THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — Local businesses in downtown Thomasville created a new, re-imagined Victorian Christmas to keep the event going.
Merchants were told in September the event would be canceled because of the pandemic.
That's is when local business owners Rhonda Foster, Renee Moss, and Heather Abbott came together to figure out a plan.
"As merchants, that wasn't good for any of us," said Rhonda Foster, the owner of Liam's Restaurant. "We had just gone the 10 weeks of being closed for COVID, and we were only able to do to-go, so we thought there was a better way to re-imagine it."
After meeting with 46 other local business owners, the group created the Downtown Merchant Alliance of Thomasville.
"We really need a voice as a group," said Renee Moss, the co-owner of Farmer's Daughter. "The main street association serves a purpose, but its purpose is to serve the city as a whole, and they help us a lot, but we didn't really have a unified way of getting our different business owners together."
This year, Victorian Christmas will have sanitizing stations, limited capacity, masks, and social distancing, but with the same holiday spirit.
"I want people to know there is still a sense of normalcy in downtown Thomasville," said Heather Abbott, who co-owns South Life Supply Company. "People can come see the lights, go through the stores, and still enjoy things they've previously been able to enjoy in other Christmas season."
The event starts Saturday, December 5, and runs until the weekend before Christmas.
Here is a full list of events:
