A dispute over the display of a Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah at a popular Dunwoody holiday event has prompted organizers to change its location.
The annual "Light Up Dunwoody" event has been held for the last five years at the Cheek Spruill Farmhouse on Chamblee-Dunwoody Road.
"I love the fact that it's family oriented. We have activities for the children," said Melanie Williams, a member of the board of the Dunwoody Preservation Trust, which owns the property. "We have cookie decorating, cards for the soldiers."
The event is sponsored and run by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association.
Last year, Williams said the group asked for permission to erect a 6-foot-tall Hanukkah menorah on the property and she said the trust's board denied the request because of the short notice it received.
"We really want to be inclusive to everyone," she said. "We didn't want to display things that would reflect exclusivity."
Williams said when the association requested permission again this year, the board had the same concerns.
"Our board had real reservations about putting non-secular religious symbols in the yard because we felt that it might set a bad precedent and attract unwanted conversation about DPT," she said. "We want to be sure that everyone in this community feels that this house is representative of them, too as part of the community."
To that end, Williams said the board decided not to allow a Christmas tree, either, because of the perception from some that it is a religious symbol.
Stacey Harris, a member of the DHOA board, said her organization disagrees with the decision and plans to move the event to a new location.
"It's disappointing, because 'Light up Dunwoody' has been around since 1993 and we really strive to make it an all-inclusive community holiday block party," she said.
Harris said DPT's decision about the tree was "disingenuous."
"The Christmas tree has been there for many years and they didn't have a problem with the Christmas tree until we asked them to include a menorah," she said.
Harris said the associaton is scouting out several new locations for the Nov. 23 event.
"We were really hoping that we could keep it at the Farmhouse," she said. "Clearly that's a great place to hold a community event, but it's unfortunate that we're not able to have it there."
Williams said she's "saddened" by the decision to move the event.
"Our decision wasn't to ask them to move 'Light up Dunwoody,' not at all," she said. "We would love for them to continue to have 'Light up Dunwoody' on this property because it's a beautiful occasion and has a festival atmosphere."
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