This is the fourth year of the Macon Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza
We have good news for you – Macon will officially kick off the Christmas season Friday night with the Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza.
This is the fourth year of the light show, and the third year the Macon Pops will kick it off with a concert.
This year, with COVID-19 cases continuing to rise, Macon Pops co-founder Steve Moretti says they had to make some adjustments.
“As long as we can do it safely and we made sure people were comfortable, it was important to continue to do the live experience,” he said.
The stage will be at the top of Poplar Street with designated entrances and exits to keep people spread out. There will also be hand sanitizing stations along the way.
Once you are in the designated area between First and Second Street, you must wear a mask and stay six feet apart from other groups.
The precautions don’t stop with the audience.
Moretti says instead of their usual 40-piece orchestra, they’ll spread out and just have 13 musicians on stage, but that won’t stop them from playing the fan favorites and four new songs for the crowd.
‘Feliz Navidad’ will be performed by Blane Dunnam and the Otis Redding DREAM Choir and Joe Gransden will sing ‘Jingle Bell Rock.’
They’re also adding ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ performed by Ansley Stewart and ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’ played by the Macon Pops Orchestra.
“We’re gonna show off our local talent. I think that’s also what this is about too is highlighting what’s here in Macon,” said Moretti.
He says going the extra mile with these precautions is worth it if it means celebrating together.
“Hopefully we can provide 90 minutes of joy and kind of take everyone’s mind off the pandemic while we perform live to these amazing Christmas lights,” he said.
The music starts at 6 p.m. and they will play until 7:30 p.m.
The concert is free and open to the public.
If you don’t feel comfortable coming in person, Moretti says they’ll stream the concert on YouTube.
You can see the lights downtown every night until January 3, 2021.