🧭 Hundred-Mile Happenings: Spend A Night Before Christmas in Guntersville, Hunt Iceland's Yule Lads in Murfreesboro, Hear "Illuminare" in Huntsville, Share a Candlelit Moravian Love Feast in Chattanooga, Watch a Christmas Horse Parade in Cartersville and Hear Carols by Candlelight at Stovehouse

Or: Six Calm, Cozy December Outings, From 13 Mischievous Icelandic Elves to Horses in Christmas Ribbons, Plus One Thing to Remember: Saturday, Dec. 5, Is the Big Day

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Saturday, November 14, 2026

Good morning, neighbor. Here are six outings we haven’t told you about before, and most of them are the quiet, cozy kind. Saturday, Dec. 5, is packed: downtown Guntersville throws a free A Night Before Christmas with carriage rides and a live nativity; the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro sends kids hunting for Iceland’s 13 Yule Lads for just $5; and the Huntsville Master Chorale sings “Illuminare” that evening (and again Sunday afternoon). On Sunday, Dec. 6, the closest one to home, Chattanooga’s 48th annual Moravian Love Feast, fills a church with candlelight and carols. On Saturday, Dec. 12, horses in holiday finery parade around a racetrack at the Horse Hound and Hunt Christmas Holiday Festival in Cartersville, Ga. And on Sunday, Dec. 20, a string quartet plays carols by candlelight at Huntsville’s Stovehouse. What it means for you: two are free, two cost $5–$10 (kids free at the horse festival), and you can pick one close-to-home evening or one big day trip.

⏱️ Your 30-second trip list

• Sat., Dec. 5, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Central (kids’ fun 3–7): A Night Before Christmas, Gunter Avenue, downtown Guntersville, Ala. Free.
• Sat., Dec. 5, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Central: Holiday Open House & Yule Lads hunt, Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, Murfreesboro. $5 per person.
• Sat., Dec. 5, 5:30 p.m. or Sun., Dec. 6, 3 p.m. Central: Illuminare, Huntsville Master Chorale, Huntsville. Listed as free.
• Sun., Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m. Eastern (4:30 our time): 48th Annual Moravian Love Feast, First Christian Church, Chattanooga. Cost: check before you go.
• Sat., Dec. 12, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Eastern (10–3 our time), parade at 1 p.m. Eastern (noon our time): Christmas Holiday Festival, Horse Hound and Hunt, Cartersville, Ga. $10; kids 12 and under free.
• Sun., Dec. 20, Central: Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings, The Royal at Stovehouse, Huntsville. Ticketed; check before you go.

📝 The one thing to remember: Saturday, Dec. 5, is the big day, and Chattanooga and Cartersville are an hour ahead of us. On Dec. 5 you could do Guntersville in the afternoon and Huntsville’s 5:30 concert that evening, since they’re about 40 minutes apart. The Love Feast’s 5:30 p.m. start in Chattanooga is 4:30 on your kitchen clock, and the Cartersville horse parade at 1 p.m. there is noon here.

🎠 Spend A Night Before Christmas in Downtown Guntersville

Guntersville sits right on the lake, and on the first Saturday in December, its main street, Gunter Avenue, turns into one big small-town Christmas party. Local merchants set up a market all day, and from mid-afternoon there are free children’s activities: Santa photos, train and carriage rides, cookie decorating, hot cocoa, live entertainment and a live nativity. It’s the kind of evening where you stroll, sip and let the kids lead the way.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Saturday, Dec. 5. Merchant market 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; free kids’ activities 3–7 p.m. Central, our time.
• Where: Gunter Avenue, downtown Guntersville, Ala.
• How far: About 95 miles, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes by way of Jasper and Scottsboro. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Free. Bring money for the shops and any food.
• Who’ll love it: Young families, grandparents with grandkids in tow and anyone who misses a real hometown Christmas street.
• Good to know: The free kids’ fun starts at 3 p.m., so there’s no need to leave Dunlap at dawn. Parking spots and exact stop locations aren’t posted, so check before you go.

