TIFTON — Downtown Tifton’s 14th Annual Hometown Holiday Christmas Celebration starts today with the Tifton Heritage Foundation’s Christmas Tour of Homes. This year’s theme is “A Storybook Christmas”. This year’s celebration promises to offer you a unique experience with new free carnival rides, free pony rides, free live entertainment and great fun and fellowship for the entire family throughout the night, says Main Street’s Economic Development Director Lequrica Gaskins.

The following is a schedule of events:

Today

• Tifton Heritage Foundation’s Christmas Tour of Homes - 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are available at Traditions, At Home on 12th, Annie’s Gift Shop or Advantage Realty. Tickets can also be purchased at any of the tour stops. The homes this year are: The home of Diane Lewis located at 602 N. College Ave.; The Avenue, a newly renovated 1940’s apartment building, located at 404 N. Tift Ave.; the home of Myra Owens located at 1415 Murray Ave.; the home of Gina Cox located at 505 W. 12th St. For more information, contact Julie Smith at 339-1776.

• Visit the Tifton Museum of Arts and Heritage Dec. 1 for Tifton Garden Clubs Hall of Trees. There will be a silent auction for Christmas “Storybook Wreaths” awarded Saturday night with money going to the Wounded Warriors Fund. Contact Louise Hetzel at 392-1488 for more information. Don’t forget to see the Exchange Club Gingerbread Houses. Contact Tyron Spearman at 386-0216.

Friday

• The Tift Theatre for Performing Arts and the Tift County High School Blue Masques Theatre Club present “It’s Sad, So Sad When an Elf Goes Bad” — a Christmas play at the Tift Theatre. Show times are 9:15 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $3. Contact Frank Sayles at 556-7439.

• TMA presents “Holiday Mistletoe Market” from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. They will be offering “Horse & Carriage” rides that are sure to welcome in the Christmas season. Be their special guest at your favorite downtown restaurant. Visit participating merchants for specialty gift selections, antiques, fine retailers, fashions, home decor and so much more. Holiday Mistletoe Market continues on Saturday. Call Maria Wells at 646-0655 or Connie Spurlin at 382-9116 for details.



Saturday

• Rotary Club Breakfast with Santa at the Leroy Rogers Senior Center from 8 to 11 a.m. Get your photo made with Jolly Ole-Santa. Tickets for adults are $4, and $2 for children. Contact Morris Tankersley at 382-4211 or any Rotary Club member. Also, the Red Hatters will have the “Santa Shop” open.

• The Kiwanis Club Hometown Holiday 5K Run and 1 Mile Run/Walk is at 2 p.m. Proceeds will benefit Kiwanis sponsored youth charities. Race starts and ends at the corner of Eighth and Forrest Street. Contact Richard Golden at 445-1531 or Tom Shoup at 388-2142 for more information, or register at Active.com.

• CASA Playhouses drawing at the courthouse will begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Dee Register at 386-9765.

• Christmas parade check-in is at 3 p.m. at Third and Magnolia Street. The parade begins at 5 p.m. and is the kick off for the 14th Annual Hometown Holiday Christmas Celebration in downtown Tifton. The Christmas parade will amuse many as they look amidst marching bands, walking units, fabulous floats, cars, trucks and spectacular performing groups to charm the audience while cheering on Grand Marshal Jamie Cater, mayor of Tifton, and the most anticipated appearance of the season — the arrival of Santa Claus. This year’s parade route begins at Second and Magnolia Street, then travels east on Second Street, left onto Main Street and ends at the corner of Eighth and Love Avenue. Following the parade is the Lighting of the Christmas Tree at Veterans Memorial Park, across from the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce.

• Take the UGA Candy Cane Express to the Festival of Lights at Fulwood Park...and it’s all free!

• Also, the following events are planned for Saturday:

- 6:40 p.m. - Precious Melton, Star Spangled Banner

Presentation of Colors

6:50 p.m. - Welcome from the mayor

7:05 p.m. - Lighting of the Christmas Tree by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus

7:10 p.m. - Toy giveaway donated by National Guard,110th CSS



On the main stage in front of Bank of America

7:15 p.m. - One Voice

7:45 p.m. - TCHS Ladies Choice

8:15 p.m. - Eighth Street Singing Company

9 p.m. - Street Dance



On stage at the Tift Theatre

- 7 p.m. - Carolyn Ellis School of Dance presenting “Tis The Season”

Gospel Fest

- 8 p.m. - Sunday Best’s Corey Webb

- 9 p.m. - The Downings

- Trams/Trolley Rides: Take the UGA Candy Cane Express to the Festival of Lights at Fulwood Park



Sunday

• Christmas Open House is from noon to p.m. Visit participating merchants throughout Tifton for Christmas sales and unique gifts. Refreshments will be served and helpful staff will be on hand to help customers select the perfect gift for that special loved one. Contact Gina Chambers at 392-2829 or LaTonya Tucker at 388-4628 for more information.

• Downtown Holiday Stroll/Window & Storefront Decorations: Set against a backdrop of unique shops, storefronts and restaurants, the Holiday Stroll transforms the historic streets of downtown Tifton into a magical stage of song, dance and family enjoyment. Enjoy the Downtown Holiday Stroll as you enjoy your Christmas shopping.

• First Baptist Church is inviting the community to attend an International Mission Service with Chris Nalls, missionary to Mozambique. There will be a lot of pageantry and music and a presentation of all the flags of many countries. The event starts at 10:50 a.m. For more information, contact Gary Aikens at 382-6063.



December 7-9

• Come experience life the night Christmas began as Northside Baptist Church presents “One Starry Night” from 6 to 8:30 p.m. One Starry Night is a church-wide Christmas event for families. For more information, contact Kenny Barfield at 382-6855.



Sunday, Dec. 23

• First Baptist Church, WTIF, The Hook, Tifton Talk Radio, Plant Broadcasting and Wiregrass Channel 3 are hosting a John Berry Christmas Concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 and will be held at the John Hunt Auditorium in the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center. For more information, call Gary Aikens at 382-6063. Tickets are available at www.fbctifton.org/ticket.



For more information, contact Gaskins at 391-3966 or visit www.tifton.net or downtowntifton.com.