5 Festive Holiday Events in Charlotte NC
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Mike and I recently took a few roadtrips from Asheville to Charlotte to check out the region’s unique holiday festivities. We love checking out new traditions no matter where we are living or traveling, so we always plan interesting roadtrips.
There is a lot going on in the city and surrounding small towns which makes the 2 hour drive worth it in my opinion. Asheville is a great small mountain town, but sometimes we want to do a bit of shopping and enjoying some bigger holiday productions. On a side note, I love and totally recommend visiting the Omni Grove park for their amazing gingerbread display. To date, I have never seen a resort decorated so beautifully.
You will find a bit of everything here from an over-the-top decked out theme park to a charming small town that was recently rated one of the best Christmas towns (It’s Travel Channel worthy!). After several road and daytrips, I have decided to a highlight a few of the region’s best attractions. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Carowinds Winterfest
The premier holiday event in the Carolinas is the extravagant Winterfest celebration, held annually at Carowinds theme park. This popular theme park lies on the border, and thus, draws major traffic from both states. It was crowded, but not so much so that I didn’t have a great time.
Honestly, this theme park just screams Christmas, from the 70 foot grand tree, to the themed food and gift shops, to the 5+ million light display. Not all the rides are open (the coasters are closed!), but you won’t have time for many with all the wonderful shows. I was so impressed by the talented singers and performers. In fact, I would visit again just to enjoy the live performances. I still can’t get It’s A Marshmallow World out of my head!
Highlights include a festive Peanuts and Coca Cola themed Christmas gift shop, Charlie Brown’s Christmas Spectacular show, and the nightly Wonderland parade.
- When: Select nights, mid Nov. 28th – Jan. 3rd
- How much?: Tickets start at $32. Note there is a processing fee.
- Where: 14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte
- Read more about my experience at Winterfest
Gingerbread competition at The Ballantyne Resort
This beautiful 4 star property is located in the Ballantyne neighborhood, an upscale suburban destination. In terms of luxury hotels, it’s one of the city’s finest. During the holiday season, beautiful decor adds a touch of Christmas cheer. Festive special events include holiday tea and dinners in the hotel’s renowned Gallery restaurant.
Every December, you can check out the entries in the gingerbread competition. I was a bit disappointed as I am used to the grand creations at the Omni in Asheville, but this is still a fun free add on activity to get into the spirit of the season.
There are a number of great houses in the child, amateur, and professional categories. Stop by the Gingerbread Hut and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa after viewing the marvelous gingerbread creations. This event is free although there is a $1 fee to vote for your favorite.
- When: 11am-7pm, 7 days a week, Dec. 14th – 28th
- Where: 10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Charlotte
- Learn more about this event
Holiday Lights at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Holidays at the Garden is a popular annual tradition held at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. This is one of the city’s top rated destinations, so we checked it out both day and night. In December, the grounds transform into a magical winter wonderland. A pathway lit by a million beautiful lights took us through pretty lighted archways, creative light displays, and LED cherry trees. We stopped for a hot cocoa along the way. You can also purchase cider and even marshmallow to roast by the fire.
I’ve been to a lot of these garden type events and this one was about up to par with others. The lights were very pretty and I especially love the big Dept 56 Dicken’s Village house display and model railroad.
If you get too cold, warm up inside for a while as you check out the extravagant house set as well as the train. Special events include Santa visits, as well as tea & wine tastings.
- When: Nov. 28th – Dec. 27th
- How much?: Adult tickets range from $24-33, seniors from $22-30, and kids from $18-25
- Where: 6500 S New Hope Rd, Belmont
- Learn more about this holiday tradition
McAdenville “Christmas Town” Lights
This small town, located 15 miles east of the city, was recently named one of the top Christmas towns in America by readers of USA Today. 2025 will mark the 70th Anniversary of the festive celebration which includes over a half million lights along a 1.3 mile route. While you can drive, it will likely be jam packed with traffic anytime you visit.
If you have the time to walk, it’s a really lovely stroll. Not only will you get in a workout, but you will be able to fully appreciate the effort it takes to put together such a dazzling event. As you stroll along, you will hear old-fashioned chime music, see a beautiful fountain show over the lake, marvel at 100+ gorgeously decorated houses, and see thousands of well organized lights including over 250 sparking evergreen trees. Many of the houses had unique themes i.e. a gingerbread house, etc. I thought the houses with all white lights looked the most elegant and classic.
There is a lot going on for sure, but we really enjoyed the over-the-top display and general sense of positive holiday cheer. As we have not found many light displays in Asheville, it was nice to see so much cheer all in one place! If you are looking for a bit to eat after your walk/drive, check out Terra Mia, a local Italian gem. It’s located on Main St. along with a number of small businesses. I love shopping and dining local especially around the holidays!
- When: Dec. 1st – 26th, from 5:30pm – 10:00pm
- How much?: There is no fee
- Where: McAdenville
- Learn more about this tradition
Carolina Panthers Christmas tree lighting/Uptown events
If Christmas in the City is more your style, then you will definitely want to plan for a night out in Uptown. A wide range of activities including a German inspired Christmas market, an ice skating rink, and a tree lighting ceremony are all part of the seasonal fun.
The most beautiful tree is located at the Bank of America stadium. The lighting ceremony includes live music, Santa visits, and free hot cocoa. If you can’t make the lighting, simply add a visit to the tree to your itinerary when attending other area holiday festivals. I loved the wreathed panther. Being a Chicago native, it reminded me of the annual Wreathing of the Lions at The Art Institute.
- When: Thanksgiving weekend – New Year’s
- Where: Uptown Charlotte
- Uptown events guide
Note: All dates are for the 2025 season unless otherwise noted. I recommend checking with each individual business to verify times have not changed.
