Need Last Minute Gifts?

Christmas is almost here! Have you checked your list twice? In case you overlooked something or are having a hard time thinking of the perfect gift, here's a list for you.

Give the Gift of Alabama State Parks
Gift cards can be purcahsed at all state parks and be used to pay for Food, Golf, Lodging, Camping and Gift Shops!

Pedal! Pedal! Pedal! 
Wig's Wheels will rent bikes, sell bikes, and provide great bike accessories for you as you explore Ladiga, Coldwater and much more!

Tee Off
From Cane Creek to Cider Ridge or a Trail Card from Robert Trent Jones' Golf Trail at Silver Lakes, buy the golfer in your life a gift card for the pro-shop or green fees.

Explore History
For the hsitory buff or for the family, give the gift of Museum Membership.

Artistic Side
The Oxford Performing Arts Center, Knox Concert Series, CharACTers, and JSU have great seasons ahead. Check their calendars and buy tickets for family and friends, while supporting local arts.

Speedy Gonzales
For the race fan, check out the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame and Talladega Superspeedway!

For the Wine-O
From sweet wines to the Norton, White Oak features Southern Oak Wine Tastings and gifts.

For a list of more, including shops and restaurants, great for gifts, browse www.VisitCalhounCounty.com.

Holidays for the Whole Family

 "It's the Holiday Season... and Santa Claus is coming to town..."
What should you do to liven up the Christmas Break and explore our cities?

Go for a Hike
Alabama is blessed to have a mild winter, so getting outside is a great option. From the family friendly trails at Cheaha State Park, Coldwater Mountain, Henry Farm and the Museum, to the paved rail trail of Ladiga and the gem of the Pinhoti, there are options for day or weekend adventures!

Check Your Aim
Don't "shoot your eye out, kid," but test your skills with training and electronic competitions at the indoor Civilian Marksmanship Program Air Rifle Range.

A Day at the Museum Complex
Explore the wilds of Africa as if you were on safari and trace history from Hitler to Ancient Greece. The Anniston Museum of Natural History offers hands on activies for the kids to experience nature, and the Berman Museum of World History offer a facinating collection of weapons and artifacts  to see history face to face.

Lights, Camera, Action
Holiday classics may run on the TV at home, but there is nothing like experiencing them on the big screen, surrounded by other festive families, popcorn and concessions. The entire week of Christmas, Oxford Performing Arts Center is hosting a Christmas Film Festival for FREE!

Looking to explore more? Check out VisitCalhounCounty.com for a complete list of restaurants, hotels, and attractions.

Holiday in Lights

 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Here's some adventures to add to your lists over the holidays!

Christmas at Bubba's

Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian, Calhoun County is home to many beautiful mountainsides, including Dugger Mountain, especially over the holidays. This light display allows visitors to drive or walk around the property and purchase hot cocoa or coffee for the occassion. Sundays through Thursdays, they're open from dark until 9 P.M., and on the weekends, they're open from dark until 10 P.M. 

238 The Wagon Road, Piedmont, (256)282-1593

Angel Drive, Jacksonville 

Many houses in this neighborhood decorate for the holidays, but one house, just off Hwy 204, includes light shows, singing trees, vintage decorations and inflatables. From Thanksgiving night through Christmas, lights will gleam, and donations for local animal shelters will be accepted. 

Indian Oaks, Anniston

From Pawnee Drive to Pueblo Pass, houses are decked along a trail of lights!

Noble Street, Anniston

During the holidays, the old architecture paints a vintage-like scene as lights shine atop the buildings, streetlamps sparkle with lights and garland, and creative holiday displays glitter. 

Quintard Avenue, Anniston

On the Sixth to 18th Street blocks, the median glistens and twinkle with brightly decked holiday lights. 

Forest Lane, Anniston

Consider it a mini-tree decoration contest, as each house decks the halls and from yard with a shimmering miniature tree, and lit up arch of trees towering over the road. 

Greenbrier Dear Road, Anniston

From Holly Hill Lane to Edgefield Farms and Greenbier Chase, neighborhoods along Greenbrier Dear Road decorations range from Christmas Extravaganza to Classic Christmas, with lights and holiday scenes. 

Friendship Santa, Oxford 

From November 26 to December 23, Santa and his helpers will be serving cookies and hot cocoa as festive music plays and holiday photos with Santa are captured. You can't miss the 17 foot tall Rudolph and the forest of lights, from 5:30-8:30 each evening. 

5921 McIntosh Road, Oxford (256)835-0111

Brookside Lane, Oxford 

Tune into 89.5 FM and enjoy the light show dancing to the beat! 

I'll be Home for Christmas

Regardless of where you are from, Calhoun County has invigorating outdoors, amazing cultural sights, spellbinding events, mouth-watering food and Southern hospitality that makes any visitor feel at home, especially this holiday season!

Jacksonville Christmas Parade

Thursday, December 1, 6:30 P.M. 

Pelham Street (Hwy 21) 

The Best Christmas Musical Ever

Friday, December 2, & Saturday, December 3, at 7:30 P.M. 

Mason Hall at Jacksonville State University

Anniston Christmas Parade

Saturday, December 3, 11 :00 A.M. 

Noble Street

The Nutcracker Ballet

Sunday, December 4, 2:00 P.M. 

Anniston Performing Arts Center

Oxford Christmas Parade

Thursday, December 8, 6:00 P.M. 

Main Street

A Tuna Christmas

December 8, 9 & 10 at 7:30 P.M. and December 11, at 2:30 P.M. 

Buckner Event Plaza, Anniston

Candy Cane 5K Fun Run

Saturday, December  10, at 8:00 A.M. 