👉 Read more (Marshall County Tourism — A Night Before Christmas)

🧝 Hunt for Iceland’s 13 Yule Lads at Murfreesboro’s Discovery Center

In Iceland, Santa has competition: the Yule Lads, 13 mischievous little fellows from old folk tales who come to town one by one before Christmas, each with his own bad habit, like slamming doors or licking spoons. For one Saturday, the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring hides them all over the museum for a museum-wide hunt. Kids can also help decorate a giant gingerbread house, learn how families in other countries celebrate winter, and see Santa when he stops by.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Central, our time.
• Where: Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, 502 SE Broad St., Murfreesboro, Tenn.
• How far: About 90 miles, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes by way of McMinnville. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: $5 per person for this event. Everyone gets 15% off in the gift shop.
• Who’ll love it: Curious kids ages roughly 3 to 10, and the grown-ups who’ll secretly enjoy finding the Yule Lads too.
• Good to know: Santa’s visit time isn’t posted, so call 615-890-2300 if seeing him is the main goal.

👉 Read more (Discovery Center — Holiday Open House)

🕯️ Hear the Huntsville Master Chorale Sing “Illuminare”

If your idea of Christmas is a choir filling a big church with sound, mark this one. The Huntsville Master Chorale is giving two Christmas concerts built around movements of “Illuminare” by composer Elaine Hagenberg, along with other choral songs about light, hope and joy. It’s a peaceful hour or so to sit, listen and let the busy season slow down.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Saturday, Dec. 5, 5:30–7 p.m., or Sunday, Dec. 6, 3 p.m. Central, our time.
• Where: Saturday at First Presbyterian Church of Huntsville, 307 Gates Ave. SE; Sunday at Monte Sano Methodist Church, Huntsville.
• How far: About 100 miles, roughly 2 hours. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Listed as free by Hville Blast; the chorale’s own page doesn’t mention a price, so check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Church-choir folks, music lovers and anyone who wants a quiet Christmas evening.
• Good to know: Saturday’s concert pairs nicely with Guntersville’s afternoon fun, about 40 minutes away. Free concerts can fill up, so arrive early.

👉 Read more (Huntsville Master Chorale — Illuminare)

🍞 Share a Candlelit Moravian Love Feast in Chattanooga

This is the closest outing to home, and one of the oldest traditions in this whole roundup. A Love Feast comes from the Moravian church, which goes back centuries: a simple, warm service of carols, music, a shared simple meal and candlelight. First Christian Church on McCallie Avenue has hosted it for 48 years, and it’s open to everyone. They describe it as a “calm, cozy” way to start the season, with an instrumental ensemble and special musicians.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sunday, Dec. 6, 5:30–7 p.m. Eastern (4:30–6 p.m. our time).
• Where: First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 650 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, Tenn.
• How far: About 38 miles, roughly 50 minutes over the mountain. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Reserved through Eventbrite; the price isn’t shown, so check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Anyone who loves carols by candlelight, and families looking for a peaceful Sunday-evening tradition.
• Good to know: Plan for about an hour and a half. Remember the time change: leave Dunlap by about 3:30 p.m. our time.

👉 Read more (Eventbrite — 48th Annual Love Feast in the Moravian Tradition)

🐎 Watch Horses Parade in Christmas Finery in Cartersville

Here’s something you don’t see every December: a Christmas horse parade around a racetrack. The Horse Hound and Hunt club, about a mile from downtown Cartersville, Ga., holds a Christmas Holiday Festival with the parade at its heart, plus photos with Santa, vendors and food trucks. It’s a horse-country tradition with a holiday bow on it.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Saturday, Dec. 12, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m.–3 p.m. our time). The parade is at 1 p.m. Eastern (noon our time).
• Where: Horse Hound and Hunt, 108 Old Mill Road, Cartersville, Ga.
• How far: About 115 miles, roughly 2 hours down I-75. A bit past our usual hundred miles, but worth it for horse lovers. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: $10 per person. Children 12 and under are free.
• Who’ll love it: Horse-crazy kids, folks who grew up around farms and anyone who’d rather see a pony in a wreath than a float.
• Good to know: Leave the dog at home: no dogs without prior approval. Questions? Call 404-918-7700.

