Alpharetta's holiday season starts three times on one weekend. The Hamilton Alpharetta lights its tree on Friday, November 20. The city lights a 50-foot tree in front of City Hall on Saturday, November 21. Avalon lights its 40-foot tree on Sunday, November 22. Each happens at a different address, has its own schedule and draws a different kind of crowd.
That weekend fits a pattern that starts this week. The season changes one venue at a time, and several of the same addresses run both Halloween and the holidays. If you know the order, you can plan the weeks from now through November 22 as one stretch instead of finding out about each event the day before.
Halloween weekend already runs on two tracks
This year Halloween falls on a Saturday, and downtown and Avalon each have their own full weekend.
At Avalon, the busiest venue is the hotel. Midnight Manor at The Hotel at Avalon, 9000 Avalon Boulevard, runs three nights with free admission. RSVPs are strongly encouraged.
- Thursday, Oct. 29: Kickoff Party, 7:30 to 11 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 30: Halloween Weekend After Party, 8 to 11 p.m. Earlier that evening, Avalon holds Trick or Drink, an adults-only event with specialty cocktails and a live DJ, from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 31: Midnight Manor Halloween Bash, 8 to 11 p.m., with a costume contest. Prizes include a weekend stay at the hotel and dinner for two at South City Kitchen.
Downtown's Halloween night runs later. The Halloween Party at UP on the Roof, 33 South Main Street, goes from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on October 31. Two blocks of downtown are still in costume after the weekend ends. Amasa Mexican Kitchen at 15 Academy Street has turned its dining rooms, bar and rooftop patio into a Day of the Dead Cantina with marigolds, papel picado and ofrendas. It runs through November 2, with themed cocktails and limited-time specials from Chef Joey.
There are other options. On Friday, Oct. 30, Racket Social Club at Windward Lake, 2001 Lake Windward Dr., hosts a Trunk or Treat from 6 to 8:30 p.m. On Sunday, Nov. 1, Mr. Taco at 4000 North Point Pkwy #800 holds Tacos, Treats & Traditions from noon to 9 p.m. It includes pumpkin decorating, face painting, free churro bites for kids in costume, and an ofrenda where guests can bring a photo of a loved one.
November 1 is also the last day of the downtown Scarecrow Harvest, now in its 21st year, with more than 100 scarecrows along the streets. If you haven't walked the display yet, Halloween weekend is your last chance.
The same addresses switch to the holidays
This is where the season starts to turn. Several venues that hosted Halloween events move straight into holiday events within a few weeks.
The maze on the second floor of North Point Mall, 1000 North Point Circle, runs as the Once Upon a Not-So-Spooky Maze daily through October 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. By November 13 it has become Once Upon A Merry Maze, open noon to 5 p.m. that Friday. It then runs on selected Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays into early January. For parking at the Halloween version, the listing suggests the Dillard's deck.
UP on the Roof follows the same pattern. Twenty days after its Halloween party, the rooftop hosts Elf'd UP, a holiday pop-up from 3 to 11 p.m. on Friday, November 20, the same night as The Hamilton's tree lighting. Racket Social Club does it too. It follows its Trunk or Treat with a Windward Lake Fall Festival on Sunday, November 8, from 3 to 5 p.m. Admission is free with registration.
November 14 is downtown's last fall Saturday
The weeks between the two big weekends have fewer events, but one Saturday matters.
The Alpharetta Farmers Market runs Saturdays from April 4 through November 14, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at 2 Park Plaza. The 5th Annual Fall Cocktail Crawl starts downtown at noon the same day and runs until 5 p.m. That puts the market's last morning right before the crawl's first afternoon. One week later, the city's tree lighting fills the same downtown streets.
There's also a new weekday stop downtown during these quieter weeks. Giulia Italian Bakery has opened at 24 S. Main St. in Alpharetta City Center. It's open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and sells croissants, bomboloni, sourdough, focaccia and sandwiches, all made from scratch. As reported by Appen Media, bakers start at 4 a.m., and co-founder Seth Gjuka said the team hopes Giulia will "become a fixture in downtown Alpharetta's daily routine." Giulia also has locations in Peachtree Corners and Marietta.
Three trees, three nights
On the November 20 weekend, the season starts three times. Each lighting suits a different kind of evening, and the details below are what set them apart.
| Friday, Nov. 20 | Saturday, Nov. 21 | Sunday, Nov. 22 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host | The Hamilton Alpharetta | City of Alpharetta, Season of Celebration | Avalon |
| Address | 35 Milton Ave. | In front of City Hall, Downtown Alpharetta | 400 Avalon Blvd. |
| Hours | 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. | 5 to 8 p.m. | 2 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Tree | Lit at 6:30 p.m. | 50 feet | 40 feet, lit at 7 p.m. |
| Highlights | Live holiday music, Hot Cocoa Baileys Bar, photos with Santa, holiday classics on a big screen | Live holiday music, snow flurries, main-stage performances, strolling characters, Santa | Avalon on Ice opens, figure skating, face painting, holiday crafts, Santa |
| Admission | Complimentary | Free | Free activities |
Friday at The Hamilton is the smallest of the three. The celebration moves outdoors to the hotel's Amenity Deck with carolers, a family photo area and holiday movies on a big screen. The restaurant is serving a Prime Rib special. The tree goes on at 6:30, so you can be home before a late dinner. Elf'd UP runs on South Main the same evening if you want to keep going.
Saturday downtown has the tallest tree and the full main-stage program. The city suggests bringing portable chairs, which tells you to expect a crowd that stays through the show. Saturday also has a daytime event a few blocks away. Arts Alpharetta's Holiday Artists Market is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. inside the Alpharetta Arts Center at 238 Canton Street. It sells original small works, none larger than 16 inches in any dimension, on a cash/card-and-carry basis. If you go to the market in the afternoon and stay downtown for the 5 p.m. program, the whole Saturday happens in one neighborhood.
Sunday at Avalon starts earliest and lasts longest. From 2 to 3 p.m. there's a skating performance around the rink. Avalon on Ice opens to the public at 3, and the Atlanta Figure Skating Club performs from 3 to 5 while families walk Avalon Boulevard for face painting, crafts and the photo booth. The countdown to the tree lighting begins promptly at 7. Avalon's event page lists free parking decks, valet at 3rd Street, and shuttles from Gwinnett Technical College across the street. Because parking fills quickly, the page also recommends carpooling or ride-share.
Planning the stretch as one season
Taken together, the stretch from Halloween to Avalon's tree lighting looks like this:
- Oct. 29 to Nov. 2: Halloween at the Avalon hotel and on South Main, the Day of the Dead Cantina at Amasa, and the last days of the scarecrows.
- Nov. 8 and Nov. 13: Racket Social Club's fall festival, then the Merry Maze opening at North Point Mall.
- Nov. 14: The farmers market's final Saturday, followed by the Cocktail Crawl.
- Nov. 20 to 22: The Hamilton, City Hall and Avalon, one night each, with the Arts Center market on Saturday.
With three tree lightings to choose from, a household can pick the one that fits its schedule. Friday is short and early. Saturday is the big outdoor show. Sunday is an afternoon of skating that ends with the tree at 7.
If you're thinking through a move in or around Alpharetta, or just want a neighbor's view of what this part of North Fulton is like week to week, I'd be glad to talk. Patricia Mickle is always happy to hear from you. Let's Connect.
