Downtown Gainesville

12 hours ago

Christmas on Green Street is TOMORROW, Sunday, December 3rd, 2023!

New this year: activities are BEFORE the parade!

Event Timeline:
1pm: Street closures
2pm: Floats / Cars begin lining up for parade.
2-6pm: Food Trucks Open
2:30-4:30pm: Activities and Performances at the Historic Homes on Green Street.
4:30pm: Walking Groups Stage at Civic Center, Floats / Cars get ready, Roads clear of pedestrians
5pm: Christmas Parade Begins, immediately followed by Rotary Tree Lighting to end the event.

For the layout map and a LOT of details regarding the event, visit our website: exploregainesville.org/christmas-on-green-street/

Explore Gainesville @followers
#GVLGA #downtowngainesvillega #gainesvillega #christmasparade #christmasfestival … See MoreSee Less

Downtown Gainesville

1 day ago

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗗𝗲𝗰. 𝟯, 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻
𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘎𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦, 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Nov. 27, 2023) – It won’t be long before the City of Gainesville, Georgia transforms into a scene straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie in preparation for one of the merriest events of the season: Christmas on Green Street.

“Christmas on Green Street caps off Main Street Gainesville’s jam-packed, but wildly successful year of entertainment offerings in the heart of Downtown Gainesville,” said Main Street Manager Nicole Parham. “While the Blue Sky and First Friday concert series are extremely popular during the spring and summer months, nothing quite draws a crowd like our holiday-themed events, especially Christmas on Green Street. We always look forward to closing out the event season with thousands of our closest friends who are eager to start their holiday season off right and in the best community around!”

Held the first Sunday of December, Christmas on Green Street is slated for 2-7 p.m. Dec. 3 – but with a twist. To give attendees extended opportunity (and daylight) to explore open houses at historic homes and enjoy various activities, Main Street Gainesville is saving the best for last with the parade stepping off at 5 p.m. Staying true to the 2023 theme, “Making Spirits Bright,” parade entrants have been encouraged to cover their floats in Christmas lights – which we all know are best seen at dark!

“This magical event features the City’s beloved parade of antique cars, holiday floats, marching bands and community groups starting at the Gainesville Civic Center and continuing all the way down Green Street!” Parham said, with participating entries representing local businesses, civic and nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions, among others. “The lighting of Gainesville’s beloved native holly tree will also differ slightly in 2023 as the Rotary Club of Gainesville will lead Santa Claus to the tree and, upon arrival, will rely on his magic to light the tree following a brief countdown. No ceremony will take place before the lighting.”

From 2-6 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy the following activities: food trucks, 2-6 p.m. at the JT Stratford (formerly Pinnacle Bank) building; activities and performances at historic homes on Green Street, 2:30-4:30 p.m.; parade, 5 p.m. starting from the Gainesville Civic Center; and the Lighting of the Rotary Tree, approximately 6:30 p.m. (immediately after the parade) at Green and West Academy streets. Mark your top destinations on the following activities map outlining participating Green Street businesses and what they’ll be offering visitors, whether it’s a children’s story time, live performance, cookies and/or hot cocoa: www.exploregainesville.org/christmas-on-green-street/. Enhance your overall experience exploring historic Green Street homes by downloading a map of the Historic Green Street Walking Tour: www.exploregainesville.org/historic-green-street/.

“Enjoy musical groups performing on front porches, strolling magicians, face painters, balloon artists, storytellers, jugglers, Santa Claus, miniature train rides and more,” Parham said.

Find free and covered parking at any one of the following downtown parking decks, all located within walking distance to the holiday fun: Gainesville North Parking Deck, 100 Brenau Ave. (closest); Hall County Parking Facility, 225 Green St. (second closest); and Main Street Parking Deck, 301 Main St. (third closest). Parking will also be available at Gainesville City Park on Glenwood Drive NE. Please note the Gainesville Civic Center and First Baptist Church Gainesville parking lots will be used as staging zones for the parade – 𝘯𝘰𝘵 public parking.

Additionally, please note historic Green Street from Spring Street to Enota Avenue NE will close at 1 p.m. to allow for the event to get underway and for parade floats to line up. Morningside Drive will become a one-way traffic route from Green Street to South Enota Drive NE. For a more in-depth map highlighting road closures, please visit www.exploregainesville.org/christmas-on-green-street/. All roads are scheduled to reopen at 7 p.m. following parade clean-up.

