Explore Gainesville is the official tourism branch of the City of Gainesville, Georgia, dedicated to promoting our community as a destination for leisure travel, group and sporting events, and film productions. Funded by local lodging revenue, we create and support events, showcase attractions, and highlight all the ways visitors and residents can enjoy Gainesville’s thriving downtown, scenic outdoor spaces, and unique cultural offerings!
The City of Gainesville Tourism Office (Explore Gainesville) plays a vital role in promoting Gainesville, Georgia as a premier destination for visitors, conferences and sporting events. This department is a well-oiled machine, with multiple divisions working together to attract and engage visitors. From Downtown Gainesville events to Lake Lanier Olympic Park, each division has a key role in ensuring Gainesville thrives as a destination. Fully funded by hotel/motel tax, the Convention and Visitors Bureau’s efforts not only boost tourism but also positively impact the local economy without burdening residents!
Save the date, or rather save the DATES, because Gainesville’s calendar is filled with exciting events. Join us for annual events such as the Chicken Festival, Jingle Mingle, First Fridays, Food Truck Fridays and so much more!
Step into the historic charm of Gainesville, Georgia’s newly renovated City Hall—an iconic landmark that marries timeless elegance with modern sophistication. Originally constructed in 1937, the building stands as a testament to the city’s rich heritage, showcasing beautiful architecture and meticulous detailing!
Lake Lanier Olympic Park is Gainesville’s premier waterfront venue, originally built for the 1996 Olympic Games. Today, it hosts world-class rowing and paddling events, community festivals, concerts, and more—all with breathtaking views of Lake Lanier!
The Boathouse at Lake Lanier Olympic Park offers a unique and welcoming waterfront experience with breathtaking views overlooking beautiful Lake Lanier. Built upon a foundation steeped in rich history and legacy, The Boathouse towers over Olympic waters that have been igniting dreams for nearly 30 years!
The Gainesville Convention and Visitors Bureau (Explore Gainesville) proudly hosted the 2025 Winter Chautauqua conference on March 9–10 at The Boathouse at Lake Lanier!
In partnership with Lake Lanier Olympic Park and the Lake Lanier Olympic Park (LLOP) Foundation, the Gainesville Convention & Visitors Bureau (Explore Gainesville) was recently awarded the 2025 Paul Nelson Award for Outdoor Recreation and Preservation!
In an effort to cultivate an already flourishing partnership with the United States while enhancing their own organization, Farm Fresh Ontario (FFO) sent several dozen Canadians to the City of Gainesville, Georgia to learn about North Georgia’s fruitful agritourism efforts!
Keep up with the latest by following us on our social media!
We've got the LIGHTS! Wilshire Winderland is an amazing family fun tradition!Wilshire Wonderland of Lights is back and more magical than ever! We have new surprises around every corner and a few more on the way! Our new storybook trail will tell the tale of what's in store. Remember Wilshire Wonderland and Santa photos are free for our community to enjoy.
Open daily through New Year's Day. Lights are on from 5pm to 10pm.
#wilshirewonderland #gainesvillega #freephotoswithsanta #exploregainesvillega #gainesvilleparksandrec #holidaylights ... See MoreSee Less
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🦃🍂 Happy Thanksgiving from Explore Gainesville! 🍂🦃
Today we’re grateful for:
✨ Our amazing community
✨ Local shops, restaurants, and attractions
✨ Visitors and friends who explore Gainesville all year long
Whether you’re feasting with family, taking a stroll downtown, or enjoying a morning 5K like the Cops & Gobblers or Turkey Trot, we hope your day is full of joy, laughter, and maybe a little extra pumpkin pie! 🥧💛
📸 Don’t forget to tag us in your festive photos, we love seeing Gainesville through your eyes!
#ExploreGainesvilleGA #HappyThanksgiving #GVLGrateful #Thanksgiving2025 ... See MoreSee Less
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Get ready for Christmas on Green Street and the Christmas parade!𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗗𝗲𝗰. 𝟳, 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗚𝗩𝗟
𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘯 2025, 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘚𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦, 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘵 3:50 𝘱.𝘮.
GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Nov. 25, 2025) — 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 may be the City's last event of the year, but it's certainly not the least," said Special Events Manager Karen Diaz, with the Gainesville Tourism Department, who now oversees all City-hosted events downtown. "You could say Christmas on Green Street is almost like the cherry on top of our 2025 event season … or the sundae. It's an opportunity for the City to close out the event season, but welcome the holidays with tens of thousands of our closest friends."
Christmas on Green Street is slated for 2-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, with the 4 p.m. parade culminating in the Lighting of the Rotary Tree around 5:30-5:45 p.m.
"This event began when the Hall County Historical Society was advocating for Green Street to be on the National Register of Historic Places. It began as a tour of homes, celebrating the stories of each historic building that lines this iconic street in Downtown Gainesville. The parade was added many years later to bring attention to the event," said Main Street Manager and Economic Development Specialist Nicole Parham, with the City of Gainesville. "This year, the community can enjoy musical groups performing on front porches, photos with Santa, a petting zoo, Christmas toy giveaways, face painters, balloon artists, storytellers, miniature train rides and more."
From 2-6 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy the following activities: *𝗡𝗘𝗪* Food trucks and Christmas vendors at 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴' first-ever Holly Jolly Market, 1-6 p.m. at 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴; activities and performances at historic Green Street homes, 2-4 p.m.; *𝗡𝗘𝗪* Green Street Santa Sprint down historic Green Street (leading the parade), 3:50 p.m.; parade, 4 p.m. starting at the Gainesville Civic Center; and the Lighting of the Rotary Tree, approximately 5:30 p.m. (immediately after the parade) at Green and West Academy streets. Mark your top destinations on the activities map (www.exploregainesville.org/christmas-on-green-street/) 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. 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/
"As if Christmas on Green Street couldn't get any more festive, the City is eager to introduce a brand-new tradition: the inaugural Green Street Santa Sprint," Diaz said. "Kick off Christmas on Green Street with this festive 1-mile run down historic Green Street before the parade begins! The race, organized by Big Peach Running Co. - Braselton, will feature dozens and dozens of runners dressed as Santa, and we cannot wait to see the community join in the fun."
To register to participate in the Green Street Santa Sprint or for additional information, visit runsignup.com/Race/GA/Gainesville/GreenStreetSantaSprint.
"And of course, as Christmas on Green Street traditionally offers, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a 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!" Diaz continued, with participating entries representing local businesses, civic and nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions, among others.
Judging of parade floats and antique cars will get underway at 3:30 p.m. Floats and vehicles may begin lining up at 2 p.m. Walking groups will begin staging at the civic center at 3:30 p.m.
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 front parking lot and First Baptist Church Gainesville parking lot closest to Green Street will be used as staging zones for the parade — not public parking. The back and lower lots of the civic center, however, will be open to the public.
Additionally, please note historic Green Street from Spring Street to Enota Avenue NE will close at noon (12 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.
"With an anticipated 20,000 people in attendance and road closures starting at 12 p.m., we suggest planning ahead, arriving early, wearing comfortable shoes and dressing warm, and with layers," Diaz said. "Consider whether you need to be near restrooms, if you have a student performing at a specific house before the parade, if you plan to grab a bite downtown after the parade, etc. Also consider whether you'll want to be present for the Lighting of the Rotary Tree as the ceremony is located closer to downtown Gainesville right next to the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce. If you're seated at the start of the parade near the Gainesville Civic Center, you'll have a walk ahead of you, which you'll need to make rather quickly prior to 5:30 p.m."
For additional details, like helpful links for participating groups, open house etiquette and restroom information, "Like" and follow @DowntownGainesvilleGA on Facebook, follow the official Facebook event (www.facebook.com/events/592299867093786/?rdid=fVJzioD04zyjeTW5&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebo...) or visit www.exploregainesville.org/christmas-on-green-street/.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 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 by counting down to the lighting of the tree at approximately 5:30 p.m. or whenever the parade ends. ... See MoreSee Less
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