The City of Gainesville’s annual Christmas on Green Street returns Sunday to kick off the holiday season.
Main Street manager Nicole Parham told AccessWDUN the tradition was created by the Hall County Historic Society after the city began to see significant development.
“One of the things they were really big on was wanting to preserve the beauty and the integrity of the historic homes that are along that street,” Parham said. “Because it really tells the story of our city. And so the parade was a way to honor that and let people learn the story of the houses.”
To continue the tradition of telling the historic home’s story, the city has added a virtual walking tour so parade goers can follow along during the open house or before the event to keep the legacy alive.
This year’s Christmas on Green Street will have all of its beloved activities, but Nicole said the event will look slightly different compared to past parades.
“In the past, we've started the event with the parade and then switched to the open houses and the activities,” she explained. “And this year, we're flipping it for some logistics purposes…”
Unlike previous years, the event will begin at 2:30 p.m. with open houses on Green Street featuring face painters, musical performances, food trucks, and more until 4:30 p.m. Then, those participating in the annual parade will line up at the Gainesville Civic Center for a float contest judging at 4 p.m. The parade will officially kick off at 5 p.m. and end with the traditional lighting of the Rotary Tree at the intersection of Green Street and West Academy Street.
Parham said the timeline change will hopefully ease traffic congestion in the area.
Green Street will officially close to traffic on Sunday at 1 p.m.
AccessWDUN will participate in the parade along with various staff.
For more event details, click here.
