8 Holiday Events to Attend Around Columbia

There’s something comforting about celebrating the holidays in a charming city such as Columbia, Tennessee. Whether you’re in the mood for shopping, visiting with Santa, touring some historic homes, or enjoying some yummy Christmas-themed desserts, this city has an event for you. Gather your family and friends, bring your holiday cheer, and get ready to kick off the holidays around Columbia with these eight events.

Maury Christmas Tour of Homes

Presented by the Athenaeum, the Maury Christmas Tour of Homes began in 1951 as the Majestic Middle Tennessee Tour of Homes and occurred during the fall. Over the years, the event evolved into the present Maury Christmas Tour of Homes held during the first weekend of December. It serves as a fundraiser for the Athenaeum, ensuring that it will operate for another year as the proceeds are enough to fund the historic site’s yearly operating costs.

The 2020 event takes place on December 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tickets are $25 each. You can visit these beautiful historic sites at your leisure over the two-day span. The five sites in the tour include:

• The Athenaeum.
• Elm Springs.
• Grace Episcopal Church.
• Polk Home.
• Rippavilla.

Blue Barn Christmas Market and Winter Festival

Now in its second year, the Blue Barn Christmas Market and Winter Festival takes place on December 5, 6, 12, and 13 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Blue Barn Venue. Tickets for the event are $30 and allow one child to enter Santa’s Snow Shop for an hour of fun. If you attending in the morning, you can top freshly cooked pancakes with a variety of delicious toppings, while guests in the afternoon decorate Christmas-shaped cookies. Children will also have an opportunity to make a simple craft that they can take home.

You also receive a letter to Santa, which Santa will approve with his magic Christmas stamp. Don’t forget to stop and get a picture taken with Santa, as each ticket includes one digital and one printed photo of your child. If you purchased one or more tickets and want an infant sibling photo taken with the big brother or sister, you can pay an extra $5 per infant sibling. The sibling must be 24 months or younger, otherwise, you must purchase a full-price ticket.

Once your child is done inside, head outdoors to the wonderland of fun. For an extra $5, children can visit the petting zoo and jump in the bounce houses. Adults will enjoy shopping at the local vendors setting up shop in the barn, and families can fill their stomachs at the food trucks. A portion of the proceeds from the event benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

It’s Christmas in Columbia

Image via Flickr by itsjed

The city of Columbia invites everyone to the It’s Christmas in Columbia event so they can experience a hometown holiday. Visit Main Street on December 5 for the Christmas parade, which kicks off the festivities at 5 p.m. The Night of the Light tree-lighting ceremony involves a 40-foot majestic Christmas tree at Courthouse Square lighting up the area at 6:15 p.m. Special guest emcee for the tree-lighting extravaganza is nationally syndicated country radio personality Blair Garner. He is also the founder of The Mulehouse, which is a music venue scheduled to open in Columbia in 2021.

Candlelight at Polk Memorial Gardens

Now in its 35th year, the Candlelight at Polk Memorial Gardens event allows visitors to come and light a candle in remembrance of a loved one. People can come between 2:30 and 11 p.m. on December 5 to light their candles. Over the years, more than 10,000 luminaries are lit in memory of those who have passed. In case of inclement weather, the rain date is December 6.

Thompson Station Holiday Market

Located in nearby Thompson Station at the historic Homestead Manor, the Thompson Station Holiday Market takes place on December 5 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Now in its sixth year, this free event features local vendors selling hand-crafted, unique items such as hand-poured candles, custom jewelry, baked goods, natural soaps, and leather goods.

Cookies With Santa

Head over to the aMuse’um Children’s Museum on December 5 or 6 to enjoy Christmas cookies and milk along with story time with Santa. Children can also make a craft and spend some playtime in the museum. Admission for aMuse’um members is $20, while nonmembers pay $25. Each session is one hour and limited to 12 children with no more than one adult per child. Sessions on December 5 are from:

• 9 to 10 a.m.
• 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
• 12 to 1 p.m.
• 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

The sessions for December 6 are from:

• 1 to 2 p.m.
• 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt

On December 10 and 11, the City of Franklin hosts the Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt at Eastern Flank Battlefield Park. The grounds are covered with candy canes, so grab your flashlight to hunt for these delicious holiday treats. Before you rush for the candy, kids will decorate treat bags for their candy canes, and they can enjoy hot chocolate and cookies. Cost is $5 per person, including adults, with two sessions available. Register for either the 5 or 6:30 p.m. sessions. The event is limited to 100 people per each session.

Drive-Thru Live Nativity

Head to nearby Brentwood at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the free drive-thru live nativity. On December 18, 19, and 20, you can see real animals surrounded by thousands of Christmas lights. Radio station information is available at the event, and you can tune in to hear the nativity story while you drive through.

So there you have it. Stan McNabb Chevrolet of Columbia just mentioned eight holiday activities you can check out in Columbia. What do you think of this list? Did we miss any that you think are worth celebrating? If so, reach out to us so we can make sure to add your holiday event to our list.