On Monday evening, December 22, 2025, Clarkesville gathered for its annual Candlelight Christmas Walk, a tradition hosted by the City of Clarkesville that brings the town together on foot. Between 6 and 8 p.m., residents moved from the Norton real-estate building into the downtown, carrying candles as luminaries, visiting three churches before arriving at a small block party in the center of the historic square.
At the start of the route, people and pets gathered in eager anticipation. Among them, Susan and Mark Brooks stood smiling with Neville, their dignified white Labrador, who wore a glowstick on his collar like a rosette and watched the scene unfurl with the posture of a fine young gentleman.
Cherin Thompson, a Clarkesville-based professional pet photographer who runs Doggytography, stopped to greet him, drawn by Neville’s courtly presence. Susan said she learned about the event through her book club. She and Mark held their candles with pride as Neville remained a model companion at their side.
Before the walk began, those assembled formed a circle around an organizer, who outlined the route, shared a brief history of the event, and offered safety guidance for the evening. He spoke plainly, setting expectations before the procession moved forward.
As the group advanced, a light chill settled in without bite. People laughed, exchanged greetings, and paused to take in Oak Heights, raised on its pedestal on a great hill at the edge of town, along with three historic churches glowing from within, their light recalling the studied warmth of a Thomas Kinkade painting.
The Victorian lines of the churches rose behind bare branches, their facades appearing and receding as the crowd passed. From certain angles, First Presbyterian Church emerged through the trees, its white structure framed by shadow and lamplight, a view that suggested another century.
Further along the route, children rode in wagons and strollers, singing garbled versions of hymns and Christmas carols alongside the church musicians and carolers who gathered on the stairs and stoops of each church. At each stop, the line paused to join them in song before continuing.
Music rose from First Presbyterian Church, Clarkesville First Methodist Church, and Clarkesville Baptist Church as voices blended outdoors. Parents walked beside their children, keeping pace and keeping watch as the line of light moved through town.
At the end of the route, the walk returned to the square, where hot cocoa and s’mores over a fire pit awaited alongside a manger scene and a reading from Scripture delivered by Ross Wheeler of Clarkesville First Methodist Church.
Candles lifted once more as the town completed its circuit, marking the season through shared movement, familiar voices, and a setting shaped by history.
