"We are honoring the history here while building a place that becomes a centerpiece for the entire Lake Oconee community." Developer Bart VanStekelenburg told Lake Oconee News that in April, when the red-brick building at 202 North West Street began its phased reopening as Barrel & Rail. The building was a Chero-Cola bottling plant in the 1930s. It later housed Oconee Brewing Company, and its historic markings are still visible on the façade.
On Saturday, Dec. 12, the Greene County Historical Society will begin and end its 2026 Tour of Homes there and celebrate its 50th anniversary that same afternoon. Everything downtown Greensboro puts on the calendar between now and then leads to that day, so it helps to know the order.
Mid-November opens the season with shopping
The first two dates are about shopping. This Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7, Bend The Trend holds its Christmas Open House at 2101 Reynolds Walk Trail, with cocktails, light bites and shopping. Friday's hours are 1 to 6 p.m.
A week later, on Nov. 13 and 14, downtown hosts its annual Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and again on Saturday. Lake Oconee Life lists special sales, live art demonstrations and refreshments, and gives 212 North Main Street as the address. Downtown Greensboro's own listing promises artist specials and treats from local merchants.
Some of the storefronts are new since last year's open house:
- Designs by Brandy Floral Studio, 120 North Main Street, next to Greensboro Jewelers. It is owner Brandy's second location. She handles weddings and everyday orders in fresh and silk flowers and keeps a cooler of grab-and-go arrangements.
- Edward Jones, 118 South Main Street, Suite B. Robbie McNeill and his team marked the office's arrival with a Greene County Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting on Oct. 1.
- Barrel & Rail, 202 North West Street. Lake Oconee Life's October roundup of new businesses calls it "a new home for live music" with a full bar.
Thanksgiving week moves out to Reynolds, then back downtown
The night before Thanksgiving, the season's biggest lighting takes place at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee. Lighting at the Lake starts at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25. John Driskell Hopkins and his band will play country hits and Christmas classics, and Santa cues the lights across the resort. Afterward there are photos with Santa and The Winter Forest, which includes a 5,000-square-foot ice rink. The Mistletoe Market brings local vendors from 4 to 8 p.m., so the market opens two hours before the lights come on.
Three days later the season comes back to Main Street. Downtown Greensboro's Shop Small Saturday runs Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From here to the tour, every date on the calendar is downtown.
December puts downtown in the spotlight
On Dec. 1, Downtown Greensboro starts the Holly Jolly Scavenger Hunt, which runs through Christmas Day. A new clue goes out each day, pointing to an ornament hidden somewhere in town, and some of the prizes are miniature pieces made by Nicole's Tiny Art. The hunt runs 25 days and covers every December date on this list.
Downtown's Lighting of the Tree is Friday, Dec. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. The listing includes live entertainment on the community stage, Santa and his elves, arts and crafts and food vendors. In 2025 the lighting was in front of Festival Hall on Dec. 5, with free hot chocolate, s'mores and late shopping, according to Visit Lake Oconee.
That leaves eight days before the tour.
Saturday, Dec. 12, from Barrel & Rail and back
The Greene County Historical Society calls this year's event its Tour of Homes and Historic Places. The stops are spread across Greensboro, and the historic Depot is among them. Here is how the day runs, based on the Society's listing on Lake Oconee Life:
- Before the day. Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 on tour day. In-person sales opened Oct. 17, and online tickets are on Eventbrite.
- 10 a.m. The tour starts at Barrel & Rail.
- Through the afternoon. Homes and historic places across downtown, with a trolley ride.
- 4 p.m. The tour closes and the day comes back to Barrel & Rail.
- 4 to 6 p.m. The Society's Golden Anniversary Celebration, honoring 50 years of preserving local history. Admission is included with a tour ticket.
That is why Downtown Greensboro's calendar lists the day as 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Its version covers the tour and the reception together. Downtown's listing describes the tour as a mix of "stunning private residences and significant historic locations."
Why the anniversary and the warehouse share one day
The Historical Society was founded in 1976. It collects and preserves Greene County's history and shares it through exhibits, programs and historic tours. It runs the Greene County History Museum at 201 East Greene Street, with displays on the county's settlement, agriculture, transportation, industry and community life. The museum is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Dec. 12 is a Saturday.
"Our vision is to create something that feels true to Greensboro but brings a new level of energy to the area."
Bart VanStekelenburg, speaking to Lake Oconee News
Barrel & Rail fits that mission. The Society spends its 50th year showing off downtown's old buildings and ends the day in one of them. Lake Oconee News reported that the building sat empty after Oconee Brewing Company closed. VanStekelenburg, a member of the Greensboro Downtown Development Authority, is leading the redevelopment. Ken McCord, a longtime Greensboro resident and former owner of the Ripe Thing Market, is general manager. The building was designed to handle weddings, concerts, corporate events and community gatherings, with on-site parking, catering facilities and layouts that adjust to the size of the event. On Dec. 12 it serves as both the meeting point and the reception hall for a tour of other historic buildings.
After the holidays
The next ticketed downtown event on Greensboro's calendar is the Wine & Chocolate Walk on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2027, from noon to 4 p.m. More than 10 locations will serve wine and chocolate pairings. Tickets are $30, and $40 VIP tickets add an extra hour.
If the Tour of Homes has you wondering how your own Greensboro home would present to buyers, whether it's an older house downtown or a newer place near the lake, The Hendrix Group brings design and staging experience to homes with a story to tell. Schedule a Free Consultation, and we'll walk through your rooms with you before the holidays.
