Ultimate Christmas Event Guide 2026

Maiden, Hickory, Newton & Conover — parades, tree lightings, theater and holiday bars.

Holiday happenings around Lincolnton and Denver — parades, tree lightings, theater and Santa's Village.

Christmas Town USA in McAdenville, Holidays at the Garden, and parades & tree lightings across Gaston County.

Mooresville, Statesville, Troutman & Harmony — parades, tree lightings, a lighted tree festival path and holiday theater.

Parades, theater and tree lightings around historic Salisbury, Spencer, Faith & Cleveland.

Concord, Kannapolis & Harrisburg — tree lightings, the 98th annual parade, Speedway Christmas drive-through lights and the Celebration of Lights.

Lenoir, Granite Falls & Hudson — the Lenoir Lights the Way tree lighting, the Foothills Pops Holiday Spectacular and small-town Christmas parades.

Taylorsville — the 79th annual Alexander County Christmas Parade through downtown.

Morganton & Valdese — the Morganton Christmas Parade, Frosty at CoMMA, the Hatley Memorial Tree Lighting and the Valdese Christmas Parade.

Huntersville, Cornelius & Davidson — the Town Tree Lighting, Holidays in Huntersville, Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Cain Center, the Cornelius Christmas Parade, Christmas in Davidson, the North Mecklenburg Holiday Parade and the Lake Norman Lighted Boat Parade.

Mocksville — 'Twas The Night Before Bed Race down Main Street and the Whoville-themed Hometown Christmas Parade through historic downtown.

Clemmons, Winston-Salem, Kernersville & Lewisville — the Tanglewood Festival of Lights, Reynolda's holiday events, the WS Ambassadors Christmas Parade and small-town Hometown Christmas celebrations.

Asheville — Christmas at Biltmore, Candlelight Christmas Evenings, Winter Lights at the NC Arboretum and the Asheville Holiday Parade.

Shelby, Kings Mountain & Boiling Springs — the Uptown Shelby tree lighting and parade, the Kings Mountain parade and Christmas Lights Extravaganza at Patriots Park, and the Boiling Springs Christmas Parade & Holiday Tree Lighting.

Forest City, Rutherfordton & Spindale — the Forest City Hometown Holiday Lights (over a million lights on Main Street — Worth the trip for the lights), the Forest City Christmas Parade, the Spindale–Rutherfordton Christmas Parade and Home for the Holidays in Rutherfordton.