Cherry Street Plaza will look more like a set for a Hallmark holiday movie as Visit Macon launches its first Christmas Market for 10 days in December.
With live music, twinkling lights and a festive atmosphere, the new attraction is one of many events planned to help downtown businesses thrive in a shortened holiday shopping season due to the lateness of Thanksgiving this year.
Market organizer Kaitlynn Kressin, of Fall Line Brewing Co., wants to make it clear, the inaugural Marché de Noel is not an arts and crafts festival, but more of a mini-village popping up between the Sports Hall of Fame and Tubman Museum from Dec. 5 to 14.
“We have acquired these wooden chalets, if you will, wooden booths that are from Munich Event Group out of Roswell,” Kressin told the Downtown Macon Community Association at its November meeting. “We’ll have a bier garden. We’ll have a big entryway sign. We’ll have live music every night starting at six o’clock. We’ll have a soft play zone for kids. You’ll be able to walk around, grab a beverage, maybe grab a snack, do some holiday shopping, take some fun pictures.”
Building on the success of the Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza, which helped land the city on Good Housekeeping’s list of top places in the U.S. to spend Christmas, the market will complement the light show that drew 685,000 people last year, with an economic impact of over $7 million, according to Visit Macon.
The family-friendly market will be open, rain or shine, from noon until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
“So the idea is that people will be able to come down for the lights and walk over to the market and go shopping and then have dinner in our downtown businesses, maybe go back to the lights, grab a dessert or coffee, walk around and just kind of give them a reason to linger downtown a little bit longer during that 10-day period,” Kressin said.
Twenty vendors are on board and organizers are already beginning to fill slots for next year.
Visit Macon plans to capitalize on the Sister City relationship with Mȃcon, France, in showcasing French, Bavarian and German food and traditions.
“The Christmas Market not only creates magical memories for families but also supports local artisans, small businesses and Downtown commerce while showcasing Macon as a vibrant holiday destination,” Visit Macon CEO Gary Wheat said in a news release.
Admission to the market is free, as is the 2025 Macon Pops Christmas Spectacular concert that kicks off the annual Light Extravaganza with live music beginning at 6 p.m. the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Every night through Jan. 2, synchronized light shows occur every hour on the hour from 6p.m. to 9 p.m. with recorded music from Macon Pops.
Although the rising cost of staging the show almost derailed this year’s live concert at the intersection of Poplar and First streets, local foundations stepped up to provide the necessary funding.
“We were incredibly close to having to step away from this year’s Spectacular,” Macon Pops CEO and co-founder Steve Moretti said in a news release.
Early Kick-off, more lights and Santa
Christmas decor has been up in downtown since mid-November as NewTown Macon’s Emily Hopkins encouraged business owners to be in the spirit early to get a jump on the shortened shopping season.
Local entrepreneurs also will be offering special discounts during Shop Small Saturday, which focuses on smaller businesses the day after Black Friday when major retailers garner the most attention.
“Power hours” will give merchants an opportunity to offer deeper discounts.
“What this event is meant to do is kind of capture the frenzy of Black Friday shopping from the early 2000s. So, thinking of when you went to Target or Walmart or places like that at 6 a.m. when all stores opened more or less at the same time,” Hopkins said. “But the idea is that for one hour only, businesses will offer deep discounts.”
NewTown is compiling the list of discounts to be offered, so follow them on social media along with the Downtown Macon Facebook page to keep up with any late additions.
Fall Line lit its towering tree Nov. 16 as downtown’s kick-off to Christmas, but Macon Area Habitat for Humanity lights up Mercer Village with its “Light more Homes” campaign that begins Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m.
The free event features hot chocolate at the Lofts at Mercer, music and some surprise guests. Festive drinks also will be available for purchase at participating restaurants in the village.
Also this season:
- Santa Claus first appears on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hay House where the historic home is decked for the holidays. Admission is $50 per family and includes up to four children. The “Palace of the South” offers a perfect backdrop for photos with Santa and the admission includes a 4” by 6” professional print and one Christmas bag per child.
- The Jolly Old Elf rides back into town during the Macon Christmas Parade that begins at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, and comes up Cherry Street and loops around to Mulberry Street on First Street.
- The Nutcracker of Middle Georgia marks its 40th year with performances Dec. 10-14 at the Grand Opera House. Tickets are now available through thegrandmacon.com or midganutcracker.org.
- In the shadow of the new towering snowman in Rosa Parks Square, Mayor Lester Miller hosts the 4th Annual Mayor’s Sneaker Ball on Dec. 13 at the City Auditorium with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. The $40 balcony tickets will be available for online purchase only through Thursday, Dec. 11 at maconchamber.com. Proceeds benefit Lester M. Miller Academic Scholarships.
- The Downtown Macon Facebook page also notes other holiday events such as “Christmas with the Queens” at Switch Macon. The new revolving theme bar that takes on a “Blitzen – A Holiday Bar” persona will host the drag show at noon on Sunday, Nov. 30, at 470 First St.
- Switch also hosts “Cookies and Cocktails,” Macon’s best Christmas Cookie Competition at noon on Dec. 21.
- Bike Walk Macon hosts the Santa Cycle to cruise through the holiday light displays on Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. beginning at 830 High St. with an after-party at The Rose Room at 378 Second St.
- The North Highlands Neighborhood Association holds the North Pole Stroll through the downtown light displays beginning at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 at Sweet Eleanor’s at 566 Poplar St.
- Look for holiday-themed events on December’s First Friday, including the “Favorite Things” art exhibit at the 567 Center for Renewal at 448 First St. from 5p.m. to 8 p.m.
- The Center hosts a Christmas Tree Luminary pottery workshop on Dec. 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The $50 fee covers the cost of materials and guidance from instructor Kristin Streilein, who promises to “make it easy.” What might be difficult is choosing what to do during this busy time in downtown.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow LIz Fabian covers Macon–Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
