Holiday Events Across Charlotte: 2022
Tree and home lightings, Christmas villages, concerts, holiday shopping and more.
Holidays at The Hall (Through December 27)
NASCAR Hall of Fame, 400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. $20-$27. Come see The Hall decked out in holiday garb, with a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree, twinkling trees in the Ceremonial Plaza, and thousands of LED lights. Don’t miss your chance to get a special NASCAR-themed item off the trees when you help “undeck” The Hall on Dec. 27, time TBD (free to members or to those with a paid admission).
Panthers x Charlotte FC Tree Lighting (Nov. 22)
Bank of America Stadium, at the corner of Mint and Graham Streets. 5-8 p.m. Free, but tickets are required. Get in the holiday spirit with a festive light show, free glow wands for the first 1,000 guests, appearances by Sir Purr, the Top Cats cheerleaders and Santa, holiday card stations for patients at Levine Children’s Hospital, free hot cocoa, and more.
Belmont Festival of Trees (Nov. 28)
Historic Downtown Belmont, 24 S. Main St., Belmont. 6:30 p.m. Free. Watch the city’s tree lighting ceremony, take a jaunt through the Festival of Trees, and check out the luminary event, “Oh Starry Night,” on the Upper Field of Stowe Park.
A decked-out home in McAdenville (courtesy McAdenville, NC)
Christmas Town USA (Dec. 1-26)
McAdenville. 5:30-10 p.m. nightly. Free. Visit the town that USA Today named as one of the best light displays in the nation; last year, McAdenville ranked No. 4. Thousands of lights and dramatic displays dot the 1.3-mile route along Main Street, a tradition that dates back to the ’50s.
The Winter Wonderland Shop (Dec. 1-3)
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, 300 E. 7th St. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Free admission. Gifts range in price from $1 to $7. The Winter Wonderland Shop exhibits the spirit of kindness: Children up to 12 years old can shop on the Wells Fargo Playhouse stage for low-cost, pre-wrapped gifts to give their loved ones, amid a wintery scene filled with snowflakes.
ChristmasVille (Dec. 1-4)
Throughout Rock Hill. Welcome the holidays with horse-drawn carriage rides, ice skating, festive holiday decorations, and a special exhibit to celebrate the artwork of Vernon Grant.
Kannapolis’ Festival of Lights (©Vist Cabarrus)
A Kannapolis Christmas (Nov. 19-Dec. 30)
Christmas kicks off in Kannapolis’ Village Park with the annual Tree Lighting and Festival of Lights on Nov. 19 (6 p.m.) and continues through December 30 with Winterland Express train rides (tickets required) and a visit from Santa. The popular nighttime parade returns on Dec. 10 (6 p.m.).
Christmas in Davidson (Dec. 1-3)
Downtown Davidson. 6-9 p.m. Enjoy holiday light shows, roving entertainment, a live nativity, holiday shopping, great food, and more.
Debbie Gibson’s Winterlicious (Dec. 7)
Knight Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. $34.50-$424.50. 7:30 p.m. Come for an evening of holiday hits with pop star Debbie Gibson.
A December to Remember at Promenade (Dec. 10 and 17)
Promenade on Providence, 10844 Providence Road. 3-5 p.m. Free. Bring the family for a visit with Santa—sign up online for a time slot and to enjoy a carriage ride around the shopping center. The first 200 people will also receive a cookie and a craft.
Sea of Lights at Concord Mills (©Visit Cabarrus)
Sea of Lights at Concord Mills (Dec. 1-Jan. 8)
Concord Mills Mall. Starts at $17.99. Experience the holidays underwater at SEA Life Aquarium, home to Sea of Lights—the aquarium’s habitats will be adorned with festival holiday lights. There are also more than 35 decorated trees throughout the aquarium.
The Polar Express Train Ride (Nov. 11-Dec. 23)
North Carolina Transportation Museum, 1 Samuel Spencer Drive, Spencer. $34-$360. The Polar Express Train Ride, inspired by the run-away hit movie, features a train ride to the North Pole with dancing chefs, cookies, hot chocolate, Santa, and a presentation of the first gift of Christmas.
Charlotte Christmas Village (Nov. 23-Dec. 23)
Truist Field, 324 S. Mint St. $5 before 5 p.m., $10 after 5 p.m. Based on the traditional German holiday market, the village’s Light the Knights brings shopping from around the world, the flavors of Christmas, live entertainment, ice skating, and snow tubing.
Once again, Santa will greet visitors to Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge. (©Visit Cabarrus)
Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge (Nov. 28-Jan. 4)
Great Wolf Lodge, 10175 Weddington Road, Concord. Baby, it’s cold outside, but you don’t need cocoa to keep you warm (unless you want to) inside the warm and cozy Great Wolf Lodge. See it turned into a magical winter wonderland, complete with twinkling lights, crafts, games daily snowfall in the lobby, and visits from Santa.
WinterFest (Nov. 21-Jan. 1)
Carowinds, 14523 Carowinds Blvd. $32.99. See Carowinds transformed into a winter wonderland with spectacular holiday experiences that include live shows, holiday-themed games, thousands of lights, and a nightly parade (9 p.m.).
Christmas Wonderland of Lights (Nov. 18-Jan. 1)
Zootastic Park, 448 Pilch Road, Troutman. $10, ages 2 and younger free. Drive through over four million Christmas lights, say hi to Santa, then take a photo with him and a baby kangaroo. Check out the animal feedings, carousel rides, and train rides.
Holidays at the Garden (Nov. 25-Dec. 31)
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, 6500 New Hope Road, Belmont. 5-9 p.m. $10-$20. Sing along to holiday tunes as you stroll among lighted topiary displays and rolling lights, and take your picture in front of the Orchid Tree. Food trucks serve up festive food and drink.
Founders Holiday Ice Rink (Nov. 17-Jan. 16)
Downtown Rock Hill, 205 Saluda St. $15 for skate rental and 90 minutes on the ice.
Charlotte Ballet: Nutcracker (Dec. 9-23)
Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. $30-$131. Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s Nutcracker is full of lavish sets and costumes, Tchaikovsky’s timeless music, and snowfall on the stage.
Charlotte Symphony Holiday Pops (Dec. 16-18)
Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts. $21-$94. The magic of the season comes alive in this all-new production with classic holiday tunes, sing-alongs, special guest artists, and snowfall in the theater.
Clara’s Trip: A Cirque & Dance Nutcracker Story (Dec. 15-20)
Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. $30-$47. The Nutcracker gets an update in this contemporary feast for the eyes and ears.
Speedway Christmas features 4 million lights along a 4-mile course. (©Visit Cabarrus)
Speedway Christmas (Nov. 18-Jan. 8)
Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Pkwy. S., Concord. 6-10 p.m. Four million lights strung up along a 4-mile course, synchronized to Christmas music, and a festive Christmas Village. Ticket prices vary by date, but are $40-$70 per car.
