Vogel State Park’s 23rd Annual Christmas Program and Tree Lighting brought families, visitors and longtime friends of the park together on Saturday, Dec. 13, for a festive celebration set against the scenic backdrop of Lake Trahlyta.
The free community event began around 4 p.m. with tables and booths set up lakeside along the sidewalk leading to the main event area.
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As dusk settled over the mountains, hayrides carried bundled-up guests through the park while others stopped to warm their hands with hot chocolate and cider and fill their bellies with cookies.
Fire pits proved to be a hot spot, with guests and their furry friends mingling while roasting marshmallows for smores.
With help from the volunteer Friends of Vogel State Park, Lake Trahlyta Pavilion was transformed for the occasion, with a stage set beneath the Christmas tree. Rows of chairs faced the stage, and heat lamps took the edge off the lakeside chill as families settled in.
“This is one of those nights where you can feel how special this place is,” said one volunteer helping serve refreshments. “Events like this make you forget how cold you are!”
Music filled the air ahead of the program, with Knoxville-based country star Justin Terry returning by popular demand, joined by Michael and Ami Young and Mike and Cheri Young for an hour-long prelude of seasonal favorites.
The main program opened with prayer, reflecting the evening’s focus on celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ – the reason for the Christmas season.
Children were invited to the stage to sing several Christmas songs, drawing smiles and applause from the crowd, before attendees were asked to stand and join in familiar holiday carols.
“My favorite part was getting to sing on the stage,” one young participant said afterward. “I wasn’t nervous at all because I know all the words.”
A cherished tradition also returned, recognizing the youngest, oldest, and farthest-traveled attendees. Three-month-old Ophelia was named the youngest, 84-year-old Robert the oldest, and Caroline, visiting from Jupiter, Florida, was honored as having traveled the farthest. Each winner received a generous gift bag filled with holiday cheer.
The program continued with a reading of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” followed by a live manger scene featuring Mary, Joseph and two angels. The evening concluded with the lighting of the Christmas tree, drawing a collective moment of quiet and reflection before cheers filled the pavilion.
Local churches and organizations helped make the evening possible. Vertical Church provided hot apple cider, Pine Top Baptist served hot chocolate, Fellowship of the Hills supplied hundreds of homemade cookies, and Helen First Baptist Church hosted a craft booth where children made snowman ornaments to take home.
The Christian Motorcyclists Association handed out water, coffee and juice boxes, while The Gideons International staffed an informational booth. A toy drive was also held as part of the event to benefit the Union County Sheriff’s Give-A-Gift for Christmas Program.
For many, the night was about more than tradition – it was about connection.
“We’re staying in one of the cabins this weekend, and we had no idea this was happening,” a visiting family shared. “It’s been the highlight of our trip. Sitting by the lake, singing carols – it doesn’t get much better than this.”
Established in 1931, Vogel State Park is Georgia’s second oldest state park, nestled at the base of Blood Mountain at 2,500 feet above sea level and surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest.
On this December evening, the park once again lived up to its reputation as a place where natural beauty and community spirit come together, lighting the season with warmth, faith and tradition.
