🧭 Hundred-Mile Happenings: Feast With a Royal Court on Signal Mountain, Hear Barbershop Carols and Meet Santa's "Rein-Goats" Near Cookeville, Catch a Live Nativity and Trick Riders on a Ringgold Farm, and See a Pigeon Forge-Style Christmas Show

Or: Seven New December Outings, From a Renaissance Madrigal Dinner to a Christmas Choir Concert, Plus One Thing to Remember: Signal Mountain and Ringgold Run an Hour Ahead of Us

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Sunday, November 15, 2026

Good morning, neighbor. Here are seven outings we haven’t told you about before, and several of them don’t list any cost at all. On Thursday, Dec. 3, the Plateau Chordsmen sing Christmas songs in barbershop harmony, with cocoa, at the Algood library. On Friday, Dec. 4, Signal Mountain’s Mountain Madrigal Feast seats you at a holiday dinner with a King, a Queen and their Royal Court. The next evening, Saturday, Dec. 5, Wayside Presbyterian holds its 10th annual Christmas on the Mountain concert. On Thursday, Dec. 10, Santa visits the Baxter library and brings his “rein-goats.” On Saturday, Dec. 12, Christmas at the Farm in Ringgold has a live nativity, a petting zoo, a bonfire and trick riders on horseback. On Sunday, Dec. 13, the Mastersingers choir sings “Behold A Star” at Tennessee Tech. And from Dec. 17 to 23, the North Georgia Holiday Spectacular brings a big song-and-dance Christmas show to Ringgold. What it means for you: the Signal Mountain and Ringgold events run on Eastern time, the Cookeville-area events run on our Central time, and three of them sell tickets ahead.

⏱️ Your 30-second trip list

• Thu., Dec. 3, 3:30–4:30 p.m. Central: Barbershop Holiday Concert with the Plateau Chordsmen, Algood Branch Library. Cost not listed; check before you go.
• Fri., Dec. 4, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Eastern (5:30–7:30 our time): A Mountain Madrigal Feast, Signal Crest United Methodist Church, Signal Mountain. Tickets $25–$110; buy ahead.
• Sat., Dec. 5, 6 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. our time): Christmas on the Mountain Concert, Wayside Presbyterian Church, Signal Mountain. Cost not listed; check before you go.
• Thu., Dec. 10, 3–5 p.m. Central: Santa and his rein-goats, Baxter Branch Library. Cost not listed; check before you go.
• Sat., Dec. 12, 5–8 p.m. Eastern (4–7 our time): Christmas at the Farm, Willow Tree Farms, Ringgold, Ga. Billed as free.
• Sun., Dec. 13, 3 p.m. Central: Mastersingers: Behold A Star, Tennessee Tech, Cookeville. $15 adults, $5 kids and students.
• Dec. 17–23, 3 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. Eastern: North Georgia Holiday Spectacular, The Colonnade Theatre, Ringgold, Ga. Ticket prices change; buy early.

📝 The one thing to remember: Signal Mountain and Ringgold are an hour ahead of us; the Cookeville area is not. A 6 p.m. concert on Signal Mountain is 5 p.m. on your kitchen clock. The Algood, Baxter and Tennessee Tech events are already on our Central time, so no math needed.

👑 Dine With a King, a Queen and Their Royal Court at Signal Mountain’s Madrigal Feast

Here’s a Christmas dinner you won’t forget. The theater parents at Signal Mountain Middle High School put on A Mountain Madrigal Feast every year, and it’s a Signal Mountain holiday tradition. You’ll “step back in time” to a Renaissance holiday feast, and while you eat, the King and Queen and their Royal Court welcome the Christmas season with stories, songs, live instrumental music and dancing. The students do the performing, and you get a good meal and a show at the same table.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Friday, Dec. 4, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Eastern (5:30–7:30 p.m. our time).
• Where: Signal Crest United Methodist Church, 1005 Ridgeway Ave., Signal Mountain, Tenn.
• How far: About 30 miles, roughly 45 minutes down U.S. 127 over Walden’s Ridge. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Tickets run $25 to $110 (the listing doesn’t say what each price covers, so check before you buy). Ticket sales close Dec. 4, and seats are limited.
• Who’ll love it: Couples looking for a date night, grandparents who want to cheer on young performers, and anyone who loves old-fashioned carols.
• Good to know: Dress is “holiday dressy casual.” Your ticket holds a spot at a table, not a certain chair, so seats at your table are first come, first served.

