Blue Ridge starts Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving and keeps it going until Christmas Eve. The big day is Light Up Blue Ridge, a free afternoon of music and Santa visits that ends with a lighted parade and the lighting of the Great Tree. The other draw is the railway’s one-hour Holiday Express, which sells out well ahead.
Here is what is on for 2026 and how to plan around it.
The 2026 dates
| Date | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Blue Friday: merchant discounts, food vendors, live music | Noon to 5 p.m. |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Gingerbread Village opens at the Arts Center | Noon |
| Fri., Nov. 27 and Sat., Nov. 28 | Pictures with Santa downtown | Noon to 4:15 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Live entertainment on East Main Street | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Light Up Blue Ridge parade | 5:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Lighting of the Great Tree | About 7 p.m. |
| Nov. 28 to Dec. 24 (select dates) | Holiday Express train | Several departures a day |
The organizers say both days happen rain, snow or shine. Everything downtown is free.
Light Up Blue Ridge, hour by hour
Late morning. Entertainment starts on East Main Street at 11 a.m. The chamber’s 2026 schedule lists Tuba Christmas from 11 a.m. to noon and the Brasstown Big Band from noon to 1 p.m.
Santa. Pictures with Santa run from noon to 4:15 p.m. in the park pavilion downtown. Children already in line by 4:15 are seen until 4:30, and then Santa leaves to get ready for the parade. If a Santa photo is the point of the trip, come before 3 p.m.
The parade. It starts at 5:30 p.m. at Church Street and East Main, runs down East Main to Mountain Street, goes down Mountain and comes back up West Main. It is a lighted parade after dark, and the only Santa in it is the one riding at the end. Float riders are not allowed to throw candy, but walkers can hand it out, so kids at the curb still do well.
Anyone can enter. The organizers take no reservations: entries line up on East Main by 5 p.m. and they are in. Lights on floats are encouraged.
The Great Tree. After the parade, the crowd walks to the park for the tree lighting at about 7 p.m. The exact time depends on how long the parade runs.
Blue Friday
The day before is quieter and better for shopping. Downtown merchants run discounts, food vendors set up and music plays from noon to 5 p.m. Santa is in the gazebo on Friday too, on the same noon to 4:15 schedule.
The Gingerbread Village opens at the Arts Center on Friday at noon and stays open whenever the Arts Center is open until Dec. 22. The organizers count 62 houses this year. The chamber also lists Santa’s Mailbox, where kids can drop a letter and get a reply by mail.
The Holiday Express train
Blue Ridge Railway runs a one-hour Holiday Express from its depot at 241 Depot St. The railway describes holiday music, a reading of “The Night Before Christmas,” a jingle bell and candy cane for each child, and a chance to see Santa. Hot chocolate is sold on board.
The Fannin County Chamber lists 2026 trips on Nov. 28 and 29, Dec. 5 and 6, Dec. 12 and 13, and every day from Dec. 19 through Dec. 24. The railway’s own home page says “select dates, Nov. 27 to Dec. 23,” so check the booking page for the date you want.
What to know before you buy:
- Book early. The railway says these rides “sell out FAST” and does not recommend buying on the day.
- Arrive 45 minutes early. That is the railway’s advice for parking and picking up tickets. Boarding opens 30 minutes before departure.
- Open-air cars are cold. The railway installs vinyl windows on its open-air coaches in winter, but dress for December air anyway.
- Accessible seating is in coach 405, which has a lift. Those seats are sold by phone only, at (877) 413-8724.
- Ticket office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, seven days a week.
Regular winter excursions to McCaysville and Copperhill run Nov. 5, 2026, through Feb. 28, 2027. Our Blue Ridge Scenic Railway guide covers coach types and how far ahead to book.
How to plan the weekend
For the parade and tree. Eat a late lunch, then claim a curb spot on East Main by about 4:30 p.m. Main Street is the parade route, so do not plan to park on it that afternoon. Restaurants fill up after the tree lighting; a reservation for 7:30 or later is easier to get than one at 6.
For small children. Friday is the easier day. You get Santa, the Gingerbread Village and the shops without the parade crowd.
For a two-town weekend. Ellijay holds its own Merry Mountain Town on Friday, Nov. 27, with a festival downtown from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., a parade at 6 p.m. and the tree lighting around 6:30 p.m., per the Gilmer County Chamber. Ellijay is about 30 minutes south on GA-515, so you can do Ellijay on Friday night and Blue Ridge on Saturday.
Where to stay. Cabins around Blue Ridge book early for Thanksgiving weekend. If Blue Ridge is full, Ellijay is about 30 minutes away and Blairsville about 40.
Other Christmas towns nearby
Dahlonega lights its square on the same Friday, and Helen lights the village that night too. Our North Georgia Christmas towns guide compares them, and we have separate guides to Christmas in Helen and Christmas in Dahlonega. For the rest of the year, start with our Blue Ridge town guide.
Sources and further reading
Facts in this article were checked against these sources on October 30, 2026. Hours, fees and seasons change, so confirm before you go.
