{"id":214749,"date":"2025-06-26T15:07:01","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T19:07:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/?p=214749"},"modified":"2025-06-26T15:07:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T19:07:09","slug":"this-georgia-mountain-town-is-betting-big-on-christmas-in-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/articles\/this-georgia-mountain-town-is-betting-big-on-christmas-in-july","title":{"rendered":"This Georgia Mountain Town Is Betting Big on Christmas in July"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s kind of a Hallmark movie come to life,\u201d says Debra Stipe of the small town of Dahlonega, Georgia\u2014and plenty of folks and filmmakers would agree. Over the past decade, three cozy Christmas movies (INSP\u2019s <em>Christmas in the Smokies<\/em>, Hallmark\u2019s <em>Christmas in Homestead<\/em>, and Lifetime\u2019s <em>A Taste of Christmas<\/em>) have been filmed in this North Georgia mountain community. Now, Dahlonega is playing up all that holiday cheer with <a href=\"https:\/\/christmasinasmalltown.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Christmas in a Small Town<\/a>, a convention this July 25\u201327.<\/p>\n\n\n<!-- Promo shortcode start --><div id=\"nlf-1c\" class=\"gg-promo topic-due-south\"><div class=\"grid\"><div class=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/promos\/due-south-v3.jpg\" alt=\"Bermuda shoreline\"><\/div><div class=\"right\"><form id=\"nlf-1\" method=\"post\" class=\"form\" action=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/newsletters\/\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"gg_form_submit\" value=\"nlf-1\"><div class=\"hed\">Stay in Touch with <em>G&amp;G<\/em><\/div><div class=\"dek\">Get Due South, our weekly travel newsletter.<\/div><div class=\"action two-items\"><div class=\"input-left\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"email\" class=\"email-input\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"you@example.com\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"group_id\" value=\"106195444\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"shortcode_form\" value=\"nlf-1\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"subscription_47929\" value=\"on\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"prev_page_id\" value=\"214749\"><\/div><div class=\"gform_footer\"><button class=\"g-recaptcha button button-primary after-email\" data-sitekey=\"6Lc-hRkaAAAAAI84hbB81Jl48pGievR_C_UgHdnY\" data-callback=\"on_submit_nlf_1\" data-action=\"submit\">Sign Up<\/button><script>function on_submit_nlf_1(token) {document.getElementById(\"nlf-1\").submit();}<\/script><\/div><\/div><div class=\"captcha-terms\"><p>This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p><\/div><\/form><\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- Promo shortcode end -->\n\n\n\n<p>The celebration will invite visitors to ring in the holiday season six months early, hear from their favorite celebrities, and explore the mountain surroundings. \u201cYou\u2019re not just going to a convention center,\u201d says Autumn Dawn Nierode, founder of Decade Days LLC, which is organizing the event. \u201cIn your downtime you can go check out the town and go to the shops and eat at the restaurants.\u201d Some local businesses are already making plans for decking the halls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Carriage-1100x733.jpg\" alt=\"People riding in a horse-drawn carriage\" class=\"wp-image-214755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Carriage-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Carriage-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Carriage-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Carriage-1600x1067.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hallmark\u2019s <em>Christmas in Homestead<\/em>, filmed in Dahlonega.<\/figcaption><figcaption class=\"image-credit\" style=\"text-align:right;\">photo: Copyright 2016 Crown Media United States LLC, Photograph by Curtis Bonds Baker<\/figcaption><div class=\"caption\">Hallmark\u2019s <em>Christmas in Homestead<\/em>, filmed in Dahlonega.<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Stipe and her husband own and operate <a href=\"https:\/\/staydahlonega.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">StayDahlonega<\/a>, a collective of nine rental properties, including three treehouses and a charming log cabin. During the Christmas season, Stipe decorates all of her properties, and she plans to do so for Christmas in a Small Town as well, especially if she knows a guest is visiting for the convention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paulthomaschocolates.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paul Thomas Chocolates<\/a>, customers can watch staff whip up treats like chocolate tortoises and caramel apples. And from July 9 through the convention, the shop plans to sell holiday sweets like housemade hot chocolate and chocolate Christmas trees. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of people who love Christmas,\u201d says Micah Mihok, who owns the shop with his wife, \u201cand it\u2019ll be nice for them to not have to wait a whole eleven months once it\u2019s over to start enjoying the season again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Paul-Thomas-Chocolates-1100x733.jpg\" alt=\"Two photos: a cup of hot chocolate, a chocolate-covered Christmas tree\" class=\"wp-image-214751\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Paul-Thomas-Chocolates-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Paul-Thomas-Chocolates-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Paul-Thomas-Chocolates-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Paul-Thomas-Chocolates-1600x1067.