In 1987, Ronald Reagan was President; Victoria Chastain held office as Marietta’s first woman mayor and the Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour made its debut. This much-honored event will unveil its 20th Edition, December 2-3, 2006. This year the Tour will spotlight six private historic homes in the Church-Cherokee National Register Historic District, all lovingly restored, filled with antique collections and decorated for the season. Along the route, many of Marietta’s heritage public buildings are decorated and open for touring. The Marietta Welcome Center & Visitors Bureau and Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society organize the tour each year.

The Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour offers day tours and a candlelight tour on Saturday evening. The Day Tour hours are: Saturday, December 2, 9am-5pm and Sunday, December 3, 10am-6pm. The Candlelight Tour features three of the tour homes and is Saturday evening, 7pm-9:30pm. Tour goers learn about the antiques, private collections and interesting features from docents in each home. Each tour attendee will receive a Tour Program filled with information on the houses, map of the route and shuttle schedule. The program is available at the Marietta Welcome Center and Cobb Landmarks during the week prior to the tour. The day tours offer shuttle service staffed with informative step-on guides.

To purchase your ticket, you can either print the ticket order form and mail it in with a check or purchase it online. All advance ticket purchases will be held at “will call” at the Marietta Welcome Center. You can also purchase your ticket in person at the Marietta Welcome Center, 4 Depot Street or Cobb Landmarks, 145 Denmead Street. Advance ticket sales end on December 1. After that, all tickets will be at the Day of Tour rate.

When you arrive for the tour, parking is available at the free lots off Mill Street and at the Cobb County Parking Deck on Cherokee Street. There is street parking available also, but it fills up quickly. If you need to purchase or pick up your ticket, come into the Marietta Welcome Center in the old train Depot on the railroad tracks at Mill Street. If you already have you tickets, you can board the bus directly. The shuttle bus picks up at Mill Street & the Railroad tracks. We have several buses, which make a continuous circuit along the tour route picking up at the designated stops. The shuttles usually run every 15-20 minutes. The tour is very walkable also. There is no shuttle bus service during the candlelight tour, but we will give you a map, which notes convenient parking to the Candlelight Tour houses.

There will be special activities occurring during the weekend of the Tour. The Merry Olde Marietta Tearoom, located in the historic Marlow House, c. 1887, 192 Church Street, gives guests an opportunity to warm up and enjoy refreshments during the Tour. It is conveniently positioned along the tour route. On Saturday, December 2, there will be Caroling Concerts in Glover Park to celebrate the opening of Santa’s Workshop.

If you have further questions, please contact the Marietta Welcome Center & Visitors Bureau, 770-429-1115 or Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society, 770-426-4982.

SCHEDULE & PRICING

DAY TOURS (shuttle bus provided) Saturday: 9am-6pm Sunday: 10am-6pm $15 in advance; $20 at the door CANDLELIGHT TOUR (3 homes open, only) Saturday: 7pm-9:30pm $12 in advance: $15 at the door COMBINATION TICKET (tour 3 houses at day & 3 at night) $20 in advance: $25 at door

GROUP RATES (Good for groups of 15 or more. Must be purchased by November 27 with one payment) Day Tour: $12 Candlelight Tour: $10 Combination Tour: $15 Checks should be made payable to The Marietta Pilgrimage and mailed to: Marietta Pilgrimage 4 Depot Street Marietta, GA 30060