Holiday roundup: Tree lightings, parades and more are coming up

Augusta Tech to hold special celebration

AUGUSTA, Ga. - The public is invited to celebrate the holidays with Augusta Tech at the Cougar Nation tree lighting from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday.

The festivities will include:

Hot chocolate and cookies.
Music from the Cross Creek High School Chorus and DJ Kydd Joe.
Photo opportunities with Alex Claws, a.k.a. Alex T. Cougar.
Enjoy a holiday themed photo booth.
Free Augusta Tech ornament.
Craft your own holiday ornament.

The fun will take place in front of Building 1300 on the Augusta Campus. The countdown starts at 5:30, with the tree lighting at 6 p.m.

Christmas Light Up Spectacular set in downtown Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Downtown Augusta will look very merry and bright this weekend as the City of Augusta hosts the Christmas Light Up Spectacular.

The event will kick off at 4 p.m. Dec. 4, at The Augusta Common, and festivities include the lighting of the Christmas tree, fireworks, photos with Santa, train rides, food vendors, inflatables and live entertainment.

On Dec. 11 at 6 p.m., the Augusta Christmas Parade will make its way through downtown. The parade route starts on upper Broad Street and proceeds between Sixth and 13th streets.

All proceeds from the Augusta Christmas Parade benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta.

Marina to host holiday markets on Sundays

AUGUSTA, Ga. - The Fifth Street Marina will be hosting holiday markets on several Sundays in December.

Markets are planned from noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 5, 12 and 19.

Vendors will be present selling their holiday items, and a food trailer will sell hot chocolate and other festive food items.

“This is a great place to come on a Sunday and enjoy the afternoon,” marina owner Beth Christian said. “We have good music, great finds, and delicious food to choose from. The public is getting a real treat for the month of December.”

Dog adoptions will also be available to help give the pups a place to call home for Christmas.

Vendors are encouraged to send an email to marketatthemarina@gmail.com to receive an application to set up. The fee is $20 per table.

2 Christmas parades planned this weekend

EVANS, Ga. - The Martinez-Evans Christmas parade will be held on Sunday at 3:30 p.m., proceeding in a rough loop that ends at Evans Towne Center Park.

Here’s the route:

Columbia County Christmas parade route(WRDW)

Also planned this weekend is the Grovetown Christmas parade.

It will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon.

Here’s the route:

Roads will start to close around 9 a.m. The parade route starts at 10 a.m. on John Huffman Way at Augusta Tech. It will then turn right onto Horizon South Parkway until it reaches Wrightsboro Road. From there, the parade will turn right onto Wrightsboro Road, ending at the intersection of Wrightsboro Road at Robinson Avenue by the Walmart Neighborhood Market at noon.

Woodrow Wilson home will be decorated for holidays

AUGUSTA, Ga. - You can celebrate the holiday season with a tour of the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson, a national historic landmark.

The house at 419 Seventh St. will be decorated for the holidays with fresh evergreens and festive decorations.

December tours will incorporate details about what Christmas was like in 1860s before, during and after the Civil War.

Special Candlelight Tours will take place on Dec. 3 and 4 from 5-6:30 pm, with tours offered every 30 minutes. The last tour will commence at 6:30 pm. You can enjoy festive refreshments with the lights turned down low, the candles flickering, and live music filling the house with holiday cheer from long ago. Candlelight tour admission is $10 for adults or $5 for students K-12. Visit www.wilsonboyhoodhome.org or call us at 706-724-0436 to make a reservation.

Guided day tours throughout the month of December are offered Wednesdays through Fridays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission to the house is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $3 for students K-12. Children 5 and under are free.

For more information, contact Historic Augusta at 706-724-0436 or visit www.wilsonboyhoodhome.org. The Wilson House is located at 419 Seventh Street in downtown Augusta, Georgia.

Tree lighting scheduled for Friday in Aiken

AIKEN, S.C. – The Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department will host the 33rd annual downtown tree lighting on Dec. 3 from 6-7:30 p.m.

It will take place on Newberry Street with music, refreshments, live performances and a countdown to the lighting of the tree. Kids can stop by the craft station to create a holiday keepsake.

The 24 foot “dancing” Christmas tree display has more than 8,000 flashing lights that dance in patterns synchronized to holiday tunes.

In the nights following the tree lighting, visitors to Newberry Street can watch the tree’s lights and listen to the musical portion of the tree on 98.7 FM.

Hawk Law Group is offering assistance

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Hawk Law Group will provide assistance to five deserving families this holiday season through its second annual Hawk Helps initiative.

“Things are difficult enough for families experiencing difficult times, but it’s more difficult during the holidays,” said Reid Sanders, a partner in the group. “We started Hawk Helps to bring some Christmas joy to local families who are struggling.”

The public can nominate families by going to HawkHelps.com. From the nominations, Hawk Law Group will pick five families to help. Nominations must be made by Dec. 5, and families will receive their gifts between Dec. 17 and 21.

Hawk Law Group will help in any way it can, Sanders said, from purchasing Christmas gifts or groceries to making car or utility payments.

With five offices in the Augusta, Thomson, and Aiken areas, Hawk Law Group is made up of trial attorneys practicing in many areas, including personal injury, wrongful death, and criminal defense. For more information, visit HawkLawGroup.com or find Hawk Law Group on Facebook.

Church schedules ‘Singing Christmas Tree’ program

MARTINEZ, Ga - Abilene Baptist Church will present its 43rd annual “Singing Christmas Tree” program Dec. 9-12 at its main campus in Martinez.

Through songs, storylines and lights, the story of Christmas is told in a unique way each year.

Free tickets are available at the Abilene main campus office at Washington and Columbia roads from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Friday. Tickets can also be purchased online through iTickets.com for a $1 convenience fee.

More information is available at http://www.myabilene.org/SCT.