Anniston quatics and Fitness Center, McClellan

Homes for the Holidays

December 10, 10 A.M.-4:00 P.M. 

Anniston Museum of Natural History

Christmas on Ivory

December 10 at 7:00 P.M. & December 11 at 2:00 P.M. 

Oxford Performing Arts Center

Comfort & Joy with Jim Brickman

December 15, 7:00 P.M. 

Oxford Performing Arts Center

Christmas with the Voices of the South

December 16, 7:00 P.M. 

Oxford Performing Arts Center

Elf (movie) 

December 19, 7:00 P.M. 

Oxford Performing Arts Center

Christmas Vacation (movie)

December 20, 7:00 P.M. 

Oxford Performing Arts Center

It's a Wonderful Life (movie)

December 22, 7:00 P.M. 

Oxford Performing Arts Center

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (movie)

December 23, 7:00 P.M. 

Oxford Performing Arts Center

Guardian Angels

Once upon a time, Angie Shockley, Program Director for Anniston Parks and Recreation, wanted to show her mom all the lights she'd worked hard to display along Quintard Avenue in Anniston. To Angie's delight, her mom hopped in the car to see. To Angie's dismay, her mom was unimpressed with multi-colored lights. "Is this all there is? Turn around."
Years later, Angie honors her mother's love of clear lights as she and the parks and recreation staff begin to decorate Quintard each November. As you drive or walk along Quintard, you may notice the various multicolored scenes until you get to the block between 13th and 14th. There, clear Lights illuminate each tree, and a blue angel is seen centered on the grassy knoll of the median. The clear lights are in memory of Angie's mother and other Parks and Recreation staff family members who have passed away. The blue angel is symbolic for Police Officer Justin Sollohub, who was killed in the line of duty in Anniston on August 25th, 2011. The blue lights represent the blue line, as a memorial to Sollohub and in honor of his connection to those who continue serve today.
Stop by the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors to admire the work the Parks and Recreation Staff does each holiday season, reflect on your own holiday memories, and pause to remember.

"Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance — each beautiful, unique..." ~Deborah Whipp

There's no place like home!

"Forever on Thanksgiving Day The heart will find the pathway home." ~Wilbur D. Nesbit

As folks trek to Anniston and Calhoun County for the holidays, several downtown venues are celebrating a downtown tradition with Pre-Thanksgiving plans and activities.

On Thanksgiving Eve, Peerless is hosting their annual Homecoming at the Grille, from 10:00 A.M. until close. They also feature The Stonerollers beginning at 9:00 P.M., with no cover charge from 7:00 P.M. until close.

The Peerless Saloon & Grille
13 W 10th Street, Anniston, Alabama
(256) 238-1899

Cheaha Brewing is hosting a Pre-Thanksgiving Jam Night, with Jammin' Guests Robby Jordan, Marc Womack, Jonn Medders, Jody Wood, Bran Strickland, Maggie Beam, Brandon Kent, Danni Ri, Jake & Summer and more local faves! So join them, Wednesday, November 23, from 7:30 P.M. until 2:00 A.M. for family, friends and fun!

Cheaha Brewing Company
1208 Walnut Avenue, Anniston, Alabama
(256)770-7300

Make yourself at home and enjoy these local holiday traditions!

Find Solitude

Never be afraid to sit awhile and think. ~Lorraine Hansberry

People find solace one hundred different ways. Some find solitude escaping the noise of reality, and some find it in distracts from the outside world. Whatever way you find solitude, Calhoun County and surrounding areas may be a good fit for you. 

Coldwater Mountain Bike Trails

Coldwater's Bike Trails sometimes require razor sharp focus. Whether you're dodging a tree, navigating loose rocks and sand or grinding uphill, Coldwater requires you to be in the moment, focused on your immediate surroundings, not work, not home or not even the latest news, but present every inch of the way. You can escape for a mile or two or spend the entire day exploring the mountain, so the amount of solitude time is up to you. 

Chief Ladiga Trail

If you are looking for a spot to rest, a spot to break or read long the way, but also enjoy the rush of 18+ miles per hour on a bicycle, Ladiga is the spot for you. Ladiga has several private picturesque spots along its 33 miles of paved, mostly flat, rail trail. It's mostly quiet, with an occasional intersection that requires you pause and be brought back to fast paced reality of highways and traveled car roads. Mostly, it's a calm solace space, surrounded by shading trees and wildlife, vast fields and rolling mountainsides, with the occasional home or small town. 

Chimney Peak 

The best time to enjoy this Chimney Peak is sunset. Facing West, this spot offers the best view of a quaint small town Alabama, Jacksonville, the gem of the hills, the Talladega National Forest, and Alabama farmland. If it's ever partly cloudy, the sunset paints the evening sky shades of purple, peach, blue and gold. Stand in awe and solitude at this lightly used Mountain Street or admire the starry sky at night in the peace and quiet. 

Pinhoti Trail

This recreation hiking trail connects the Talladega National Forest to the Appalachian Trail in North Georgia. Along the way, shelters have been erected to provide weary hikers a place to rest without work or work to construct a tent. Most of the trail travels away from busy highways and noisy cities, to allow the solace of hoot owls, coyotes howls, and cricket chirps to fill one's mind. Very little cellphone service along the mountain ridges provides a solitude not often found in today's world. 

Cheaha State Park- Pulpit Rock

Cheaha has several great trails, including the Bald Rock overlook with a boardwalk to the cliffs edge; however, if you are seeking quiet and solitude, the Pulpit Rock Trail provides about a half mile rolling hike to a cliffs edge overlooking Cheaha Lake and the Talladega National Forest. This peaceful undisturbed view provides a nice walk and solace from noisy kids and traffic.