The Beechwood Shopping Center on Alps Road in Athens is gearing up for holiday celebrations and shopping. Beginning on Black Friday, residents will be able to meet Santa and enjoy sounds of the season with a jolly concert at the 2023 Beechwood Holiday Market.
Everything will kick off on Nov. 24 with a tree lighting, featuring an over 40-foot evergreen topped with a sparkling star. While the tree is certainly the crown-jewel of the market, the entire shopping center will be decked out in lights and Christmas cheer.
Originally started in 2020 as a way to lift the community’s spirit during the pandemic, the annual market is now in its third year of operation. While in the past there has also been a tree farm where residents can purchase their own Christmas trees to take home, Beechwood has confirmed that they will not be selling trees this year via social media.
Along with the lighting, there will be a concert featuring A-Town A-List, a band curated for their combination of musical, vocal, dance and theater experience. These “celebration artists” boast an impressive resume, previously performing beside the likes of Bruce Springsteen, The Black-Eyed Peas, and Stevie Wonder.
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After Nov. 24 the market will be held for two more nights including Dec. 1 and Dec. 8, according to the current schedule from Beechwood Shopping Center. Starting at 6 p.m., these evenings’ festivities will run for three hours. The event is free to attend for all.
On Dec.1, the market will host a Christmas movie night, where residents can bundle up, grab some hot cocoa, and get into a merry mood. Details on the movie have not yet been released, but will be announced on Beechwood’s social media. A Christmas carnival and tacky sweater night will round off the market’s festivities on Dec. 8.
Avoiding holiday procrastination by doing some wishlist shopping may be the obvious activity of choice at the market, but there will also be facepainting, hayrides, games and more to enjoy throughout the evening, according to the Beechwood website.
For bites, the market has announced a tasty lineup of food trucks scheduled to attend including Choco Pronto, Maepole, Café Racer, Biggums BQQ, Coffee Camper, Chick-fil-A’s Little Blue Menu, and Farmers Funnel Cakes for a sweet treat.
While there won’t be any chestnuts, market-goers can roast s’mores over a small fire pit. In addition, there will also be plenty of hot chocolate available for purchase to help keep the frostbite away.