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Hometown Holidays, Parade, Tree Lighting Dec. 6-7
CP31 hometown holidays parade 2012
Two attendees of the 2012 Hometown Holidays parade get into the spirit. - photo by File Photo

The official kick-off to Conyers' holiday season will take place the first weekend in December with the Olde Town Christmas Party on Friday, Dec. 6 and the 14th Annual Hometown Holiday Parade and Community Tree Lighting on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 4:30 p.m. sponsored by the city of Conyers and Rockdale County.

The Olde Town Christmas Party takes place on Friday, Dec. 6 from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Enjoy free visits and photos (packages available and printed on-site) with Santa in the Conyers Depot/Conyers Welcome Center at 901 Railroad Street. The Rockdale County Historical Society hosts a Secret Santa Shop in the warehouse of the depot for children up to 10 years of age. Gifts range in price from $.50 to $5 with gift wrapping included. After shopping and visiting with Santa, visitors can snuggle up for a carriage or train ride through the streets of Olde Town. A free workshop for kids presented by The Home Depot will be offered. The Rockdale News will provide complimentary refreshments. Artistic J Productions will sing, dance and entertain those strolling through the streets. Restaurants and shops with special holiday sales will be open and ice skaters will take to the ice at the Olde Town Pavilion Ice Rink.

On Saturday, Dec. 7, approximately 70 entries in the Hometown Holiday Parade will wind their way through Olde Town Conyers, starting at 4:30 p.m. at at Rockdale County High School on Pine Log Road to Main Street and will conclude on Milstead Avenue at Pine Street.

The theme of this year's parade is "Lights, Camera, Action, Christmas!" to celebrate the recent success of film projects that have been part of the community's landscape in recent years. Entries in the parade include the Heritage High School Marching Band, Atlanta Picture Cars and the Rockdale County 4-H Club. Cloggers, dancers, scout troops, recreational sports teams, churches and local businesses will lead the way for the arrival of Santa Claus aboard the 1951 Rockdale County Fire Truck.

The parade is followed by the annual tree lighting celebration at 6 p.m. at the Rockdale County Courthouse. Local entertainment, concessions and Santa Claus will be on hand to greet the crowds that anticipate the lighting of the tree. Both the parade and tree lighting will be taped to air on Rockdale's cable channel 23 throughout the holiday season.

Ice skating will be open in the Olde Town Pavilion for more holiday fun throughout the weekend. The cost is $7 to skate and $2 for skate rental. The ice skating rink will remain open through January 5, 2014.

For more information on these and other holiday events, call the Conyers Welcome Center at 770-602-2606 or visit www.conyersga.com for a calendar of events.