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Housemade hot chocolate and chocolate Christmas trees from Paul Thomas Chocolates.<\/figcaption><figcaption class=\"image-credit\" style=\"text-align:right;\">photo: Micah Mihok<\/figcaption><div class=\"caption\">Housemade hot chocolate and chocolate Christmas trees from Paul Thomas Chocolates.<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At the University of North Georgia\u2019s Convocation Center, actors and actresses will participate in Q&amp;A sessions, panels, and meet-and-greets for ticketholders. The lineup of Hallmark and Lifetime stars includes Chad Michael Murray, Arielle Kebbel, Ryan Paevey, Jesse Metcalfe, Rob Mayes, Kristoffer Polaha, and Drew Seeley, as well as <em>Christmas in Homestead<\/em>\u2019s Michael Rady and Taylor Cole.<\/p><div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1677530\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad mobile inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-8701753\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad tablet inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-7887109\" class=\"ad-container in-line-ad desktop inContent\" data-ad-size-mapping=\"inContent\" data-ad-path=\"\/68000349\/in-between-modules\" data-ad-sizes=\"[ [336, 280], [300, 250], [300, 50] ]\" data-ad-channel=\"\" data-ad-type=\"In-between Modules\" data-page-terms=\"\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>In between sessions, ticketholders can peruse assorted vendors and get creative with crafts like ornament decorating. Food trucks will park outside the center, and the convention will also run a shuttle to downtown and back for small-town shopping and dining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Santa-1100x733.jpg\" alt=\"Santa waving from a sleigh\" class=\"wp-image-214752\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Santa-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Santa-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Santa-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Santa-1600x1067.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1100\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Public-Square-1100x733.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial photo of a downtown area decorated with lights\" class=\"wp-image-214753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Public-Square-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Public-Square-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Public-Square-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gardenandgun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Public-Square-1600x1067.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Scenes from the Christmas season in Dahlonega.<\/figcaption><figcaption class=\"image-credit\" style=\"text-align:right;\">photo: Courtesy of Discover Dahlonega<\/figcaption><div class=\"caption\">Scenes from the Christmas season in Dahlonega.<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The whole shebang is fitting for a town that already loves Christmas. As soon as the Thanksgiving table is cleared, six weeks of Christmas kick off in Dahlonega, starting with the annual <a href=\"https:\/\/dahlonegachristmas.com\/events\/lighting-the-square-497\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lighting of the Square<\/a>. \u201cThat event is Hallmark magic, or Christmas magic I guess,\u201d says Sam McDuffie, executive director of the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Bureau. \u201cRight before the lighting of the tree, we all sing songs together, so imagine 16,000 people singing \u2018Silent Night\u2019 or \u2018O Christmas Tree.\u2019 It starts off the whole six-week process with this really awesome Christmas spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to McDuffie, Dahlonega attracted approximately 297,000 visitors during the 2024 Christmas season, undoubtedly drawn in by carriage rides and visits from Santa. And while the holiday season is huge, this is the town\u2019s first Christmas in July. McDuffie says Dahlonega will display a sampling of its seasonal d\u00e9cor for the convention (the full effect takes a month of dedicated decorating from the volunteer-based Old Fashioned Christmas committee.) \u201cI think people are just looking forward to bringing those decorations out,\u201d he says, \u201ceven if it\u2019s just for the weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How Dahlonega is taking \u201cstraight out of a Hallmark movie\u201d to the next level<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":214750,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-06-26T19:07:08Z","apple_news_api_id":"9a593b96-9499-4efa-ba6a-70cae7bead6a","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-06-26T19:07:08Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Amlk7lpSZTvq6anDK576tag","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1785],"tags":[370,19,366,619,30280],"authors":[30493],"issue":[],"recipe-type":[],"class_list":["post-214749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","tag-christmas","tag-georgia","tag-small-towns","tag-travel","tag-whats-new","authors-anna-davis"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.4 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>This Georgia Mountain Town Is Betting Big on Christmas in July &#8211; 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