For additional details, like helpful links for participating groups, open house etiquette and restroom information, "Like" and follow @DowntownGainesvilleGA on Facebook or visit exploregainesville.org.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲
In 1934, the Gainesville Garden Club dedicated the park at E.E. Butler Parkway, Green and Academy streets – where the beloved holly tree lives – in memory of Mary John Dunlap Mitchell, a Rotary Club of Gainesville member active in local improvement projects. Today, the Rotary Club maintains this open space for the benefit of the community. The Rotary Club of Gainesville regularly prunes the native holly tree (Ilex opaca) and provides year-round landscape services to this triangular park space. The Rotary Club furnishes the Christmas lights while the City of Gainesville provides the workforce to add and remove the lights each year. The lighting of the holly tree, which heralds the Christmas season, has been a tradition of the Rotary Club of Gainesville since the first lighting in December 1982. As part of the Christmas on Green Street celebration, the Rotary Club will end the parade – just ahead of Santa on the fire truck – and together they will count down the lighting of the tree as they arrive to its location as the grand finale of the parade. … See MoreSee Less

Downtown Gainesville

1 day ago

Congrats to Johnny’s New York Style Pizza on their ribbon cutting this afternoon!

Located at 114 Jesse Jewell Parkway, the ‘bridge to somewhere’ is the bridge to Johnny’s pizza (and Farmhouse Coffee); the gateway into the Midland District of Gainesville!

Johnny’s New York Style pizza uses only fresh, real ingredients and hand-tossed pizza dough. Welcome to the neighborhood!

#gvlga #downtowngainesvillega #gainesvillega #eatlocal Explore Gainesville … See MoreSee Less

Downtown Gainesville

2 days ago

Christmas on Green Street is just three days away, coming up Sunday, December 3rd, 2023! New this year: activities are BEFORE the parade.

Event Timeline:
1pm: Street closures
2pm: Floats / Cars begin lining up for parade.
2-6pm: Food Trucks Open
2:30-4:30pm: Activities and Performances at the Historic Homes on Green Street.
4:30pm: Walking Groups Stage at Civic Center, Floats / Cars get ready, Roads clear of pedestrians
5pm: Christmas Parade Begins, immediately followed by Rotary Tree Lighting to end the event.

For the layout map and a LOT of details regarding the event, visit our website: exploregainesville.org/christmas-on-green-street/

#gvlga #downtowngainesvillega #gainesvillega #christmasparade #christmasfestival … See MoreSee Less

Downtown Gainesville

2 days ago

Are you ready for Gainesville, Georgia’s annual Christmas on Green Street celebration is this SUNDAY? ✨🎄

Enjoy an amazing parade (over 150 entries!!) and get in the Christmas spirit with tons of activities along Green Street! Click here to learn more about this extra special Downtown Gainesville holiday event:

www.exploregainesville.org/christmas-on-green-street/
#gvlga #downtowngainesvillegaThe City of Gainesville, Georgia’s annual Christmas on Green Street celebration is this SUNDAY! (12/3)✨🎄
Enjoy an amazing parade (over 150 entries!!) and get in the Christmas spirit with tons of activities along Green Street! Click here to learn more about this extra special Downtown Gainesville holiday event:
www.exploregainesville.org/christmas-on-green-street/
–
📸: Billy Grimes Photography
#gainesvillega #lakelanier #christmasparade #downtowngainesville #holidays #gvlga … See MoreSee Less

Downtown Gainesville

3 days ago

Today, Gainesville celebrates its 202nd birthday!

Established as "Mule Camp Springs" near the crossing of two Indian trails followed by settlers in the 1800s, the City of Gainesville has maintained and built upon its historical legacy as a regional transportation and trade center for almost two centuries.

Less than three years after the creation of Hall County, the village of Mule Camp Springs was chosen to serve as the site of government for the new county and was chartered by the Georgia Legislature on Nov. 30, 1821.

At the suggestion of Justice John Vance Cotter, it was given the name "Gainesville" in honor of Gen. Edmund P. Gaines, a hero of the War of 1812, and a noted military surveyor and road-builder. Gainesville has been a part of the nation’s governmental framework longer than 26 of the 50 states.

#GVLGA #downtowngainesvillega #gainesvillega City of Gainesville, Georgia Explore Gainesville
Learn More: www.gainesville.org/371/History … See MoreSee Less

Downtown Gainesville

4 days ago

Yappy Hour at NoFo Brew Co Gainesville… with SANTA!! 🎅🎄Only 2 days until Yappy Hour… with SANTA!! 🎅🎄
Come party with the puppies and kick start the @humanesocietynega’s Season Of Saves at NoFo Gainesville!!
Get your pupper’s pic with Santa and enjoy the music stylings of @aidanfishermusic!! 🎸
We will also have a special event cocktail, a food truck on site, and a drop off spot for donations!! 🐶

Please bring a donation of dog food, cat food, pet treats, or a monetary contribution for pictures with Santa 📸 … See MoreSee Less