By Bailey Dingley
Downtown Rome is truly a sight to see during the holiday season, especially with the stunning snowflake lights lining Broad Street. With a homey feel and small town experience, Downtown Rome offers the perfect place to enjoy the holiday season from the very beginning.
Holiday Open House
The Holiday Open House is on November 16, where Downtown Rome will kick off the holiday season with Christmas decorations and holiday activities. There will be free trolley rides with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. that picks up and drops off at the Town Green. Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation will also be hosting a Candy Cane Hunt at 1 p.m. on the Town Green. Bring the family to Downtown Rome on November 16th to kick off the holiday season!
Christmas Window Competition
Starting on the day of the Downtown Holiday Open House, downtown businesses will have their Christmas window decorations ready for the second year of the Christmas Window Competition. Check out all the fun and creative windows of local businesses and make a note of your favorite, because everyone can be involved in the competition. There will be two different awards, the Judge’s Choice and the People’s Choice. The judges will select a winner for the Judges Choice award between November 18 – 22. The People’s Choice award will be via Facebook and in-store voting and the winning window will announced on December 16. Once the award winners have been selected, the Office of Downtown Development will be giving away gift cards from the winning businesses. Be a part of the competition and like the Downtown Rome page on Facebook to vote for your favorite window!
Forum On Ice
On November 17, Forum on Ice will open! Ice skate at the Forum all holiday season until January 6. This year they are even adding a slide! Forum on Ice is a great activity in Downtown Rome during the entire holiday season, so make plans to visit with friends and family! Check HERE for more information and prices.
Small Business Saturday
Of course, you can’t forget Small Business Saturday! On November 30, head downtown to support your small businesses. Our merchants will have specials going on all day. Of course, we want you to #shopsmall every day – but definitely on this day!
Rome Christmas Parade
Everyone loves the Rome Christmas Parade that goes right down Broad Street! Head downtown on December 3 to see the one of our favorite holiday traditions! The parade will kick off at 7pm. For more information on the parade, click HERE.
Rome for the Holidays
Rome for the Holidays is on Thursday, December 12, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is a new holiday event in Downtown Rome that allows you to shop and stroll downtown late into the evening. The shops will be staying open late. Downtown Rome has the perfect shops to prepare for the holiday season, so this event will give you more time to visit the local businesses. Whether it is finding that perfect gift, purchasing new Christmas home decor, or spending an evening experiencing downtown Rome during the holidays, you do not want to miss this new holiday event downtown!
This would be a great evening to divide and conquer! Have someone take the kids ice skating while you finish up your Christmas list!
There are always exciting things happening in Downtown Rome, but the holiday season is especially fun. To stay up to date on all things Downtown Rome, follow us on Instagram and Twitter @downtownromega and on Facebook. Be sure to check out the events tab on our website, as well as the full calendar! We are looking forward to celebrating with you downtown!
