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Event 

Title:
31st Annual Rutledge Christmas Open House "Christmas in the Country"
When:
Nov. 19, 2010 - Nov. 21, 2010 
Category:
Community Events

Description

31st Annual 

RUTLEDGE CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE 

"CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY" 

It's beginning to look a lot like "Christmas in the Country" as the quaint town of Rutledge prepares for its 31st annual Christmas Open House November 19th – 21st,  2010. Celebrating 31 years of Christmas in the Country!

Participants in and around Rutledge are trimming their trees and decorating their shops with lovely old-fashioned decorations. They look beautiful against the backdrop of the restored 1890s buildings filled with artists and craftsmen, antiques and gifts.

Downtown participants include Barn Raising Antiques, celebrating its 31st year of business in Rutledge with a unique selection of antiques, primitives and collectibles. As always the shop will be filled with many beautiful fully decorated Christmas trees, Christmas gifts and ornaments. Ornaments personalized free! Look for our "snow tree" a decorated Christmas tree with snow falling gently on its branches. Jerry Morrow who grew up in Social Circle Georgia will be around on Saturday and Sunday for a signing of his book titled,  "A Yankee in Social Circle".

Next door to Barn Raising Antiques, check out the "Old Rutledge Mercantile" general gift store. Last year, owner Kris Bray of "Yesterday's Café" expanded and moved Yesterday's Café into a larger space next door to its former location. The new dining area is now in front of the café's "Polly Rutledge" room which is joined to the new larger dining area up front.  Kris filled the former dining space next door with old fashioned, kitchen themed gifts and collectibles making the "Old Rutledge Mercantile" a fun place to shop in Rutledge.

Don't miss the newest addition to Rutledge shops this year, Crossroad's Antiques located next door to Yesterday's Café. Owned by Marty and Kelly McClure and Andy and Selene McClure, Crossroads Antiques offers an eclectic selection of antiques, advertising, collectibles and signed sports memorabilia.

Yesterday's Café serves delicious meals from breakfast through lunch and will be open their regular hours throughout the weekend. Dinner will be served on Friday and Saturday evenings. Have a slice of old fashioned "Buttermilk Pie" which helped the café be chosen by viewers of Good Morning America as one of the five best small town restaurants in America!

The "Caboose" offers homemade soups, sandwiches, candy and ice cream all day and into the evening hours. See Molly Lesnikowski at the Red Doors Studio next door for a nice selection of hand painted floor cloths, place mats and Folk Art.

Again this year, Molly will host an Artisan Market in the Red Doors Studio. Starting Friday Nov. 19th and running through Christmas, Molly will represent several local artisans offering a wide variety of unique gift ideas for your shopping pleasure.

While in town, visit the Rutledge Frame Shop now under new ownership. Joan and Pete Ekstrom have done wonders with the place and are there for all your custom picture framing needs.

Rockland Florist in Rutledge is ready to serve all your floral needs. In addition, they will have many beautiful Christmas arrangements, decorations, ornaments and gifts for you to choose from.

Rutledge Hardware Co. in continuous operation since the late 1800s is here to fill all your hardware needs and is really something to see with its original fixtures, displays, even some of its original inventory displayed in the old glass counters that line the store front. Be sure to say hello to "Mary Jane" our most famous resident when you stop by the hardware store but please do not tell her she is a cat! This year "Mary Jane" secured a diva spot showing up on screen all by herself in the opening scenes of the movie Good Intentions with Leann Rimes, Luke Perry and Elaine Hendrix http://www.goodintentionsmovie.com/ released March of 2010. Copies of this movie can be purchased for a special "local price" of just $15 next door at Barn Raising Antiques.

Dr. Michael D. Hughes, D.C. has added crafts and Christmas decorations to his "Back To Wellness" retail shop and studio.  He will host up to ten different craftsmen with home made goodies inside his studio on Saturday. Dr. Hughes also owns and operates his "Back To Wellness" Clinic next door to the studio in downtown Rutledge at . Dr. Hughes and his staff offer a variety of services such as Chiropractic Care, licensed massage therapists and nutritional counseling. In the same building you will find other services that include Yoga, Pilates and Martial Arts for all ages.

In addition to the downtown shops and restaurants, there will be entertainment, antiques, artists and crafters in the city park with booths filled with everything ranging from antiques to hand-made crafts and art. Contact Joan Ekstrom at Rutledge Frame Shop for craft booth rental info 706-557-0425.

Look for the North Pole at City Hall (the old depot bldg. right next to the RR tracts) where you will find Santa and Mrs. Claus. A photographer will be on duty if you wish to have your picture made with Santa. Pets welcome as well. Santa hours are Saturday 9 am – 4 pm and Sunday 12 noon – 4 pm.

Just outside of town, our Outlying Participants will include Shades of Country by Mary Sue Alexander at , Rutledge. Signs from downtown will lead you on to Mary Sue Alexander's home. Always a favorite, she plays host to you in her wonderful house of handmade crafts, Shades of Country. Mary Sue is a crafter who will open her home on this very special weekend to showcase and sell the handmade gifts she and her crafter friends have been preparing for the season.

Dina and Pierre Glardon's Rutledge Inn Bed and Breakfast is located at if you are looking for a great place to stay.

As always many of the downtown shops along with Shades of Country will be serving holiday refreshments for your delight. On Saturday and Sunday Gentle Giant Carriage Co. will have a horse and carriage available next to the city park for hire to take old fashioned carriage rides through the downtown area.

Come and join in Rutledge's celebration of the holidays with their delightful "CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY" Open House, the perfect way to kick off this season and get into the Holiday Spirit!

 

There is no admission fee to this event and Parking is FREE.

 

 

Hours are Friday Nov. 19th 10am-5pm, Saturday Nov. 20th 10am-5pm and Sunday Nov. 21st 12 noon-5pm.

 

 

For more information on the event contact Pam Jones between 11am and 6pm Tues-Sat at (706) 557-2956. For craft/antique booth rental info contact Joan Ekstrom at Rutledge Frame Shop 706-557-0425.