Holiday events in Alabama
Great family entertainment highlights holiday celebrations across Alabama. Events include everything from the Galaxy of Lights Tour at the Huntsville Botanical Garden to the lighting of the Christmas tree at the state Capitol in Montgomery. The Governor’s Mansion will also be open for special Christmas candlelight tours on the first three Monday nights in December.
More than 60 historical homes in Opelika will be part of the Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour and Mobile will celebrate New Year’s Eve with their annual MoonPie drop.
The Alabama Tourism Department suggests the following holiday events. For a complete calendar of events see www.alabama.travel.
Birmingham- Christmas at Arlington
Arlington Antebellum Home and Gardens celebrates the holiday season on Dec 1-3 with decorations of Christmas past by local floral designers. www.birminghamal.gov/about/city-directory/arlington-house/
Decatur- Christmas Tour of Homes
Decatur’s historic districts will be decorated and several homes will be open for tours during the Christmas Tour of Homes on Saturday, Dec. 9. http://www.decaturcvb.org/item/decatur-christmas-tour-of-homes
Dothan- Victorian Christmas
Celebrate a Victorian Christmas on Sunday, Dec.10 at Landmark Park. Sample turn-of-the-century desserts, sip hot chocolate or cider and try your hand at making traditional Christmas decorations. www.landmarkparkdothan.com
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach- Christmas lighted boat parade
Enjoy a lighted Christmas boat parade along the intercostal waterway in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach on Saturday, Dec. 9. www.mygulfcoastchamber.com
Huntsville- Galaxy of Lights Tour
The Galaxy of Lights Tour is Nov. 24-Dec. 31 at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens. Experience North Alabama’s largest holiday light extravaganza with a two-mile driving tour of the garden. www.hsvbg.org
Mobile- Moon Pie drop
Downtown Mobile welcomes more than 50,000 people each New Year’s Eve for an evening of celebratory activities leading up to the giant 600-pound electric MoonPie drop, laser light show and fireworks at midnight. The celebration begins with the cutting of the world’s largest edible MoonPie, followed by a second-line parade led by the Excelsior Band. www.mobilenewyear.com
Montgomery- Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting
Governor Kay Ivey will light the state’s official Christmas tree during a special ceremony Friday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m. on the front steps of the state Capitol. Christmas music will be performed by Will and Janet McFarlane, the husband and wife singing and songwriting duo from Muscle Shoals, and the 151st Army Band of the Alabama National Guard. The Christmas tree is a 35-foot Eastern red cedar grown in Bullock County that was donated by Ray Allen owner of Feather’s Properties. It is adorned with more than 40,000 LED lights and 67 stars representing each of Alabama’s counties. www.alabama.travel
Montgomery- Candlelight Tours at the Governor’s Mansion
The Governor’s Mansion will be open for special Christmas candlelight tours on the Monday nights of Dec. 4, 11 and 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The historic 1907 Governor’s Mansion will be aglow with holiday lights and decorations. Admission for the tours is free. www.alabama.travel
Opelika- Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour
The Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour is Dec. 6-10. Sixty historic homes in downtown Opelika will be transformed with colorful, nostalgic reminders of Christmas past. www.opelikavictorianfrontporchtour.com.
Theodore- Magic Christmas in Lights
Bellingrath Gardens and Home presents Magic Christmas in Lights from Nov. 24-Dec. 31. Bellingrath will be ablaze with poinsettias, Christmas mums, snapdragons, and more. Stroll through 3 million sparkling lights and more than 950 displays throughout the 65-acre garden estate. www.bellingrath.org
(News Release/ Alabama Tourism Department)
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