Santa is going to be one tired fella if he makes good on all his appearances this weekend in Granville County, but if he’s trying to keep up with Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen, he’ll need an energy drink or two to keep him moving.
Allen said the next couple of weekends in Granville County are “jam-packed” with opportunities to get in the holiday spirit, from parades and shows, to special meals and light displays.
!!(The Lighting of the Greens and Christmas Parade has been rescheduled for Thursday, December 19th.)!!
(POSTPONED) First up is the annual Lighting of the Greens on Friday, Dec. 5, beginning with a flurry of activities at 4 p.m. along Main Street. (POSTPONED) The crowd will gather around the Courthouse at 6:30 p.m. to witness the downtown decorations lighting up to officially kick off the holiday season. Stick around for the parade at 7 p.m., complete with Ol’ Saint Nick himself. He’s giving the reindeer the evening off, apparently, because Allen said to look for him on the back of a fire truck as the parade wends through downtown Oxford.
Santa’s going to make a couple of appearances in the southern part of the county that evening as well – he’ll be at Butner for Christmas in the Park at Gazebo Park on Central Avenue at 5 p.m. then he’ll head over to Creedmoor’s tree lighting at the Community Center, which begins at 7 p.m.
“To me, it’s all about community,” Allen said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. The community comes together – schools, churches, businesses – to show off their holiday spirit and pride for the places where they live. For Allen, the weather may be cold this time of year, but seeing the togetherness all across the county is heart-warming.
Delrayno Baptist Church’s live nativity called Back To Bethlehem will be open for drive-through visitors on Dec. 13, 14 and 15 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The church parking lot is transformed with costumed characters, animals and sets to create something that is historical, traditional and spiritual all at the same time, Allen said.
“It’s a tradition that people don’t want to miss,” she said.
Parades, tree lightings and live nativity scenes may be some of the more traditional options for folks to enjoy, but Allen said Granville County has a nice assortment of unexpected things, too.
Take, for instance, the “Yuletide Experience” that will transform the Viking Experience village area this weekend into a wonderland of holiday festivities – all with “a very unique Norse twist,” Allen said.
Ticket packages are available for the Dec. 6-7 event at their website.
There will be games, holiday shopping and friendly competitions for the whole family.
Want to see what an award-winning light display looks like? Then head over to Campbell’s Christmas Display on Bob Daniel Road outside Oxford, where you’ll experience more than 80,000 synchronized lights creating different displays. The Campbells, you may remember, won first prize last year in ABC’s show “The Great Christmas Light Fight.”
They’ve been creating a light display for more than 20 years, Allen said, and welcome folks to not just drive through, but to stop in and visit. All they ask is that you bring along a donation of canned goods to support ACIM, the county’s food bank.
Campbell’s kicks off the season this weekend and continues through most of the month, Allen said.
“This is really nice that this family has taken it to another level,” Allen said, displaying their generosity by giving back to the community.
Another light display is at Granville Christmas Farm, located just off Highway 15 south of Oxford. From now through New Year’s Eve, carloads of folks will drive along and see vignettes from favorite Christmas movies like Rudolph, Christmas Vacation and more.
If full-length feature movies are more your style, then head over to the newly renovated OX Theater in Oxford’s City Hall on Sunday, Dec. 7 or Monday, Dec. 8 to catch a holiday favorite, The Polar Express. Admission is $5. Visit https://oxfordnc.recdesk.com/ to register or call 919.603.1135. The Sunday show is at 3 p.m. and the Monday show is at 6:30 p.m.
The OX Theater will host Nashville Noel on Sunday, Dec. 14, bringing a blend of country and Christmas and the high-energy of the Nashville scene. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.
In partnership with the Granville Little Theatre, the OX will host the annual live radio play of the Christmas classic “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Performances are Dec. 11, 12 and 13. The Oxford Prep Jazz Band will perform following the Saturday performance.
Check out all the options and a schedule of all the upcoming events at www.visitgranvillenc.com and follow them on social media channels to stay updated on all the events and programs throughout the county.
CLICK PLAY!