👉 Read more (SMMHS Theatre Arts Boosters — A Mountain Madrigal Feast 2026)

🎶 Hear the 10th Annual Christmas on the Mountain Concert in a Brand-New Sanctuary

If you’re heading up Signal Mountain that weekend anyway, stay for Saturday night. Wayside Presbyterian Church is holding its 10th annual Christmas on the Mountain concert, and it’s the first one in the church’s new sanctuary. It’s a simple evening: sit back and let Christmas music fill a brand-new room.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Saturday, Dec. 5. The church lists it at 6 p.m. (Eastern, so 5 p.m. our time), with doors opening at 6 p.m. A separate community listing shows a noon start, so check the time before you go.
• Where: Wayside Presbyterian Church, 2502 Fairmount Pike, Signal Mountain, Tenn.
• How far: About 30 miles, roughly 45 minutes. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Not listed; check before you go. Call the church office at 423-886-1181.
• Who’ll love it: Church choir fans, folks who love the old carols, and anyone who wants a quiet, peaceful December evening.
• Good to know: The drive home comes down the mountain after dark, so take it slow on the curves.

👉 Read more (Wayside Presbyterian Church — Announcements)

🐐 Meet Santa’s “Rein-Goats” and Hear Barbershop Carols at the Baxter Library

Santa doesn’t always need reindeer. On this afternoon at the Putnam County Library’s Baxter Branch, he’s bringing his “rein-goats” from Faeryland’s Farm, and the Plateau Chordsmen will sing holiday favorites in four-part barbershop harmony. Kids can visit Santa and pet a goat, and grown-ups get some old-fashioned singing.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Thursday, Dec. 10, 3–5 p.m. Central, our time.
• Where: Baxter Branch Library, 101 Elmore Town Rd., Baxter, Tenn. (phone 931-858-1888).
• How far: About 80 miles, roughly 1 hour 30 minutes by way of Spencer and Sparta. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Not listed. Library programs are usually free, but check before you go.
• Who’ll love it: Little ones who want to see Santa, goat lovers of every age, and anyone who enjoys a good harmony.
• Bonus, one week earlier: The Plateau Chordsmen also give a Barbershop Holiday Concert, with cocoa, on Thursday, Dec. 3, 3:30–4:30 p.m. Central at the Algood Branch Library, 125 Fourth Ave., Algood (phone 931-537-3240). Cost not listed; check before you go.

👉 Read more (Putnam County Library — Santa Claus visits the Baxter Branch)

🐴 Watch Trick Riders, a Live Nativity and a Bonfire at Christmas at the Farm in Ringgold

Willow Tree Farms and Boynton United Methodist Church have put on this holiday evening for more than 10 years, and they say they’ve “got it down to a science.” Walk through Christmas lights, watch a live nativity, warm up by the bonfire with free hot cocoa and cookies, visit the petting zoo and take your own free photos with Santa in a vintage horse carriage. The surprise is Down South Vaulting, a team that does gymnastics on the back of a moving horse. There’s a worship band, kids’ crafts, food trucks and a new Christmas Gift Emporium full of local makers.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Saturday, Dec. 12, 5–8 p.m. Eastern (4–7 p.m. our time). Doors open at 4:30 Eastern. The nativity runs at 5, 5:30, 6, 6:30 and 7:30 and the horse vaulting is at 7 p.m., all Eastern.
• Where: Willow Tree Farms, 609 Post Oak Rd., Ringgold, Ga. Park in the field next door at 797 Post Oak Rd.
• How far: About 50–55 miles, roughly 1 hour 10 minutes through Chattanooga. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: The farm calls it free family fun, but it also mentions getting tickets on Eventbrite or with cash at arrival, so check before you go. Each child gets a free hot dog, drink and cookie. Bring money for the food trucks and vendors.
• Who’ll love it: Families with young kids, horse lovers and anyone who wants a country Christmas night.
• Good to know: It’s all on grass and gravel, so wear sturdy shoes. Wagons, strollers and leashed pets are welcome. A trolley shuttle and handicap parking are available; tell the staff when you pull in.

👉 Read more (Willow Tree Farms — Christmas at the Farm)

⭐ Hear a Community Choir Sing “Behold A Star” at Tennessee Tech

Mastersingers is Cookeville’s community choir, and its Christmas concert, “Behold A Star,” features John Trotta’s Gloria. It’s a good way to spend a Sunday afternoon in December: real voices, a full hall and music that sounds like Christmas.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Sunday, Dec. 13, 3 p.m. Central, our time. The Cookeville Chamber lists it as about 3–5 p.m.
• Where: Derryberry Hall, Tennessee Tech University, 1 William L. Jones Dr., Cookeville, per the ticket page. The chamber listing still says “location TBD,” so check before you go.
• How far: About 70–75 miles, roughly 1 hour 25 minutes by way of Spencer and Sparta. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: $15 for adults, $5 for children and students. Tennessee Tech students with a TTU ID get free tickets at the will-call booth. If you buy online, show your confirmation email at the door.
• Who’ll love it: Choir fans, music students and anyone who misses singing in the church choir.
• Good to know: Make a day of it. Cookeville’s free Christmas Forest at the History Museum and the Dogwood Park lights are just downtown.

