If you dream of walking in a winter wonderland, go no farther than the streets of downtown Opelika.
Opelika's Victorian Front Porch Tour offers walking and driving tours through city streets adorned with elaborate Christmas displays.
"The Victorian Front Porch Tour is a self-guided neighborhood tour in which all of the homes on the street are decorated with life-sized papier-mache figures, whether it is Santas, families, angels or elves," said Robyn Bridges, Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau communications director. "Anything related to Christmas, you will see."
The displays will be on the porches of neighborhood homes along 8th and 9th streets of historic downtown Opelika. The streets are open for driving Wednesday through Friday, as well as on Sunday.
"On Saturday they close the streets, and it is for walking tours only," Bridges said. "They also feature live entertainment with costume, carolers and various things like that to enhance the night."
This year will be downtown Opelika's 16th year hosting the event.
"It's a fun time to be out and about in that area and historic neighborhood," Bridges said. "There are people here who make sure the figures always look their best and that there's new enhancements every year."
One of those people is Diann Cullinan, coordinator of the front porch tours.
When the original director left Opelika five years ago, Cullinan was chosen as the replacement.
"They needed someone to keep the event going because the city loved it so much," Cullinan said. "They contacted me because I'm an artist and person that could keep the display in good condition."
The front porch displays began with only a couple of homes, but as interest grew the event expanded to include 60 homes and 10 city blocks.
"People began to say, 'Oh, I like that! Let's put one on my porch!' And it just grew," Cullinan said. "The whole neighborhood just got involved."
Cullinan said the city expects more than 10,000 visitors this year.
"It brings people in from all over the country, not just this area," Cullinan said.
"It has been written up in Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living. The Tourism Bureau has ranked this one of its top tourism events."
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