Even the biggest Scrooge or Grinch you know will have a smile on their face at the irresistible Christmas in Candyland, Andalusia’s annual holiday extravaganza. It’s impossible not to have a good time at this family-friendly, free event that offers something for everyone. (It will be open one last time, the weekend after Christmas.)

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Start by visiting the 50-foot-tall Christmas tree in the middle of the charming Court Square located right across from the Covington County Courthouse. Every hour, on the hour, “snow” falls around the tree. The effect for all of us living in south Alabama, where snow is truly a rare sight, is absolutely magical. Santa’s sleigh, beside the tree, is a great place to take family photos.

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Around the tree, you’ll find a sampling of the playhouses that make Christmas in Candyland such a delight for children. You can walk or drive to see the rest of the playhouses down the street, in front of City Hall and Springdale Estate. If you drive, parking is available at any of the businesses along East Three Notch Road. Police officers will help you cross the street.

Characters like Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Peppa Pig, Bluey and others make their way through the crowds – but it’s not so crowded that you can’t enjoy yourself. Performances are scheduled at regular intervals, and children can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, Elsa from “Frozen” and more.

The only activities that cost anything are the skate rentals at the ice-skating rink ($5 apiece) and tubes at Polar Bear Hill ($1 each). You can also buy food and drinks at various food trucks, but you could feasibly visit Christmas in Candyland without spending a dime.

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A train running throughout the event, the Candyland Express, is driven by a jolly conductor.

There’s a reason Country Living magazine named Andalusia among its “30 Most Magical Towns in the United States” earlier this year. Andalusia was the only Alabama city included on the list, which includes places like New York City, Branson, Missouri, and Asheville, North Carolina.

“We couldn’t buy this kind of publicity, and we know for a fact it has helped us recruit people to Andalusia,” Mayor Earl Johnson said in a news release. “Candyland really does check all of the boxes for us. It’s one thing to have people come and visit your city; it’s another altogether to be compared to Asheville and other magical places across the country.”

The event was the brainchild of Chrissie Duffy, the former executive director of the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce. “My original, very first goal was to bring people to downtown Andalusia,” she said in the news release. “You would see each year when the city put up the beautiful Christmas tree, people would be excited, come and take a picture and immediately leave.”

The playhouses took off, with local businesses sponsoring each one, and the event grew to include all the other activities.

To celebrate its 10th year, the City of Andalusia purchased a new Christmas tree that is 20 feet larger in circumference at the base. Additional photo backgrounds were added, as well as new signage, reminiscent of the iconic Hollywood sign, a new, larger cocoa ball pit, a snow globe photo op and more snow than ever.

For more information, visit Christmas in Candyland.