The Downtown Hattiesburg Association, in partnership with the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood Association, invites you to celebrate the holiday season on Saturday, December 14, 2019 and Sunday, December 15, 2019 for Downtown Candlelit Christmas. Downtown Candlelit Christmas includes a variety of events taking place throughout the weekend, all centered in and around Downtown Hattiesburg. Weekend festivities include one of the longest running holiday traditions in Hattiesburg, the 43rd Annual Victorian Candlelit Christmas, hosted by and taking place in the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood, along with the continuation of luminaries and other traditional activities expanded into the greater downtown district.
This year’s Downtown Candlelit Christmas event will include the Ghosts of Christmas Past Walking Tours presented by HCLO (ticketed event), extended holiday shopping at downtown merchants, a hop on, hop off shuttle provided by Grove Transit that will connect visitors to the neighborhood and locations around downtown, visits with Santa and children’s activities hosted by SmART Space in the Carter Building on Front Street, South MS Art Association’s Annual Art Show at the Train Depot, holiday music performances at various churches, and historic home tours.
The Annual Victorian Candlelit Christmas event, put on by the Historic Neighborhood Association, is a two-day holiday-favorite event that draws hundreds of visitors from across the region to explore the spectacle of 18,000 white bags with flickering candles, lining the sidewalks of the Historic Neighborhood and the downtown district. Guests are invited to experience the nostalgia of a simpler time as they travel historic streets lined with luminaries alongside more than 300 homes and businesses decorated for the holidays with garlands, bows, and twinkling lights. Carriage rides will be available around the neighborhood and various homes will be open for tours. Both carriage ride and home tour tickets will be sold at the Walthall Community Center located at 600 Rebecca Avenue.
Other joyous activities include caroling at Sacred Heart Church and choral and Deep South Ringers handbell choir performances at Bay Street Presbyterian Church. Court Street United Methodist Church will host its annual Christmas Café and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus on Saturday and invites visitors to stop in for an Open House on Sunday evening.
“The streets will be lit and downtown businesses will be open late for this holiday celebration. We invite participants to bring the whole family, grab a bite to eat, and stroll through our candlelit streets to enjoy the festivities. Families will certainly want to stop by our Santa’s Village in the Carter Building off of Front Street for a photo opportunity with Santa and exciting children’s art activities. While there, visitors can pick up a map to explore all that this celebration has to offer,” Andrea Saffle, executive director of the Downtown Hattiesburg Association, said. “In addition, Town Square Park will be decked out as a winter wonderland of lights and there will be Christmas music and caroling at various locations throughout downtown to get visitors in the Christmas cheer. Everywhere visitors go, they’ll find holiday activities,” said Saffle.
With Downtown’s “Go Cup” ordinance, adults can grab a drink and stroll through the candle lined streets, enjoying the activities throughout downtown. Shops and galleries open for evening hours include Bloom’s: A Garden Shop, Oddfellows Gallery, McKenzie’s on Main, Walnut Square Stationary & Gifts, Main Street Books, Twin Forks Wine & Provisions, Ruby Nails, and The Shop Downtown. Patrons can also grab tasty food and cocktails at a downtown pub or restaurant like Fika Swedish Café, Blu Jazz Café, Nellie’s Chicken & Daiquiris, The Porter, and SoPro Taproom.
For more information about DHA and a complete list of Downtown Candlelit Christmas activities, visit www.downtownhattiesburg.com or on Facebook at DowntownHattiesburg. You can also go to www.hattiesburghistoricneighborhood.com for more details on Victorian Candlelit Christmas.
Schedule of Activities:
Saturday, December 14, 2019
- 18,000 luminaries will light the sidewalks throughout the Historic Neighborhood and Downtown.
- Carriage ridesleaving from the Walthall (600 Rebecca Ave) starting at 5pm- 9pm and circling thru the neighborhood. (carriage rides take about 15-20 minutes) Tickets $10 adult, $5 kids 12 – 2yrs, lap riders are free.
- Holiday Tour of Homes will feature three historic homes. The Tour of Homes will run Saturday and Sunday from 5:30pm until 8:30pm. Tickets available at the Walthall for $10.
- Refreshments will be for sale in the Walthall- Hot Chocolate, Coffee, Chili, baked goods
- FREE Grove Transit Shuttlebetween various marked parking lots, Walthall, Open Houses and Downtown.
- Court Street United Methodist Church presents the Victorian Christmas Café on Saturday, December 8thfrom 5:50 p.m.- 7 :30p.m.; featuring Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus pictures. They will also offer homemade chili and red beans and rice in the Candlelight Café. Tickets are $5.00 for singles and $20.00 for family of 5. Contact courtstreetumc@bellsouth.net or call 601.583.1711 for ticket information.
- Bay Street Presbyterian Church, 202 Short Bay St., the oldest surviving church structure in the city will host an “Old Fashioned Carol Sing” on the steps, Saturday at 6 p.m.
- Sacred Heart Church– Carol Sing on the steps, times 6-7:30pm
- Ghosts of Christmas Past Walking Tour presented by HCLO take a stroll back in time and hear stories of Hattiesburg’s history from some of its colorful characters. Tickets available on-line and HCLO’s Facebook page.
- South Mississippi Art Association– 43rd Annual Holiday Art Show at the Historic Train Depot, 11am – 8:30 pm
- Downtown- Shops will be open late for holiday shopping some will have live music and refreshments, pick up a map at any of our downtown shops to explore all of the festivities.
- Santa’s Village- photo opportunity with Santa and kid’s activities
- Town Square Park will be decked out as a winter wonderland of lights,
Sunday December 15, 2019
- 18,000 luminaries will light the sidewalks throughout the Historic Neighborhood and Downtown.
- Hay-rides leaving from the Walthall (600 Rebecca Ave) starting at 5pm- 9pm and circling thru the neighborhood. (rides take about 15-20 minutes) Tickets $5 for everyone , kids under 4 are free.
- Refreshments will be for sale in the Walthall- Hot Chocolate, Coffee, Chili, baked goods
- FREE Grove Transit Shuttlebetween various marked parking lots, Walthall, Open Houses and Downtown.
- Court Street United Methodist Church presents Christmas open house from 5:50 p.m.- 7 :30p.m with refreshments
- Bay Street Presbyterian Church, 202 Short Bay St., the oldest surviving church structure in the city will host an “South Ringers Hand bell Choir” at 6pm, and 6:45pm
- Holiday Tour of Homeswill feature three historic homes. The Tour of Homes will run from 5:30pm until 8:30pm. Tickets available at the Walthall.
Candlelighting began in the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood District in 1976 as a way to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial as well as to draw attention to the renovation going on in the district, characterized by homes built between 1884 and 1930. The neighborhood has changed from a declining section populated mostly by older residents to a lively, attractive neighborhood that is home to a vibrant mix of families with young children to retirees and everything in between.
This celebration has grown from a one-day display of a few thousand candles to a two-day event with about 18,000 luminaries and other activities. Each year as dusk falls and the candles are lit, hundreds of local and out-of-town visitors flow into the neighborhood, strolling or driving along the streets lined with the glowing candles. Neighborhood residents and visitors walk from house to house, stopping to chat and admire decorations. Many house parties are held to celebrate the season in the glow of thousands of candles.
This event finished on 15 December 2019