MOULTRIE — The Christmas spirit reigns as Downtown Moultrie, Georgia “makes its list and checks it twice” for another holiday season.
Downtown’s signature holiday event, kicked off the Christmas season with a visit from Santa Claus and the lighting of the Canopy of Lights.
Dating back to the 1930s, the Canopy of Lights began with only four strands of lights hung from the top of the courthouse to the four corners of the square. The canopy has grown to include over 9,000 lights stretching throughout Downtown Moultrie, according to Downtown Moultrie’s website.
Santa Claus and his live reindeer, professional stilt walkers and other entertainment will boost the holiday spirit throughout the Courthouse Square.
The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but came back better than ever last year.
Amy Johnson, the City of Moultrie’s director of downtown economic development and public relations said, last year’s canopy lighting was a huge success.
“The Canopy of Lights is our thing. It’s something that people connect Moultrie and Colquitt County with because you don’t see it anywhere else,” Johnson said.
The City of Moultrie received the Premier Special Event award at the August 2022 Georgia Downtown Conference for its “Lights! Lights! Thanksgiving Night!” event.
Mayor William McIntosh said the event brings people together and is like a family reunion in the city.
Caroline Barber, the executive director of the Moultrie Convention and Visitors Bureau, said guests travel from out of state to experience the event.
“They come from states away because they know and they want to experience [it] again. Out of all the events in town, that is the one that [they] never want to miss,” Barber said in a Moultrie Observer article.
“It’s a magical time for our businesses to be open to welcome the community. It’s like their Holiday Open House,” Johnson said. “We have so many visitors that come to this event. It’s a proud moment when visitors walk around and look at our community and get to experience what we have to offer.”
Santa Stroll n’ Roll
Downtown ornament
Each year, the Downtown Moultrie Association creates an ornament as its fundraiser.
“This year the ornament will be the Belk Hudson Lofts,” Johnson shared. “The merchants have been doing this since 1989.”
The ornament’s artist is Amber Bloodworth Payton, who is a former Moultrie resident.