From the I-840 interchange at Exit 42, it's 4.3 miles down Horton Highway to the College Grove Artsitorium, according to directions published by Williamson Source. The building has a 20-foot ceiling, its original seats, stage, and curtains, and a mural of College Grove landmarks inside. It went up in 1957 as part of the old College Grove High School. That campus still hosts most of the community's holiday season.
This December, the parade lines up at the old campus, the kids' musical plays there, and senior bingo meets there. The one new name on the calendar is a family meat shop a little farther up Horton Highway, along with the farm on Flat Creek Road that supplies it. Combine those with the county schedule and the season gets crowded on one Saturday.
The Old High School Still Hosts the Holidays
Williamson County Parks and Recreation restored the Artsitorium in 1999. The money came from College Grove residents and county government together, as the Williamson Herald reported. The Herald described it as a 302-seat hall. It belongs to the College Grove Community Center and is used for parks programs, concerts, theater, and public rentals.
The College Grove Community Center and the College Grove Recreation Center/Gym share the same county complex. Between the three buildings, this year's December schedule takes place almost entirely on one county campus. The two exceptions are the new meat shop up Horton Highway and the cattle farm out on Flat Creek Road that supplies it.
The Calendar, Date by Date
| Date | Event | Where | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Last day of the Shrek KIDS early-bird code | Online | Through today | $2 off each $12 ticket |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | 2026 College Grove Christmas Parade | Lineup at College Grove Recreation Center/Gym | Lineup 1 p.m., parade 2 p.m. | Free |
| Wed., Dec. 9 | Shrek the Musical KIDS, College Grove cast | College Grove Artsitorium | 7 p.m. | $12 |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Double Barrel Meats regular Saturday hours | 8735 Horton Highway | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | n/a |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Christmas on the Farm | Double Barrel Angus, 6818 Flat Creek Road | 1 to 6 p.m. | $10, under 2 free |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Shrek the Musical KIDS, College Grove cast | College Grove Artsitorium | 4 p.m. | $12 |
| Wed., Dec. 16 | College Grove Senior Bingo, ages 55+ | Community Center senior multipurpose room | Noon to 1 p.m. | Free |
The first deadline on that list is today.
Today Is the Last Day of the Shrek Discount
The STAR Program's fall production is Shrek the Musical KIDS, running December 7 through 12 at the Artsitorium, 8601 Horton Highway. Tickets cost $12 each. Through November 19, the code EarlyBirdShrek takes $2 off every ticket, according to Williamson County Parks and Recreation. For a family buying four seats, that's $8 left on the table after tonight.
Four casts share the run, one each from Franklin, Nolensville, College Grove, and the Enrichment Center. Every cast has its own performances, and the county asks buyers to pick tickets for the cast they plan to see. The College Grove cast plays Wednesday, December 9, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 12, at 4 p.m. Each performance lasts about 40 minutes.
A 40-minute show at 4 p.m. on a Saturday doesn't take much of the day. It does land in the middle of the busiest afternoon of College Grove's season, which is covered further down.
Sunday the 6th Belongs to the Parade
The 2026 College Grove Christmas Parade steps off Sunday, December 6, at 2 p.m. Lineup starts at 1 p.m. at the College Grove Recreation Center/Gym, and watching is free, per the FranklinIs event listing. College Grove Athletics posted the announcement on October 22 with a short message: "Join the community for a Christmas parade on Dec 6 at 2 pm!"
Holding the lineup at the Rec Center means the parade starts on the same campus as the rest of the season. The day after the parade, the Artsitorium opens the Shrek run with the Franklin cast at 7 p.m.
Anyone planning a Sunday errand around the parade should know that the newest shop on Horton Highway is closed on Sundays.
The Newest Door on Horton Highway
Double Barrel Meats held its grand opening ribbon cutting on July 24, according to the Williamson Herald. The shop sells beef and chicken raised at the Double Barrel Angus farm on Flat Creek Road in College Grove. The Williamson, Inc. listing for the ribbon cutting sent overflow parking to the College Grove Rec. Center, so the shop and the old school campus are close neighbors.
The shelves carry more than the family's own meat. The Herald listed these other products:
- Frozen chicken tenders and patties from Bell & Evans
- Ham, bacon, and other products from Meats By Linz
- Honey from Zeebeez Honey Farm in Franklin
- Milk and ice cream from Hattie Jane's Creamery
- Produce from local farmers and seasonings made in-house by Serena Humerick
The Herald reported that the store and the farm are both family operations. Owner Tim Humerick runs the shop, and his son Colton handles the farm's day-to-day work. Humerick told the paper he grew up in a family-owned slaughterhouse.
"It's not a hobby, it's a lifestyle."
The neighboring storefront is Southern Stitch & Print, owned by Serena and Tabitha Humerick. It held its own ribbon cutting earlier in July.
For December planning, the hours are what count. The Double Barrel Meats website lists Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shop takes custom orders, which the site says can include freezer beef, bulk orders, specialty cuts, and "holiday packs." The store asks customers to call 615-368-2255 about availability and orders. The shop is open four days a week, so anyone building a holiday table around a tenderloin from Flat Creek Road should call well before the week of the meal.
Saturday the 12th Is the Day That Fills Up
All of these threads land on Saturday, December 12. The farm that supplies the shop throws its holiday party on the same afternoon the College Grove cast takes the Artsitorium stage, and while the shop is still open.
Christmas on the Farm runs from 1 to 6 p.m. at Double Barrel Angus, 6818 Flat Creek Road. The Eventbrite listing includes a petting zoo, hayrides, s'mores, hot cocoa, crafts, games, cookie decorating, an ugly sweater contest, a raffle, food trucks, and a visit with Santa. Tickets are $10 per person, children under 2 get in free, and parking is free. The organizer's page shows tickets starting at $12.51, and FranklinIs says spots are limited.
Families with a child in the College Grove cast have a 4 p.m. curtain in the middle of the farm's five-hour window. Here's how the published times line up:
- 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Double Barrel Meats is open its regular Saturday hours at 8735 Horton Highway. This is the last chance that week to pick up an order, because the shop closes before the show ends and doesn't open Sunday.
- 1 p.m. Christmas on the Farm opens on Flat Creek Road.
- 1:30 p.m. The Nolensville cast plays its Saturday performance at the Artsitorium.
- 4 p.m. The College Grove cast takes the stage, and the show runs about 40 minutes.
- 6 p.m. The farm event wraps up.
- 6:30 p.m. The Enrichment Center cast closes the Shrek run.
So a family can do the farm in the early afternoon and head to Horton Highway for the 4 p.m. show. They can also see the show first and get to Flat Creek Road with the farm's last hour or so still left. Shop pickups need to happen before 4 p.m. either way.
The Wednesday, December 9, performance at 7 p.m. avoids all of this. Families who would rather keep the Saturday open for the farm can use that date.
The Quieter Date After the Show Closes
The Community Center still has one date on the books after the musical and the farm party. College Grove Senior Bingo meets Wednesday, December 16, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Community Center's senior multipurpose room. It's free and open to ages 55 and up, according to the Williamson County Parks and Recreation registration listing. Like the rest of the season, it takes place in the county complex that started out as College Grove High School.
The calendar this year shows a new family business on the same stretch of road as the old campus. At Tennessee Realtors DK, we follow changes like that for our clients across southern Williamson County, down to which day the meat shop is closed. If this December has you wondering what your College Grove property is worth heading into 2027, ask for a free home valuation. We'll base it on the same close knowledge of the community.
