Holidays in Athens – Athens Area Chamber

Celebrate and Support Athens this Holiday Season

This winter it’s more important than ever to Keep the Cheer Here by supporting the local businesses who support the area where you live, work, and play. For every $100 spent at a local business, $67 stays in Athens, so join us in spreading holiday cheer to your neighbors, family, and friends by shopping local!

The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and the Athens Uptown Business Association (AUBA) is excited to welcome you and your family to the uptown area to celebrate the holiday season. You’ll find merchants with unique gifts, food and beverages to warm you up, and many FREE opportunities to help your family make special holiday memories, including: Santa’s Workshop, horse-drawn wagon rides, our community tree, face painting, ornament decorating, and so much more. Scroll down for more info and a full schedule of events.

And check out our 2022 Athens Area Gift Guide, with gift ideas and deals from 40+ local businesses, plus the full schedule for Uptown for the Holidays events and more!

2022 Athens Area Gift Guide

Uptown for the Holidays Tree Lighting and Best Hometown in Ohio Awards Ceremony

The Tree Lighting and Best Hometown in Ohio Awards Ceremony on Friday, December 2nd was a wonderful night full of holiday magic and fun. Thank you to all of our sponsors (listed below) and to the Chamber members who provided holiday activities: Bagel Street Deli, Brenen’s Coffee Café, Brookfield Church, College Bookstore, Cross Court, Ohio is Home, and Uptown Realty Group.

Exciting holiday activities, including visits from Santa and horse-drawn carriage rides, will continue throughout the month of December. Scroll down for details and a full schedule.

All Uptown for the Holidays events are organized and presented for free to the public by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and the Athens Uptown Business Association and in conjunction with The City of Athens.

Here are some special moments captured during our opening night:

And this year our annual tree lighting ceremony night was extra-special, as Athens was officially celebrated as being named the Best Hometown in Ohio by Ohio Magazine! You can see pictures from the awards ceremony here:

2022 Uptown for the Holidays Activities

Enjoy these FREE holiday activities with your family Thursdays and Saturdays in December during the specific dates and times listed. Activities are provided by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, the Athens Uptown Business Association, the City of Athens, and our local Chamber members.

Download the Full Uptown for the Holidays Schedule of Events here

Selfies with Santa

The big man himself will be popping into town to get things done in his workshop, and while he is hard at work he will have his window open to say hi and take pictures with you throughout the month of December. Stop by and tell him what you want for Christmas or take a selfie with him at Santa’s Workshop (located at the corner of Court and Washington St.) during the following dates and times:

Tree Lighting Night: Friday, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, December 2^nd

Thursdays: 6:00 – 8:00 PM; December 8^th, 15^th, & 22^nd

Saturdays: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM; December 10^th, 17^th

Horse-drawn Wagon Rides

We are lucky to once again have Hutchison Horse-Drawn Wagon and Carriage Service giving horse-drawn wagon rides around Uptown Athens during the following times and dates. Wagon rides start and finish at the corner of Court and Washington Street.

Tree Lighting Night: Friday, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, December 2^nd

Thursdays: 6:00 – 8:00 PM; December 8^th, 15^th, & 22^nd

Saturdays: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM; December 10^th, 17^th

Holiday Film Series

The Athena Cinema will be hosting a series of holiday film classics for the whole family to enjoy. The price of admission to each show will be a non-perishable food or cash donation to our local food pantry. For more information on the Holiday Film Series, visit athenacinema.com/holidayseries/

The Athena Cinema will be featuring the following films:

Edward Scissorhands, Friday, December 2, 7:00PM

Elf, Saturday, December 3, 1:00PM & 3:00PM

A Christmas Story, Saturday, December 10, 3:00PM *Wear your best ugly sweater!

The Grinch (2018), Saturday, December 17, 3:00PM

White Christmas, Thursday, December 22, 7:00PM

Musical Performances

Enjoy a soundtrack of holiday music performed live at Santa’s Corner on the following days:

Friday, December 2^nd, 6:00-8:00pm, New Chords on the Block (Ohio University a cappella group)

Thursday, December 8^th, 6:00-8:00pm, New Chords on the Block (Ohio University a cappella group)

Saturday, December 10^th,11:00am, Federal-Hocking Brass Band; 12:00pm Athens High School Band

Thursday, December 15^th, 6:00-8:00pm, Alexander School Choir

Saturday, December 17^th, 11:00am – 1:00pm, Alexander School Choir

Community Tree & Santa House

Near the courthouse, you and your family can help decorate the Community Tree, which was donated by a local tree farm. Make new memories by creating a unique ornament with your family and hang it on the tree while uptown.

Free Parking

Thanks to the City of Athens, it’s easier than ever to get uptown to enjoy the holidays since parking is free!

Where: Athens Parking Garage, Level 2 and up
When: Tree Lighting Ceremony Night (Friday, Dec. 2); the following Thursdays after 5PM: December 8, 15, & 22; and all day on the following Saturdays: December 3, 10, 17, 24.

Thank you to our Community Tree Sponsor: