Hometown Holiday Highlights

The holiday season is filled with visits to family and friends, so traveling is a tradition for many. But Charlotte families don’t need to go far to find lights, parades, Christmas trees, carriage rides and maybe a little snow to get you in the holiday spirit. Many towns are celebrating the season with hometown charm, and others opting for spectacular lights and sights. We’ve highlighted just a few of these upcoming parades and holiday events.

•Belmont hosts its 61st annual Christmas Parade on Tuesday, Dec. 7 with marching bands, floats and music. More than 120 entries paraded through the streets of downtown Belmont last year. The festivities start at 4 p.m. Afterwards, stop at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens for the annual Holiday Lights with a display of more than 600,000 lights, carriage rides, home-baked treats and carolers through Dec. 31. Admission applies. For more information, visit www.montcrossareachamber.com and www.dsbg.org.

•McAdenville transforms into Christmastown USA with the official lighting ceremony on Dec. 1 at 4:30 p.m. Be there when the big switch is pulled around 5:30. Don’t miss the beloved Yule Log Parade and Ceremony on Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. in the heart of downtown. Even if you can’t make these dates, the lights keep glowing nightly through Dec. 26. For more information, visit www.mcadenville-christmastown.com.

•Concord will host their annual Holiday Happenings on Dec. 4, 1-4 p.m. on UnionSt.. Bring your kids for a candy hunt ending with a gingerbread house decorating activity. Then stop by Carolina Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway to experience one of the largest drive-through Christmas parks in the U.S., with over 1 million lights, horse drawn carriages, children’s play area, and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus through Jan. 2. Admission applies. For more information, visit www.visitcabarrus.com and www.visitcarolinachristmas.com.

•Fort Mill announces the winners of the Christmas ornament contest at the tree lighting celebration on Dec. 2. The Town of Fort Mill Christmas parade follows on Dec. 4. View all the ornaments at the Town Hall Art Gallery, 112 Confederate St. through Jan. 3. For more information visit, www.fortmillsc.org.

•Everyone loves a parade in Gaston County! Many towns around Gastonia will be hosting hometown Christmas parades. There’s one a day the first week of December for die-hard parade fans. Bring your chairs and blankets and settle in for some good old-fashioned holiday fun. Start with Mount Holly’s annual downtown Christmas parade on Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. followed by Mount HollyDays on Dec. 10 with buggy rides, carolers, performances by local church groups, and a visit from Santa. For more information, visit www.mounthollydays.org. For more parades catch the Cramerton Christmas Parade on Dec. 2, at 4 p.m. Bessemer City hosts their parade on Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. and Kings Mountain parade on Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. Come early for a good seat to see the Gastonia parade on Dec. 5 at 2 p.m., the Stanley parade on Dec. 7 and the Dallas Christmas parade on Dec. 10. For more information, visit www.gastontourism.com.

•It’s a hometown holiday in Matthews with the traditional small-town celebration on Dec. 4, 3-6 p.m. at the Town Hall Village Green. Join the community for an afternoon filled with holiday crafts, activities, entertainment and tree lighting. Check out the Gingerbread House Competition before they final judging on Dec. 4. For more information, visit www.matthewshometownholiday.com.

•Rock Hill comes alive with its 5th annual ChristmasVille Festival, Dec. 2-5, featuring an outdoor ice skating rink, miniature horse show, real snow, The Grinch, plus a restored historic home decked out in holiday splendor. Attend the very special Lighting of the Village or enter your idea for the ‘Name the Gnome’ contest. For more information, visit www.christmasvillerockhill.com.

•Downtown Statesville celebrates the spirit of the season on Dec. 3, as merchants kick-off the holidays with a Holiday Open House. Bring the whole family to experience the atmosphere of an oldfashioned Christmas with carolers, horse drawn carriage rides, an ice skating rink, entertainment, merchants’ open houses and refreshments. For more information, visit www.visitstatesville.org.

Check with the event’s sponsors before heading out, as plans may change based on weather or other unexpected conditions. CP