Attraction of the Week: Forest City, North Carolina Christmas Lights
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Forest City is home to one of the most over-the-top Christmas light displays in North Carolina. I had heard about this display in the past and figured I would check it out while living only an hour away in Asheville. Asheville is a great city, but there are not a lot of extravagant light displays. Sometimes, I like cozying up in the house with a hot cocoa watching a movie, and other times I like seeing a bit crazy light display. That being said, I recommend a trip to the Omni Grove Park to view the dazzling gingerbread competition entries.
If you find yourself traveling to Asheville, Hendersonville, or any nearby small town this time of year, you will definitely want to take a daytrip to this town to see this award winning display. It’s one of the best I’ve seen in my time living here. You can check out my guide to more bucket list worthy holiday events if you are looking for more to do in WNC this season.
Over 1 million lights adorn the historic Main Street, from Thanksgiving weekend to New Year’s. The lights are colorful and whimsical. Unique features include a green colored fountain, festively decorated storefronts, character LED displays, lamppost decorations, and a walk through ornament. This lighting tradition dates back to the 1930’s so there is some historical value as well. Today, the display is much larger and draws visitors from around the region. Special events throughout the season include carriage and hay rides, a Christmas parade, and an ice skating rink.
I noticed a lot of events today have these walk through holiday ornaments. They seem to be super popular and there is always a line. Nevertheless, it’s a fun holiday photo memento that won’t cost you anything.
I loved all the holiday window displays. Many of them require a lot of artistic talent.
The History of Forest City
This small town of just over 7000 is located in Rutherford County, about an hour and a half west of Charlotte. It was established in 1877, making it one of the older towns in Western North Carolina. It’s nickname of “Burnt Chimney” came from a fire which destroyed the home of James McArthur (all except for the chimney). Today, a replica of the chimney stands in the public square.
Main Street
There are lots of interesting small towns in the WNC region. I have had a great time exploring all these little towns (many of which are home to great old-fashioned Main Streets). Forest City’s historic district is lined with independent shops, restaurants, and bars. Historic buildings and an old time fountain add to the small town charm.
We stopped at the Twisted Pear Taproom and Coffee Lounge for a drink. This cafe offers a big spacious layout where you can enjoy a drink while gazing at the lights outside from the large windows. A fun game of trivia was going on but we arrived a little too late. Other fun things to do include playing retro pinball at the Carolina Arcade Museum and touring vintages at the Antique Car Museum.
The lights extravaganza
Below are a few pictures we took of the display. Although some tourists choose to drive through the lights, the experience is much better if you park (anywhere along Main Street) and walk. If you are driving a reasonable distance like us, it just makes sense to take your time. No point in driving 2 hours, taking a quick drive, and just leaving. Walking will allow you to take better pictures, check out the festive holiday windows in detail, and stop for a snack, drink, or meal along the way.
The trees were lit up beautifully and lights were strung from lamp post to lamp post. I loved all the adorable LED displays especially the Snowman family.
Growing up in Chicago, I have always loved storefronts that decorate extravagantly for the holidays. My yearly tradition included seeing the famous Marshall Fields (now Macy’s but always Fields to us locals) decked out, followed by seeing the grand Christmas tree at Daley Plaza (now at Millennium Park).
The small towns around WNC do a great job of getting into the holiday spirit. Here are a few standouts that caught my eye. I noticed a lot of detail in each window. They did a nice job creating festive scenes which captured the magic of the holidays. I was impressed with the quality for such a small city.
Additional Details
Is there any fee? No, this event is completely free to either drive or walk. Additionally, free parking can be found along Main Street.
What time are the lights on? 5pm-11:30pm from November 29th through January 1st.
Are there any other holiday activities? Yes, these include: visits with Santa, hayrides, and ice skating. Visit the city website for more details.
Where should I eat? In addition to food trucks, there are a number of local restaurants on Main. We tried out a local Italian place called Mario’s. The food was decent enough for a small town, and the ambiance nice for the holidays. Because it is not located downtown, it’s a bit less congested. The cheesesticks were delicious and I enjoyed my Eggplant Parmesan. Bonus points for the nice holiday decor.
