Dunham Farms to Host Magical Holiday Festival of Lights & Music

/PRNewswire/ -- Dunham Farms, one of the Georgia coast's most scenic and historic destinations, presents its first-annual Holiday Festival of Lights & Music on December 4 & 11, 3:30-9:30 pm. The event features traditional country delights—hay rides and square dancing—along with sophisticated entertainment, including performances by jazz legend Ben Tucker. The festival promises something for everyone: guided tours of the property's historic buildings, model railroad displays, holiday carols, Christmas trees, delicious food and the breathtaking sight of centuries old moss-dappled oaks decorated with thousands of twinkling lights. General admission is only $10 with discounts available for students, seniors and children.

"Everyone needs an infusion of joy, music, beauty and laughter in their lives—especially in trying times," says owner Laura Devendorf, whose family has been a steward of the land that includes Dunham Farms since 1755, when it was granted to them by King George II. "Our property has a magical quality at any time of year, but this festival will be truly spectacular—a moment of pure delight to lift hearts and bring people together to see and hear and feel."

The $10 general admission fee includes access to the light show and grounds, as well as to the model railroad displays on loan from the Middle Georgia Model Railroad Club, tours of the circa 1840's Palmyra Plantation Cottage and Barn, and concerts by Savannah-based jazz legend Ben Tucker.

For an additional $2, guests can enjoy an authentic plantation-style hay ride; an additional $15 allows access to a guided house tour, where noted musician Chris Kohut will dazzle guests with a virtuoso lute performance by firelight. The hour-long house tours will explore the fascinating history and legends of the structure, built on the foundations of the original 1755 home.

At the food service area, guests can sample traditional Hoppin' John—a delicious, nutty-flavored rice-and-beans dish—made with endangered Seminole peas grown right on the property.

All proceeds from the Holiday Festival of Lights &Music benefit nearby Seabrook Village, the first African-American living history museum in the South.

For more information, visit http://www.dunhamfarms.com/holiday_festival.html or call (912) 880-4500.

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Pine Mountain, an RVC Outdoor Destination, Offers “Mid-week Fantasy” Package

Pine Mountain, an RVC Outdoor Destination will offer a “Mid-week Fantasy” package to coincide with the Callaway Gardens “Fantasy in Lights” show. The package can be purchased from Nov. 19 to Dec. 30 for mid-week stay only.

Guests of Pine Mountain will have the benefit of obtaining access to the many amenities and features the resort has to offer, while also enjoying Callaway Gardens’ famous holiday light and sound show. RVC Outdoor Destinations has chosen to give back to the community by giving ten percent of the package proceeds to the Salvation Army.

This special holiday package is for Monday-Thursday reservations, but weekend lodging is also available for purchase. The package will include two tickets to the Fantasy in Lights show, one concrete site (Azalea) with cable and free Wi-Fi, a bundle of firewood, and two complimentary gourmet coffees in the morning. The cost of the package is $69, with a value of $85. Additional nights for the concrete sites are $40. Cabin and yurt stay is not included in the package.

Pine Mountain, an RVC Outdoor Destination is only three miles from Callaway Gardens, and just one hour from Atlanta. RV and non RV guests are welcome and there are cabins available for rent starting at $80 a night. There are also furnished yurts available for stay starting at $38 a night. Along with cozy accommodations, guests can enjoy concierge service, a community lodge with a coffee, beer, and wine bar, free Wi-Fi, activities pavilion, Bark Park Off-leash area, plus more.

The “Mid-week Fantasy” package cannot be combined with other offers and reservations are required. Pine Mountain, an RVC Outdoor Destination is located at 8804 Hamilton Rd, Pine Mountain, GA 38122. For more information, please visit http://www.pinemountain..rvcoutdoors.com/. To make your “Mid-week Fantasy” reservations, call 706-663-4329.

Dahlonega to Host 2010 Capitol Christmas Tree With Grand Celebration

Georgia will play a key role in one of the nation’s most cherished holiday traditions when Dahlonega hosts the Capitol Christmas Tree November 24-26, 2010 on its route from Wyoming to the west front lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Dahlonega’s connection extends further as the 75-foot tree is being transported by Jeff Underwood Trucking of Dahlonega.

To commemorate the occasion, Dahlonega is planning a two-day special celebration during the tree’s only official stop before arriving on the Capitol lawn. The public is invited to welcome the tree to Dahlonega with a Grand Holiday Celebration on Wednesday, November 24th. The event will be held on the historic square and will feature musical entertainment by Freddie Way, holiday performances, and appearances by state dignitaries. People will also have the opportunity to send their holiday wishes to the nation’s Capitol by signing a huge banner, which will decorate the truck. The town will be trimmed in full holiday dress, with twinkling lights, holiday garlands, bows and décor from one end of the square to the other, adding to the festive atmosphere. Details are available at www.Dahlonega.org.

“Last year, the tree’s arrival in Nashville prompted streets lined with well-wishers in similar fashion to the Olympic Torch Run,” said Stephen Smith, Tourism Director for the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Dahlonega and the state of Georgia to take part in one of the nation’s time-honored traditions and to see America’s most famous Christmas tree.”

