Attraction of the Week: Winterfest at Carowinds
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After living in the region for a few years, I can say that Winterfest at Carowinds is one of my favorite holiday traditions in the Carolinas. I took a weekend roadtrip here while living in Asheville after hearing nothing but praise. I’ve been attending numerous holiday events throughout WNC and wanted to check out something a bit different. This large amusement park is located on the border of North and South Carolina. The park opened in March of 1973 as the idea of Charlotte businessman Earl Hall. Hall’s idea for the park came after an inspiring trip to Disneyland in 1956.
It’s a super easy daytrip from big cities in both states including: Charlotte, Asheville, Greenville, Raleigh, and Columbia. The park’s busiest season is the summer thanks to an extravagant water park known as Carolina Splash Harbor, which is included with admission. A nice water park definitely comes in handy during the hot & humid Carolina summer months! If I lived closer, I would definitely buy a season pass.
What really sets this amusement park apart from others in neighboring states is the awesome holiday festival. This event features over 5 million lights, an ice rink, special holiday shows, and seasonal treats & gift shops. It’s so much fun for anyone who loves the holiday season. I sure do and I was really impressed with the over-the-top lights and even more so the incredible shows. There are even a few rides open and lots of festive holiday foods and gift shops.
Holiday Entertainment
The holiday themed shows here are really spectacular, and for me, this is what justifies the drive. The best show, known as “Cool Yule,” takes place on the hour in front of a dazzling giant Christmas tree. Talented singers and dancers perform holiday classics like It’s a Marshmallow World, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, and Let it Snow in front of the 70 foot tall tree. I really love the song playlist – they included many of my favorite carols which I had fun singing along with. Really, who doesn’t love a Marshmallow World? It was so much fun seeing this show that Mike and I came back several times.
It was no ordinary show, but one with great choreography, sparkly costumes, spirited renditions of Christmas classics, and even a few snow flurries. As snow is not all too common in this area, it really adds to the excitement. The singers are all pretty talented for a theme park and the dancing is on par as well. So much effort was put into everything to make it a fun experience for everyone.
Check out this clip from our visit.
Other great shows we enjoyed included:
- “The Mistle Tones,” featuring an acapella group singing classic tunes of the 50’s.
- “Jingle Jazz,” featuring a group of Dickenson carolers performing holiday classics.
- “Christmas Bluegrass,” featuring live performances of country Christmas favorites.
- “Holiday in Harmony,” an old time radio show.
The Charlie Brown Christmas Spectacular
Last but not least, we really enjoyed the “Charlie Brown Christmas Spectacular,” a super entertaining show that took place in the Carowinds Theater. 18 talented singers entertained us thoroughly. Also, I loved the special appearances from the adorable Peanuts characters.
This show takes place in an actual theater and is the most entertaining, and thus, tends to fill to capacity before each show. Definitely arrive early to ensure a prime seat! Do not miss out on this one – it was definitely the highlight of our visit.
Over 5 million lights!
This is the biggest and best light show you will find in the state. I would say only the Forest City lights and McAdenville come close in terms of lighting, but this event is overall the must-do near Charlotte. I love that you can see lights throughout the entire park, not just concentrated in one area. Grab a hot cocoa and enjoy the ambiance! They did a really nice job stringing the lights too. As you can see from my photos, the lights are not just sloppily thrown up.
There are lots of fun touches throughout the park. Look up – you will even see some decor on the coasters. How cute is this Santa and reindeer set up? I love that they left no little detail untouched. Too bad they are not open during the event, but just another reason to come back again next summer.
The Carolina SkyTower, a rotating ride up a 262 foot tower, is a great way to take in panoramic views of the entire park. This is one of the few rides open for the event, so the line was pretty long. I’ll say the wait was worth it – the lights look really pretty from way up here!
An overview of the entire park from the ride. You can see the beautifully decorated trees from up here. Even way up here, you can tell how nicely the lights were strung.
You can also go ice skating but it is not included with admission. I love ice skating, but we had absolutely no time to even consider this as an option. We had little time to enjoy more than a few rides as the shows took up so much time. I would love to come back on a regular day and check out more of the amusement portion of the park. I would recommend focusing more on the shows for this event as they really are top notch.
Which rides are open?
Most rides are closed besides a few kiddie rides, so if you are seeking big roller coasters, a summertime visit is more ideal.
The Zephyr (the classic flying chair swing ride), Do-Si-Do (a fun flying spinning ride for all ages), the Scrambler (the classic spinning fair ride), and the Rock N’Roller (otherwise known as the Himalaya at the carnival) are a few of the better rides open during the event. The flying swings has always been one of my favorite rides – it was a lot of fun taking a ride while enjoying the lights, but the seats were freezing!
On a side note, it can get really cold. I wore a jacket and I was still freezing all night. I wish I would have worn some cozy boots instead of gym shoes. The ride seats are ice cold – I warned you.
Seasonal snacks
Sweet lovers take note – there are plenty of seasonal specialties to indulge in including special holiday treats like gingerbread funnel cake and apple cranberry dumplings. Most of the restaurants have been renamed with cute holiday-esque names i.e. Dancer’s Snack Shack and Candy Cane’s Sugar Shack.
A Starbucks is also conveniently located on-site. Although the wait time is hideous, it’s so worth it for a delicious Peppermint Mocha. Overpriced – yes, worth the splurge – yes! I only treat myself to 1 or 2 per year, and this event was one of my chosen times.
Shop til you drop for Peanuts knick knacks
For those seeking a few unique holiday gifts, you are in luck as a handful gift shops transform into a Christmas wonderland. Lots of Peanuts and Coca-Cola themed knick knacks to browse through in between enjoying rides and festivities. As someone who decorates my house top to bottom each year, I had a hard time walking out without buying anything. I have too much already but love browsing around.
You will also find a huge section dedicated to Coke novelty items. I have always preferred Coke over Pepsi so I couldn’t get enough browsing around. Plus, I love the old time Santa decor. A beautiful selection – I could easily walk out spending a few hundred but fortunately kept to browsing.
Other fun activities to get into the holiday spirit include:
- Sending letters to Santa at the North Pole
- Shopping for holiday crafts at Artisan Alley
- Horse drawn carriage rides (extra fee)
- Cookie decorating in the kitchen of Mrs. Claus (extra fee)
- Pictures with various characters
- Personalized ornaments
- Christmas craft making
I love all the cute holiday photo opps throughout the park!
Note: Holiday activities are definitely geared more towards families with younger children. Note most of the thrill rides are closed. The shows, on the other hand, are great for all the ages and the lights are beautiful. It’s the best holiday event I have attended in the Charlotte metro thus far.
Location: 300 Carowinds Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28273
2025 Dates: November 28th-January 3rd on select dates
Pricing: Tickets range from $32-37 per person depending on the date you plan your visit. Parking is $25. Pricing current as of 2025. Please check the website for more general info including special events and experiences. Shows and rides are included. Activities, food, and ice skating are extra.
