Candlelight Tours

Tour Chief Vann's historic Cherokee home decorated with freshly cut greenery and lit by hundreds of candles, akin to an early 19th-century Moravian Christmas. Live music, cider and cookies add to the festivities. Candlelight tours begin at 5 p.m.; please arrive by 8 p.m. to fully tour the house and grounds. Candles will be extinguished at 9 p.m.

Admission:  $8 at the door; children 5 and under are admitted free.

When the Moravians became the first to open a school for Cherokee children in 1801, they enjoyed decorating their buildings and grounds with fresh cut greenery, candles, and written scripture banners. We can speculate that their "love feasts" and "singstundes" were the first Christmas celebrations on the Cherokee Nation. To celebrate, guests can enjoy a self-guided tour through our historic Cherokee Home with live music and hundreds of candles to light your path.  Also, tour the Cherokee Farmstead and enjoy warm apple cider and Moravian cookies in our two-story Vann Kitchen Exhibit. Friends of the Vann House volunteers are ready to answer your questions and offer you some Christmas joy.

This event is held rain or shine; please dress for the weather.

On these days -- Dec 12 & 13, 2025 -- tours of the house will only be held at 10 am, 11 am, and 12 pm in preparation for the evening event.

If you cannot make the event, the decorations will be in place through Christmas and can be seen on a guided tour during regular hours. Regular December hours are Thursday-Saturday, 9-5, with tours on the hour, except on December 12 and 13, 2025.