The 2010 tree will be harvested from the Bridger-Teton National Forest located in Western Wyoming on November 6. The tree is set to arrive at the Capitol by November 29, 2010. People can follow the tree’s route at www.CapitolChristmasTree2010.org and check the Dahlonega Website for up to the minute notices

The tree will travel on a 115-foot long double flatbed truck. Placed on its side, it will rest in a custom cradle that supports the branches, preventing damage and maintaining the tree's perfect shape. Due to curvy roads, the truck will have to park a mile away and back all the way into Dahlonega’s town square.

A caravan of approximately 12 vehicles, including two semi-trucks, will escort the tree east, delivering not only a tree taller than a seven-story building, but nearly 10,000 handmade ornaments and 80 companion trees that will be placed in offices throughout the Capitol Complex. The 2010 Capitol Christmas Tree will travel more than 3,000 miles during its three-week journey.

Dahlonega’s Old Fashioned Christmas
The Capitol Christmas Tree’s arrival will kick-off Dahlonega’s Old Fashioned Christmas, a month-long celebration that begins on Friday, November 26, 2010 with the Lighting of the Square. Santa will arrive in a real home-town parade on Saturday, December 4th. Plenty of other festive holiday events will continue almost daily throughout December and will include caroling, entertainment, wine sampling, and live theater Christmas events.

Sleigh Bell Tour
During December, Dahlonega comes alive with numerous holiday celebrations and events. One of the most popular is the Sleigh Bell Tour, a self-guided driving tour of Dahlonega’s bed and breakfast inns. This year’s participants include Lily Creek Lodge, Mountain Top Lodge, The Historic Worley B&B Inn, Top of the Square B&B, Long Mountain Lodge, Mountain Laurel Creek Inn & Spa, and Dahlonega Spa Resort. Each is decorated with a unique holiday theme and will feature holiday music and refreshments. The inns are located around the historic square as well as right outside of town. The tour will take place on December 12 from 1-6 p.m. and will cost $12. For more information on the participating inns, please visit www.innsofdahlonega.com.

Additional information on Dahlonega’s Old Fashioned Christmas can be found at www.Dahlonega.org or by calling 800.231.5543


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Fantasy in Lights Offers 8 Million Lights at Callaway Gardens for its 19th Year

This holiday season marks the 19th Annual Fantasy in Lights® -- named one of the top 48 events in the world by Chicago Tribune -- at Callaway Gardens, a 13,000-acre destination south of Atlanta. Fantasy in Lights features 8 million lights stretching more than five miles, creating 14 larger-than-life holiday scenes. As the most spectacular holiday light and sound show in the South, Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens sets Pine Mountain, Ga., ablaze from November 19 through December 30, 2010. Ticket prices range from $16 to $22 for adults and $8 to $11 for children, with children five and younger always admitted for free.

Visitors experience the light and sound extravaganza on the “Jolly Trolley” or by driving through the lighted scenes in their personal vehicle. The sparkling, animated displays include Snowflake Valley, a winter wonderland filled with enormous snowflakes and thousands of white lights; Magical Christmas Garden with a 24-foot wreath entrance; and Santa’s Workshop, showcasing animated lighted versions of Santa’s elves busy making all the toys for the big night. Be sure to see the two scenes on Robin Lake Beach that are both narrated, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and The Nativity. They each last about 10 minutes.

Ninety-nine percent of the frames used to create the scenes in Fantasy in Lights are custom designed and built just for Callaway Gardens, taking 3,900 man-hours to install. With a mission of connecting man and nature, every kilowatt of power used to light up Fantasy In Lights is compensated with “green” power as Callaway Gardens recently became the first resort in the Southeast to offset 100 percent of its electricity use by purchasing wind power credits.

Families experience the Christmas Village, an indoor magical Christmas wonderland shopping with opportunities to visit Santa Claus and other holiday characters. Inside the Village, guests have the opportunity to shop for specialty food items from the Callaway Gardens Country Store®, unique gifts, nostalgic toys from simpler times and an assortment of holiday ornaments. An array of Georgia crafters are on hand making and selling their wares.

The American Bus Association has once again selected Fantasy In Lights at Callaway Gardens as a “Top 100 Events in North America” for 2011. Fantasy In Lights also has been recognized numerous times by the Southeast Tourism Society (STS) as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast and by America’s Best and Top Ten as one of the Top Three Light Shows in America.

For those interested in exploring the entire destination, Callaway Gardens offers a Fantasy In Lights overnight package that starts at $159* per night in the Mountain Creek Inn and includes:

• Fantasy In Lights admission
• Accommodations
• Special Jolly Trolley loading area dedicated for overnight guests
• Fantasy In Lights commemorative ornament
• Breakfast for two
• Admission to the world-class Gardens and its many attractions

This package also is available in the Southern Pine Cottages, Mountain Creek Villas the Lodge and Spa.

Callaway Gardens®, is in Pine Mountain, Ga., 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta and 30 minutes north of Columbus. To experience nature at its finest, call 1-800-CALLAWAY or visit www.callawaygardens.com.

To experience the most spectacular holiday light and show in the South, visit www.callawaygardens.com or call 1-800-CALLAWAY (225-5292).


*Rate is per night based on double occupancy in the Mountain Creek Inn. Based on availability. Some restrictions apply. Not applicable to groups.


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