VALDOSTA – Valdosta Main Street will hold a Sept. 3 casting call to select the city’s official Santa Claus for the 2026 holiday season.

Release:

VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta Main Street is searching for the city’s next official Santa Claus, with a public casting call scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at the City Hall Annex.

All Santas and aspiring Santas are invited to attend in full costume, beard and all, and appear before a panel of interviewers looking for the right combination of warmth, personality and holiday spirit.

Valdosta Main Street will select one Santa to serve as the city’s official Santa Claus for the entire 2026 holiday season.

The selected Santa will appear at three major Downtown Valdosta holiday events:

• The new Jingle Bells Festival, Nov. 20-21

• The City of Valdosta and Lowndes County Tree Lighting Ceremony, Dec. 4

• The Greater Valdosta Christmas Parade, Dec. 5

Santa will serve as a guest of honor at each event, greeting families, posing for photos and helping bring the holiday spirit to life throughout Downtown Valdosta.

“We’re not expecting Santa to work for milk and cookies this year, this is a paid position,” said Patrick Pearson, manager of Valdosta Main Street. “We take our Santa search seriously. He’s the face of the holidays in Downtown Valdosta, and we want someone who can bring warmth, joy, and a genuinely great ‘ho ho ho’ to every event on the calendar.”

Interested candidates are encouraged to arrive at the City Hall Annex on Sept. 3 in full Santa attire and ready to make a strong first impression.

Additional details about the casting call and how to sign up will be shared by Valdosta Main Street ahead of the event.

Valdosta Main Street is also encouraging the community to follow the search and mark their calendars for the upcoming holiday celebrations in Downtown Valdosta.

For more information, contact Valdosta Main Street Manager Patrick Pearson at 229-561-4393 or ppearson@valdostacity.com.