Historic Athens Spring Showcase

Historic Downtown Excursion & 57th Preservation Awards

Sunday, May 17, 2026

This year's event features our 57th annual Preservation Awards ceremony, a curated selection of tour sites with a focus on adaptive reuse, educational lectures on historic preservation-focused topics, trolley transportation to special guided tours at award-winning repurposed cotton and textile mills, hardhat tours of the Bank of America Building, a vendor market, a VIP reception with light fare curated by Marti's-at-Midday, and more!

Schedule

Check-In

12:00-1:00 - Visit our check-in table at Live Wire Athens for your wristband and event program. If you purchase an Awards Only ticket and decide you want to upgrade, you can do so at check-in! 

Beginning at 12:00, engage with local businesses at our on-site vendor market to learn how their services might suit your projects. Participating businesses include: Preservan, JOMA, New South Associates, Sisters of Sawdust, Armentrout, Matheny & Thurmond, Strategic Planning & Roofing, Deck Doctor, and Dalton Carpet One. 

Awards Ceremony

1:00-2:00 - Join us in honoring our 2026 award winners at the 57th Preservation Awards Ceremony.

Tours & Lectures

2:30-5:30- Tours & Lectures and All-Inclusive VIP ticket holders embark on a self-guided tour of sites around Downtown Athens and enjoy educational programming from our guest lecturers. Lectures will begin at 2:30 and 3:30 PM. 

Some of this year's points of interest include: Bell Hotel, Costa Building, Rivet House, Complex Cloth at the Athens Factory, the Bank of America Building, Fire Hall No. 1, Cine, and a brand new exhibit at the Historic Athens Welcome Center & Church-Waddel-Brumby House Museum in honor of National Historic Preservation Month. 

Note: Guests who add a regular guided tour to their ticket can expect to be transported by trolley for tours at 3:00 and 4:00 PM. Guests who add a hardhat tour to their ticket should plan to walk to the site (0.3 miles from Live Wire Athens).

VIP Reception

5:30-7:00 - All-Inclusive VIP ticket holders return to Live Wire Athens for an evening celebration with our 2026 Preservation Award Winners! Guests should expect a cash bar supporting the host venue.


Parking

We've strategically planned this Downtown Athens event on a Sunday so free parking is available to our guests! Our main event venue, Live Wire Athens, is located at 227 W. Dougherty Street.

Historic Downtown Excursion & Educational Programming

Following the awards ceremony, guests who have purchased Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP tickets can embark on a self-guided tour of walkable sites around Downtown Athens. This year, we are offering something new during the touring period for guests who might prefer a less active event experience: educational lectures on preservation-focused topics with guest speakers Caitlin Mee and Joe Smith.

Caitlin Mee started her historic window rehabilitation business, Blue Dog Preservation, in 2017. Originally serving Metro Atlanta, she has since expanded her window rehabilitation services to cover the entire Southeast. Her specialties are glazing and training future window rehabbers in trades-based workshops. Caitlin's presentation will cover basic window anatomy, common issues, regular maintenance, and where the do-it-yourself preservationist can find glaze and other materials.

Joe Smith is an Athens-based preservation architect and educator. He is the principal of Architectural Collaborative, which he co-founded in 2017. Joe teaches in the Master of Historic Preservation program at UGA and is currently serving on the boards of Historic Athens, the Georgia Trust, and the AIA Historic Resources Committee. His presentation will cover how to identify types and styles of historic architecture, with references to past award-winning buildings.

Hardhat Tours & Guided Tours with Trolley Transportation

Guests with Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP tickets can add special guided tours of the Rivet House (Southern Mill) and the UGA School of Social Work (Athens Factory) to their event experience! These are two shining examples of industrial adaptive reuse in Athens. A limited number of tickets will be available for these tours. These same ticket holders can add a guided hardhat tour of the Bank of America Building to their event experience. 


The Rivet House began its life as part of the Southern Manufacturing Company at the turn of the 20th century. After decades of vacancy, the whole site underwent extensive rehabilitation over a period of several years, with the most recently completed section becoming the Rivet House Hotel. This project earned our 2025 Outstanding Rehabilitation Award. Join the hotel's general manager for a guided tour to learn about all that wqent into this building's tranformation from a derelict manufacturing facility to a luxury hotel with a restaurant and spa.

