624 Dawson Blvd. in Norcross. More than 100 actors and cutting-edge tech will bring to life zombies, gargoyles, vampire and Gatorzilla. Admission is $22-28. fearworld.com

Goblins in the Garden: Get the kids to don their favorite costumes for an afternoon of treats and activities at this annual Halloween-themed event at the Atlanta Botanical Garden on Sunday, Oct. 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $12 to $15. While you’re there, make sure to check out the Scarecrows in the Garden on display for Halloween. atlantabotanicalgarden.org

Mummies and Milkshakes: The seventh annual event will be held in the reception hall of the Carlos Museum on the Emory University campus. Enjoy a milkshake as you watch funny vintage mummy cartoons and films. Friday, Oct. 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $5. RSVP required by Wednesday, Oct. 27 by calling (404) 727-0519. carlos.emory.edu

Pumpkin Festival: Stone Mountain is holding the event all month long with entertainment and activities kids of all ages. Costume contests, scavenger hunts, trick or treating, storytelling and the Laser Show are all part of the fun. stonemountainpark.com

Little 5 Points Halloween Festival & Parade: Nationally known for being one of the biggest Halloween celebrations, this year’s event is set for Saturday, Oct. 22, from noon to 11 p.m. with live music, street entertainment, outdoor beverage vendors and restaurants and, of course the famous Halloween Parade at 4 p.m. L5Phalloween.com

Oakland Halloween Tours: Get a nigh time tour of famed Oakland Cemetery from Oct. 28-30. Guided tours start at 5:30 pm each night at the Bell Tower and last approximately one hour. Tickets must be purchased in advance at oaklandcemetery.org.

Fernbank BOO-seum Trick-or-Treat: Enjoy a frightening-ly fun Halloween party featuring games, crafts, hands-on activities and special treats for kids in costumes. Treats available while supplies last on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. fernbankmuseum.org

Following our new KEEP IT INtown campaign, we ask that you nominate local businesses, events and businesspeople rather than the usual national chains. Best of the Holidays is designed to showcase what our unique Intown neighborhoods have to offer.

Some of this year’s categories include Best Place for Last Minute Gifts, Best Global Cuisine, Best Place to Ring in the New Year, Best Salon or Spa, Best Pet Care and Boarding and many more.

To make your nomination, visit this link.

Read the May issue  at this link or by clicking the cover image.

The King Center

Emory University
Emory University will also host a week-long celebration of Dr. King starting on Jan. 17 with “Remembering Martin Luther King Through Service” from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers will plant trees in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic District in conjunction with Trees Atlanta and reflect on their service over lunch. To volunteer for this project, pre-registration is required. Call Harold McNaron, Office of Volunteer Emory (404) 727-6268 or email hmcnar2@emory.edu. That evening, there will be a panel discussion, “Open Doors and Open Minds: The Intersection of Race and Gender in Service,” at 7 p.m. at Glenn Church on campus. The moderator will be Doug Shipman, executive director for the Center for Civil and Human Rights Partnership. For a complete list of all the activities happening to mark the MLK holiday at Emory, visit www.emory.edu/MLK

We’ll be posting more MLK Day events this weekend.

Imagine a street full of people of all ages and backgrounds, walking, biking, creating and laughing, together. A street temporarily closed to cars, but open to people. Imagine residents safely enjoying their city, socializing with neighbors, and engaging in healthy activities. Imagine if all of this were free, with absolutely no barriers to participation.

Building on the success of  a similar event in May, the next Atlanta Streets Alive is happening in downtown Atlanta this Sunday, Oct. 17 from 1 to 6 p.m. on Edgewood Avenue and throughout Woodruff and Hurt Parks.

The fall event features an extended Edgewood route from Peachtree to Randolph Street and free activities from over 50 local organizations – everything from bike rodeos & mountain bike trails, hula hooping, double-dutch, frisbee, relay races, zumba, capoeria, cheerleading, boot camp, kickboxing, yoga, pilates, nia, salsa, flamenco, Persian dance & poetry, free style poling, poi, and circus performers, to storytelling, bubble making, scavenger hunts, camping challenges, street stenciling, art installations, live music (jazz, steam punk, classical, djembes), health living education, and food and drink from the area’s best restaurants.

The Atlanta Street Food Movement is also involved and vendors on hand Sunday will include The Good Food Truck, King of Pops, Westside Creamery, Grace’s Goodness and Yumbii all gathered in the Sweet Auburn Market parking lot.

