Unique Holiday Finds All Across the State
ATLANTA, November 20, 2008 - The holidays are upon us once again, and Georgians are busy preparing for another exciting shopping season. Opportunities abound all across the state for the experienced shopping guru and seasonal gift-giver alike. From bargain hunters to trend setters, art collectors to wine connoisseurs, you are certain to find the perfect gifts for all your loved ones…and yourself! (See online links at the bottom of this release.)
Locally produced goods are in high demand with more and more people turning to Georgia artisans for holiday gifts this year. Share our talented artists and craftspeople with everyone on your shopping list by buying Georgia Made Georgia Grown gifts. With locations in Savannah and Atlanta, ShopSCAD is a boutique gallery with wares from Savannah College of Art and Design alumni, students and faculty. Browse through volumes of fine art originals and prints, jewelry, books, accessories, and even clothes to find that perfect present. The holidays would not be complete without a traditional Claxton Fruit Cake. Claxton Bakery has been the 'Choice of Millions Since 1910,' and is world famous for its time-honored holiday specialty. Enjoy Georgia's celebrated peaches and pecans with Lane Southern Orchards, a pillar of the state's produce industry since the early 1900s. Visit their roadside market, with a gourmet shop and café, where customers can order produce, gift baskets, candies, jellies and more. Be sure to ask for fresh pecans, as they are currently harvesting a new crop. Georgia's blossoming winemaking industry also offers a host of great Georgia Made Georgia Grown products and experiences. Visit a local vineyard for a wine tasting, live music, and great food, and take a bottle or two home with you. You can even have wine shipped directly to your friends or relatives as a holiday gift.
Take a page out of President Roosevelt's book and spend a relaxing weekend in Warm Springs. During the holiday season, the city's festive atmosphere and warm welcome mix memories of Charles Dickens and Southern Hospitality. On November 21-23, the 25th Annual Candlelight Tour Festival in historic Warm Springs Village kicks off the holiday season with candlelit streets and shop owners dressed in period costumes. Enjoy tours, carolers, musicians and refreshments as you shop by candlelight in Warm Springs Village. With an assortment of specialty shops offering collectibles, handicrafts, woodworks, candies, fresh food and more, this holiday shopping event invites you to unwind and enjoy the spirit of the season.
Step back in time on December 11-12 at the Victorian Christmas in Downtown Thomasville. A past Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event in the Southeast, this seasonal favorite entices visitors with a host of activities. Street vendors offer scrumptious morsels to passersby, live musical entertainment delights the ears, and carriage rides traverse the streets, all completing the holiday shopping experience. Thomasville's award-winning downtown district is fast becoming a shopping destination with its restored Victorian storefronts housing an eclectic array of retailers, antique shops and restaurants.
Wander up to Ellijay, the Apple Capital of Georgia, for a weekend of antiquing, shopping, and scavenger hunting. The Shop Ellijay First, Light Up Ellijay, and 12 Days of Christmas Scavenger Hunt events all take place on November 28-29. Stores will hold open houses with refreshments and special sales starting on Black Friday and continuing through Saturday. The scavenger hunt also begins on Friday and continues through mid-December. Saturday evening will feature concerts, choirs, and the Light up Ellijay Parade, as stores stay open late with special hours for weekend shoppers.
Also in north Georgia is Dahlonega, an ideal place for your holiday weekend getaway. During December, visitors will experience the month-long Old Fashioned Christmas celebration. See beautiful bed and breakfasts decked out in holiday cheer, sample delectable seasonal dishes served up at local restaurants, savor rich wines from the city's neighboring vineyards, and enjoy local music and theater. Shop the public square for unique gifts for everyone on your gift list. You will find shops and galleries full of Georgia-made regional art, gifts, crafts, collectibles, trendy fashions, freshly-made edibles and more.
Make your way to Georgia's coast, where Savannah is a holiday shopper's paradise. Attend the Savannah Holiday Frolic, a November 29th celebration on Broughton Street featuring ice-skating, entertainment and shopping galore in a festive atmosphere. Also in Savannah is the Christmas on the River celebration, featuring regional arts and crafts and live holiday entertainment December 6-7.
A host of other festivals and events feature excellent shopping this year. Head to Athens for the 3rd Annual Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa: Holiday Market scheduled to take place November 22. Athens' largest craft fair brings together more than 50 vendors from around the Southeast, showcasing their work and offering it for sale. Newnan's Market Day for Local Arts and Crafts also features a host of homegrown, handmade or homemade products on December 5th. WinterFest2008 at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts in Columbus is a showcase of the region's best visual artists in all types of media December 5-7. Thomson's Festival Off Main, December 4-7, features hundreds of arts and crafts vendors along with local entertainment, delicious food, and holiday amusements.
Come to the Southeast shopping mecca of Atlanta, where culture and unique gifts go hand in hand. Stop by the landmark exhibit The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army at the High Museum of Art, or the impressive Tutankhamun: The Golden King and The Great Pharaohs exhibition at the Atlanta Civic Center. Both deliver unforgettable cultural experience and have gift shops full of unique items you won't find anywhere else. Head to the new World of Coca-Cola, where you can buy anything and everything for the Coca-Cola lover in your life. Just outside the city in Gwinnett County is the Mall of Georgia, the largest shopping complex in the state. And do not forget Atlanta's traditional shopping districts: Buckhead, known for its upscale stores and chic boutiques, Virginia Highlands, a young, trendy neighborhood known for its unique stores and popular restaurants, and Little Five Points, with funky, artistic shops and vintage-everything. Whatever you're looking for, you're sure to find it in Atlanta.
Georgia's mild winter climate and rich history provide the perfect frame for your holiday getaway. And with great shopping cities, town squares and events in all corners of the state, satisfying your inner shopper is a cinch. Visit www.exploregeorgia.org for more destinations and events.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.
ShopSCAD: www.shopscadonline.com/
Lane Southern Orchards: www.lanesouthernorchards.com
Claxton Fruitcake: www.claxtonfruitcake.com/
Candlelight Tour Festival: www.warmspringsga.com/Christmas.htm
Victorian Christmas: www.downtownthomasville.com
Ellijay Events: www.downtownellijay.com
Old Fashioned Christmas: www.dahlonega.com
Savannah Holiday Design Walk: www.downtowndesigndistrict.com
Savannah Holiday Frolic: www.savannahvisit.com
Christmas on the River: www.riverstreetsavannah.com
WinterFest2008: www.rivercenter.org
Athens Indie Crafstravaganzaa: www.athensindiecraftstravaganzaa.com
Market Day for Local Arts and Crafts: www.mainstreetnewnan.com/calendar.php
Festival Off Main: www.festivaloffmain.com
The First Emperor Exhibit: www.high.org
Tutankhamun The Golden King: www.kingtut.org
World of Coca-Cola: www.woccatlanta.com
Mall of Georgia: www.mallofgeorgia.com