The School of Social Work began its life as the Athens Manufacturing Company, often called the Athens Factory. Though much of the current structure dates to 1857, this site's industrial history stretches all the way back to 1833. Dr. Jane McPherson earned our 2025 Publications & Programs Award for her Complex Cloth project, which has been adapted as an exhibit. Join Dr. McPherson, herself, for a guided tour of the School of Social Work to learn more about Complex Cloth and how it has been interpreted throughout the building.

The Bank of America Building, known to some as the Holman Hotel, was built in 1913. Originally designed as an office building, it was converted to hotel use for many years before being remodeled in the 1960s for use as a bank. The remodel included extensive changes to the facade, resulting in its Colonial Revival appearance. Presently, this 10-story building is undergoing renovation. Join Character Built Construction for a guided hardhat tour to learn more.


Secure your tickets before they are gone!

Members can use code historicmember for 10% off Tours & Lectures and All-Inclusive VIP.
Partners, please check your email invitation for your code.

To join or renew for 2026, click here now!

TicketsPrice

Awards Only

The Awards Only ticket includes the 57th Preservation Awards Ceremony.

Please note that you must purchase a Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP ticket in order to add Rivet House, School of Social Work, and Bank of America Building tours to your event experience.

$11.37
($10.00 + $1.37 fee)

Tours & Lectures

The Tours & Lectures ticket includes access to the 57th Preservation Awards Ceremony as well as access to self-guided tour sites and educational programming.

Scroll down to add a Rivet House or School of Social Work tour to your ticket for $10 more. Add a Bank of America Building hardhat tour for $15 more.

$42.42
($40.00 + $2.42 fee)

All-Inclusive VIP

The All-Inclusive VIP ticket includes the 57th Preservation Awards Ceremony, access to self-guided tour sites and educational programming, and access to the evening VIP Reception.

Scroll down to add a Rivet House or School of Social Work tour to your ticket for $10 more. Add a Bank of America Building hardhat tour for $15 more.

$63.12
($60.00 + $3.12 fee)

ADD ON TOUR: Rivet House (3:00) (6 remaining)

The Rivet House (3:00) ticket can be added to your Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP ticket for access to the 3:00 PM guided tour of Rivet House.

Save $5 by adding this tour to your event experience before April 17 (regular value $15/ticket)

$11.37
($10.00 + $1.37 fee)

ADD ON TOUR: Rivet House (4:00) (12 remaining)

The Rivet House (4:00) ticket can be added to your Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP ticket for access to the 4:00 PM guided tour of Rivet House.

Save $5 by adding this tour to your event experience before April 17 (regular value $15/ticket)

$11.37
($10.00 + $1.37 fee)

ADD ON TOUR: School of Social Work (3:00) (12 remaining)

The School of Social Work (3:00) ticket can be added to your Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP ticket for access to the 3:00 PM guided tour of the School of Social Work.

Save $5 by adding this tour to your event experience before April 17 (regular value $15/ticket)

$11.37
($10.00 + $1.37 fee)

ADD ON TOUR: School of Social Work (4:00) (7 remaining)

The School of Social Work (4:00) ticket can be added to your Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP ticket for access to the 4:00 PM guided tour of the School of Social Work.

Save $5 by adding this tour to your event experience before April 17 (regular value $15/ticket)

$11.37
($10.00 + $1.37 fee)

ADD ON TOUR: Bank of America Building (3:00) (10 remaining)

The Bank of America Building (3:00) ticket can be added to your Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP ticket for access to the 3:00 PM guided hardhat tour.

Save $5 by adding this tour to your event experience before April 17 (regular value $20/ticket)

THIS IS AN ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SITE. CLOSED-TOE SHOES ARE REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION IN HARDHAT TOURS.

$16.55
($15.00 + $1.55 fee)

ADD ON TOUR: Bank of America Building (4:00) (12 remaining)

The Bank of America Building (4:00) ticket can be added to your Tours & Lectures or All-Inclusive VIP ticket for access to the 4:00 PM guided hardhat tour.

Save $5 by adding this tour to your event experience before April 17 (regular value $20/ticket)

THIS IS AN ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SITE. CLOSED-TOE SHOES ARE REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION IN HARDHAT TOURS.

$16.55
($15.00 + $1.55 fee)

Donate

Can't make the event but want to support Historic Athens? Make a tax-deductible contribution to our 501(c)(3) nonprofit!

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Historic Athens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Your support helps fund vital preservation efforts and educational programs that protect and celebrate Athens’ historic legacy. Thank you for making a difference in our community.


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