👉 Read more (Mastersingers — Dec. 13: Behold A Star)

🎭 See a Pigeon Forge-Style Christmas Show Without the Long Drive

You don’t have to drive to the Smokies for a big holiday stage show. The North Georgia Holiday Spectacular, hosted by former Dollywood performer James Rogers, brings professional singers and dancers, dancing toy soldiers, stilt walkers, family comedy and a Nativity finale to Ringgold’s Colonnade Theatre. The website says shows are selling out.

Why it’s worth the drive:

• When: Dec. 17–23, with shows listed at 3 p.m. and/or 7:30 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. our time), depending on the day. Pick your date on the ticket page.
• Where: The Colonnade Theatre, 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga.
• How far: About 55 miles, roughly 1 hour 5 minutes. Approximate; check your map app.
• Cost: Prices go up as seats sell, so check before you buy. All sales are final. Groups of 15 or more get discounts.
• Who’ll love it: Church groups, senior travel groups, grandparents with grandkids, and anyone who loves the Pigeon Forge shows.
• Good to know: The box office is 706-489-6650, weekdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern. A 3 p.m. show gets you home before dark.

👉 Read more (North Georgia Holiday Spectacular)

✅ Your Trip-Planning Checklist

• ✅ Clock check: Signal Mountain and Ringgold are on Eastern time (6 p.m. there = 5 p.m. here). Algood, Baxter and Cookeville are Central, same as us.
• ✅ Thu., Dec. 3: Barbershop Holiday Concert at the Algood library, 3:30 p.m. our time.
• ✅ Fri., Dec. 4: Mountain Madrigal Feast, 5:30 p.m. our time. Buy tickets ahead; sales close Dec. 4.
• ✅ Sat., Dec. 5: Christmas on the Mountain Concert at Wayside Presbyterian. Call 423-886-1181 to confirm the time.
• ✅ Thu., Dec. 10: Santa and his rein-goats at the Baxter library, 3–5 p.m. our time.
• ✅ Sat., Dec. 12: Christmas at the Farm in Ringgold, 4–7 p.m. our time. Horse vaulting at 6 p.m. our time. Wear sturdy shoes.
• ✅ Sun., Dec. 13: Mastersingers “Behold A Star,” 3 p.m. at Tennessee Tech.
• ✅ Dec. 17–23: North Georgia Holiday Spectacular. Buy early; prices rise as seats sell.
• ✅ 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 two Signal Mountain events, the Madrigal Feast and the Christmas on the Mountain concert, are about 30 miles away, roughly 45 minutes over Walden’s Ridge.

Which ones are free?

Christmas at the Farm in Ringgold is billed as free family fun. The Baxter and Algood library events and the Wayside concert don’t list a price, so check first.

Do I need tickets?

Yes for the Madrigal Feast (sales close Dec. 4), the Mastersingers concert and the North Georgia Holiday Spectacular. Christmas at the Farm mentions tickets on Eventbrite or cash at the gate, so check its page before you go.

What exactly is a “rein-goat”?

It’s the library’s playful name for the goats from Faeryland’s Farm in Putnam County that come along with Santa, since he left his reindeer at home.

What’s “vaulting” at Christmas at the Farm?

Vaulting is gymnastics and dance done on the back of a moving horse. Down South Vaulting performs inside the petting-zoo barn at 7 p.m. Eastern, which is 6 p.m. our time.

Why do some times look an hour off?

Signal Mountain and Ringgold, Ga., are on Eastern time. Subtract one hour to get Dunlap’s Central time. Algood, Baxter and Cookeville are already on Central.

🔗 Other Resources

• SMMHS Theatre Arts Boosters — A Mountain Madrigal Feast 2026
• Wayside Presbyterian Church — Christmas on the Mountain Concert
• Putnam County Library — Santa Claus visits the Baxter Branch
• Putnam County Library — Barbershop Holiday Concert (Algood)
• Willow Tree Farms — Christmas at the Farm
• Mastersingers — Behold A Star
• Cookeville Chamber — Behold A Star listing
• North Georgia Holiday Spectacular — Tickets
• Dunlap.Directory — local businesses and services

🌅 Take It Easy, and Pick the One That Fits

You don’t need to do all seven. If you want something close, head up Signal Mountain on Dec. 4 or 5 for a royal feast or a Christmas concert. If you have little ones, Dec. 10 in Baxter (Santa and goats) and Dec. 12 in Ringgold (a farm Christmas) are easy wins. Music lovers can save Sunday afternoon, Dec. 13, for the Mastersingers, or one week before Christmas for the big show in Ringgold. Jot down three things: Signal Mountain and Ringgold are an hour ahead; buy feast, choir and show tickets ahead; 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.