👉 Read more (Horse Hound and Hunt — Christmas Holiday Festival)

🎻 Hear Christmas Carols by Candlelight at Stovehouse

Picture a room glowing with candles and a string quartet playing the carols you’ve known all your life: “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” “Carol of the Bells,” “Joy to the World” and a dozen more. That’s Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings, coming to The Royal event hall at Huntsville’s Stovehouse the Sunday before Christmas. It runs about an hour, just right for winding down a busy week.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sunday, Dec. 20, Central, our time. Listings show showings at about 4:45, 6:45 and 8:45 p.m.; check before you go.
• Where: The Royal at Stovehouse, 3414 Governors Dr. SW, Huntsville, Ala.
• How far: About 105 miles, roughly 2 hours 10 minutes. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Ticketed. Show listings mention prices starting around $38, but buy from the official Fever/Candlelight page and check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Couples, music lovers and grown children taking Mom or Dad out for a special Christmas evening.
• Good to know: Ages 8 and up; anyone under 16 needs an adult. Doors open 45 minutes early and late entry isn’t allowed, so give yourself extra time.

👉 Read more (Huntsville Theater guide — Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings)

✅ Your Trip-Planning Checklist

• ✅ Clock check: Chattanooga and Cartersville are on Eastern time (5:30 p.m. there = 4:30 p.m. here). Guntersville, Murfreesboro and Huntsville are Central, same as us.
• ✅ Sat., Dec. 5: Pick one: Guntersville’s free Night Before Christmas (kids’ fun 3–7), the $5 Yule Lads hunt in Murfreesboro (10–5), or pair Guntersville with Illuminare in Huntsville at 5:30.
• ✅ Sun., Dec. 6: Illuminare at 3 p.m. in Huntsville, or the Moravian Love Feast in Chattanooga at 4:30 our time.
• ✅ Sat., Dec. 12: Cartersville horse parade at noon our time. $10 adults, kids 12 and under free. No dogs.
• ✅ Sun., Dec. 20: Candlelight carols at Stovehouse. Buy tickets ahead; no late entry.
• ✅ Dress warm and bring a little cash for cocoa, vendors and parking.
• ✅ Fill up before you go. Need gas, a tire check or a good breakfast spot on the way? Look on Dunlap.Directory.

— Dunlap.Today

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these is closest to Dunlap?

The Moravian Love Feast at First Christian Church in Chattanooga, about 50 minutes away.

Which ones are free?

Guntersville’s A Night Before Christmas is free, and Illuminare is listed as free. Kids 12 and under get into the Cartersville horse festival free.

What in the world is a Yule Lad?

In Icelandic folklore, the Yule Lads are 13 playful troublemakers who visit, one a night, in the days before Christmas. The Discovery Center hides them around the museum for kids to find.

What is a Love Feast?

It’s a simple Christmas service from the Moravian tradition, with carols, music, candlelight and a shared simple meal. You don’t need to belong to the church to attend.

Can I do two of these on Dec. 5?

Yes. Enjoy Guntersville’s kids’ activities in the afternoon, then drive about 40 minutes to Huntsville for the 5:30 p.m. Illuminare concert.

Why do some times look an hour off?

Chattanooga and Cartersville are on Eastern time. Subtract one hour to get Dunlap’s Central time.

🔗 Other Resources

• Marshall County Tourism — A Night Before Christmas
• Discovery Center at Murfree Spring — Holiday Open House
• Huntsville Master Chorale — Illuminare
• Hville Blast — Christmas in the Rocket City
• Eventbrite — 48th Annual Love Feast
• Horse Hound and Hunt — Christmas Holiday Festival
• Huntsville Theater guide — Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
• Dunlap.Directory — local businesses and services

🌅 Take It Easy, and Pick the One That Fits

You don’t need to do all six. If you want something close and calm, head to Chattanooga on Sunday, Dec. 6, for the candlelit Love Feast. If you’ve got grandkids, make Saturday, Dec. 5, your day: Yule Lads in Murfreesboro or carriage rides in Guntersville. Horse lovers, save Dec. 12 for Cartersville, and music lovers, treat yourself to carols by candlelight on Dec. 20. Jot down three things: Chattanooga and Cartersville are an hour ahead; Dec. 5 is the big day; and call before you go for anything we flagged. For more calm, useful news from right here at home, keep reading Dunlap.Today and find local help on Dunlap.Directory.