For years, Vinings Jubilee's holiday calendar was mostly one evening: the tree lighting at the Clocktower. This December it runs ten days. The lighting comes first, Chabad of Smyrna's Chanukah Festival follows three nights later, and on Saturday, Dec. 12, the center holds its first Holiday Market.
The lighting and the Chanukah festival are evening gatherings with performances. The market is an afternoon event, and the center describes it as shopping, with a stop at Jubilee's own stores and restaurants built into the afternoon. Put that next to Cotto Modern Italian, which opened in Jubilee in September, and the result is a December built to keep people at 4300 Paces Ferry Road past the moment the lights come on.
The Ten Days at a Glance
All three events take place around the Clocktower at Vinings Jubilee, 4300 Paces Ferry Road.
| Date | Event | Time | What's there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Dec. 3 | Annual Christmas Tree Lighting | 6 to 8 p.m. | Tree lighting, Santa, kids' train ride, ornament making, face painting, live performances |
| Sunday, Dec. 6 | Chanukah Festival and Menorah Lighting with Chabad of Smyrna | From 5:30 p.m. | Menorah lighting, fire show, crafts, face painting, seasonal treats; RSVP encouraged |
| Saturday, Dec. 12 | Inaugural Vinings Jubilee Holiday Market | 1 to 4 p.m. | Local makers, live jazz, refreshments, Santa from 1 to 3 p.m., wreath workshop |
Secret Atlanta's Nov. 2 roundup puts the tree lighting on Thursday, Dec. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. Check the center's events page before you head out, since holiday schedules can shift close to the date.
The Night That Starts It
The lighting is the event most people already know, and its lineup shows how local it is. Performers include Whitefield Jazz Academy, Piccadilly Puppets, the Campbell Middle School Chorus, the Griffin Middle School Choir, Lady V and the Candy Canes, and the Tinseltown Carolers. Families also get Santa, a train ride for kids, an ornament station, face painting and balloons.
Three nights later the Clocktower hosts the Festival of Lights with Chabad of Smyrna. The center's listing promises a menorah lighting, "a dazzling fire show," hands-on Chanukah crafts, face painting, seasonal treats and refreshments. Everyone is welcome, and Chabad asks guests to RSVP in advance through its festival registration page.
Both are evening events built around performances and a lighting, and both start after dark.
A Saturday Afternoon Built Around the Stores
The Holiday Market runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. Entry is free and all ages are welcome. It's the only one of the three events in daylight and the only one organized around buying things. Jubilee's description reads, "Find a thoughtful gift, enjoy live jazz and spend a festive afternoon," and it closes with, "Make an afternoon of it with a stop at your favorite Jubilee shops and restaurants."
The schedule inside those three hours matters:
- Santa is there from 1 to 3 p.m., not for the whole market. Families going for photos should plan on the first two hours.
- Bloom & Branch runs a mini-wreath decorating workshop for $50 per person, materials included. You can register ahead through the link on the Jubilee events page, and onsite spots are offered while supplies last.
- Local makers set up around the Clocktower, with live jazz and seasonal refreshments during the afternoon.
The market ends at 4 p.m. That's early enough for a late lunch beforehand or an early dinner afterward without leaving the center, and that's where the newest restaurant in Jubilee comes in.
The Restaurant That Opened in Time for It
Cotto Modern Italian opened on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 2850 Paces Ferry Road SE, in the space that used to be Stockyard Burgers & Bones. The restaurant comes from Fork U Concepts, which Business Debut describes as led by Alexis and Scott Kinsey. Fork U also owns Stockyard, along with Taqueria Tsunami, Forno Vero, Silla Del Toro and Southern Prospect, according to Business Debut. In other words, the group swapped one of its own concepts for another at this address.
The Marietta Daily Journal reported Alexis Kinsey's explanation: after Cotto took off in Gainesville, the group saw a strong market for the concept in Vinings and Atlanta. Scott Kinsey described the food as traditional Italian classics with a modern twist that stay true to how they're served in Italy. The paper lists scratch-made food, handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, antipasti and desserts, and singles out a burrata served with a balsamic pearl instead of a drizzle. The brunch menu adds Italian-style French toast, Cotto Carbonara, pappardelle ragù and a breakfast pizza.
Cotto's hours line up with all three December events. The center's directory lists Monday through Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. In practice, that means:
- Thursday, Dec. 3: the dining room opens at 4 p.m., so you can eat before the 6 p.m. lighting or after it, as long as you're seated by 9.
- Sunday, Dec. 6: the weekend hours run noon to 10 p.m., which leaves plenty of time for dinner after the 5:30 p.m. Chanukah festival.
- Saturday, Dec. 12: Cotto opens at noon, an hour before the market, and stays open six hours past its 4 p.m. close.
Before December Arrives
Jubilee's tenants are already running seasonal programs this month. Southern Baked Pie Company has a November lineup of seasonal pies through Nov. 30, which is handy for anyone in charge of Thanksgiving dessert. bartaco's High Tide Happy Happy runs Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. through Nov. 30, with small bites, drinks, 2-for-1 mocktails and new items such as Salt + Vinegar Taro Chips, Korean Deviled Eggs and Blistered Shishitos.
Just outside Jubilee, Paris Baguette Vinings at 4687 South Atlanta Road SE celebrated its grand opening with a fall festival on Oct. 24, as the Marietta Daily Journal reported.
The tree lighting falls on the first Thursday of December, and the Holiday Market comes nine days after it. For the first time, the Saturday that closes out Jubilee's holiday events is spent browsing stalls around the Clocktower, with a new Italian dining room a short walk from the jazz.
If you're thinking about what life near Paces Ferry Road looks like through the seasons, and how weekends like this one fit into it, Sara Harper is happy to talk through Vinings with you, from the Clocktower to the streets around it. Let's Connect.