Modeled on tremendously successful events from around the world, including Bogotá’s Ciclovia, the Paris Plage and New York City’s Summer Street, ASA is part bike tour, part block party, and a great time for getting active, supporting local businesses along the route, people watching, and enjoying the city. For more about the event, visit www.atlantastreetsalive.com.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History will host its annual black-tie fundraising gala, Water For Life: A Timeless Affair on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 7 p.m. to midnight. The evening will commence with a sunset wine and cocktail hour on the Dinosaur Plaza followed by dinner in the Great Hall. Tony Brewer & Company will transform the museum with water-inspired décor, and there will be live music by Party Nation. Guests will also get to see the new exhibit Water: H20=Life, which opens earlier that day. The ball will honor long-time museum benefactors, Sherri and Jess Crawford, who have both been influential in Fernbank’s success. Becky Blalock and Craig Ramsey will serve as Corporate Chairs of this year’s A Timeless Affair, and Laura and Rutherford Seydel will serve as Patron Party Hosts, welcoming the ball’s patrons and sponsors to their home, EcoManor, on Sept. 16. For more information, call (404) 929-6376 or visit www.fernbankmuseum.org.

Pace Academy invites the entire community to this harvest season’s Old-Fashioned Fall Fair, Saturday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, on the Pace campus at 966 W. Paces Ferry Road.  This popular tradition attracts more than 9,000 area residents each year for games, rides and family fun for all ages. Attractions will include a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, organic farmer’s market, cake walk, karaoke, haunted house, bungee jumping, book sale and Atlanta Braves Batting Cages. The fair will also offer delicious food and refreshments. Parking will be available at the Church of the Apostles, 3585 Northside Parkway.  Shuttles leave every 10 minutes beginning at 10:00 a.m. For more information, call (404) 240-7411 or visit www.paceacademy.org.

Gourmet gingersnap cookie company Susansnaps hosts Sweets for Smiles, benefiting the Susan Carver Foundation for cancer patient gifts, Oct. 1-2. One hundred percent of the proceeds from Susansnaps Spice Cake slices ($4) and gingersnap “Snack Packs” ($5.50) will be donated to the foundation. For every $2 raised, a bag of gingersnaps will be given to cancer patients going through treatment during the holidays. For more information, call (404) 497-9210 or visit www.susansnaps.com.

In recognition of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in October, Northside Hospital will host the 2010 Atlanta Walk to Remember, Sunday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m., at the Concourse Corporate Center in Sandy Springs.  Parents, families, friends and health care professionals are encouraged to attend – to remember the babies that they’ve lost and to help raise public awareness of pregnancy and infant loss. The event will begin with a formal program and include T-shirt and car magnet sales, a half-mile walk through the office park and a balloon release. Anyone whose life has been touch by perinatal loss is welcome to participate. Children are welcome. While the event is free to participate, donations will be accepted.  Proceeds benefit the enrolling of more Atlanta nurses in RTS Bereavement Training classes for perinatal loss. To register for the walk or to make a donation, please call Tara Spolan at (770) 442-8995 or visit www.atlantapnl.com.

The Woodruff Arts Center has again partnered with Target to present the 3rd annual Target Free Family Day at The Woodruff Arts Center. Visitors will experience the best family programming from each of the Center’s Divisions – Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art and Young Audiences. The event takes place on Sunday, Oct. 10, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. Admission is free. For more information, call (866) 449-5165 or visit www.woodruffcenter.org/target.

The St. Regis Hotel in Buckhead will be the new site of Skyland Trail’s Benefits of Laughter, A Seriously Funny Night, the principal fund-raising event of the nationally acclaimed mental health treatment organization. On Thursday, Oct. 21, supporters will enjoy a cocktail reception, formal dinner created for the occasion by the St. Regis chefs and entertainment by Comedy Central personality John Heffron. For more information, including reservations and sponsorships, contact Ashley Vance at (678) 686-5905 or avance@skylandtrail.org.

The Atlanta Women’s Foundation’s upcoming Numbers Too Big to Ignore fundraising luncheon will take place on Oct. 28 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Over 1,400 men and women will attend the event, which raises funds to support AWF’s work to end the generational cycle of poverty for women and girls in Atlanta. Malaak Compton-Rock, author of If It Takes a Village, Build One, will speak about her book and how to create a spirit of activism and philanthropy at home and in the community. For more information, visit www.toobigtoignore.org.

AtlCares Fundraising Banquet will take place on Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Georgia World Congress Center. The event will feature live music, art gallery, a silent auction and the creations of up-and-coming designers in a Walk-Thru fashion show. This event was created to give local artists a platform to shine while using proceeds to benefit three other non-profit organizations. Tickets are $35. For more information visit, www.atlcares.com.

Garden historian James R. Cothran will discuss his new book, Charleston Gardens and the Landscape Legacy of Loutrel Briggs, on Wednesday, Oct.13, at 7 p.m. followed by a book signing and Charleston-inspired reception. This special evening will be held at the Atlanta History Center and is a fundraising event for the endowment of the Cherokee Garden Library. Admission is $35 individual; $50 couple. For more information, call (404) 814-4046 or email scatron@atlantahistorycenter.com