The City of Woodstock has announced the dates of city-sponsored special events taking in 2024. The annual calendar includes ceremonies, parades, festivals, recycling events, and concerts.
Friday, February 16th is Arbor Day in the City of Woodstock and 730 seedlings will be given away that day at three locations: the City Hall Annex, the William G. Long Senior Center, and the Woodstock Visitors Center. Each year, the city plants a tree in the name of city employees celebrating 20 years of employment and this year a tree will be planted in honor of Parks and Recreation Office Manager Heather Gaddis.
Woodstock’s July 4th Spectacular takes place on Thursday, July 4th. The day begins with a 5K race in downtown Woodstock followed by the 28th Annual July 4th Spectacular Parade. After the parade, a family-friendly festival featuring carnival games, inflatables, and a HUGE foam party takes place in the Park at City Center. The day concludes with fireworks at dusk in the area around I-575 and Highway 92.
Woodstock Parks and Recreation will host the 5th Annual Halloween Trail of Tricks & Treats on Thursday, October 31 from 4 to 8 p.m. on the Rubes Creek Trail.
The Christmas Jubilee and Parade of Lights will take place on a new day this year. Woodstock’s 28th annual parade will take place on Sunday, December 8th beginning at 5:30 p.m. The lighting of the city’s official Christmas tree and a festival featuring Santa Claus will take place in the Park at City Center following the parade. Santa’s mailbox will be in the park until December 15th so kids can drop a letter in the mailbox and receive a reply before Christmas.
“The first Christmas Jubilee and Parade of Lights took place on the city’s 100th birthday, December 8, 1997. This year, the Sunday evening parade will again be on the city’s actual birthday,” said City Manager Jeff Moon. “The city has received many requests to move the parade so that it doesn’t take place during the SEC Championship game in recent years and we want to be considerate of our downtown businesses who would benefit by being able to host events on that night.”
The city will host annual observances with ceremonies in the Park at City Center. On Monday, May 27th, the city along with American Legion Post 316, Marine Corps League Detachment 1311, and Warriors’ Watch Riders will honor those who fought and died in the Armed Forces with a Memorial Day Ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 11th marks the 23rd anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93. The City of Woodstock will honor those lost on that day, the service men and women fighting for our freedom, and first responders with a ceremony at 7 p.m. The city plans to host a Veterans Day Ceremony as well.
Various sustainability events will take place throughout 2024. Greenstock Day is Saturday, April 20th and the city’s annual recycling and paper shredding event will take place at Woodstock Elementary School. That weekend is also the Citywide Yard Sale. The ‘Tis the Season to be Green Recycling and Paper Shredding Event will take place on Saturday, November 16th. The Christmas Tree Chip & Dip takes place from December 26th through January 15th at Olde Rope Mill Park.
Mayor Michael Caldwell announced the lineup for the Woodstock Summer Concert Series during his State of the City Address on January 24th. The schedule for the 2024 Season is available at woodstockconcertseries.com.
The city will host other concert series and music events in 2024. The Brown Bag Concert Series will take place at noon on Thursdays in May and September in the Park at City Center. Bring your lunch and a chair to these free lunchtime concerts. The Sunset Symphony takes place on Sunday, September 29th when the Cobb New Horizons Symphonic Band returns to the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater.
For more details on these events, go to woodstockga.gov/specialevents.