Charlotte, the Queen City of North Carolina, is the state’s largest city and among the 25 largest in America. It was named after the queen consort Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz when it was founded. It’s consistently among the fastest-growing cities in the US, and it houses several Fortune 1000 Companies such as Bank of America. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is found here, too. Being one of the Southern cities, it boasts mild winters with minimal snowfall every year. This makes it easy for visitors to enjoy exploring its famous attractions during the Christmas season. You can visit Billy Graham Library and do a tour of the holiday-themed grounds. Join the Winterfest festivities at Carowinds, one of the largest theme parks in North Carolina. Read our list of the best things to do at Christmas in Charlotte, North Carolina, and use it as your guide when visiting for the holidays.
1. Join the festivities at Carowinds’ Winterfest
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
WinterFest will return to #Carowinds on Monday, November 21, 2022. Celebrate #ChristmasinJuly by planning a visit. The 2022 WinterFest operating calendar and hours are now live! CALENDAR: bit.ly/3meZYWE
Posted by Carowinds on Monday, July 25, 2022
November 21 marks the start of Carowinds’ Winterfest. The yearly festivities include thousands of light displays and several family fun activities everyone will enjoy.
Guests can go ice skating, shop, indulge in holiday comfort food and drinks, and play Christmas-themed games. There are fantastic activities for kids such as writing notes to Santa and lighting up one of the biggest Christmas trees in the area. Every night, there is a Winterfest Wonderland Parade. Bands are playing while the festive floats and lively performers are passing by.
Carowinds’ Winterfest
Address: 300 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273, USA
Website: Carowinds’ Winterfest
Opening hours: Nov 21 - Jan 1 (Time varies and is subject to change)
Price: starts at 32.99 USD
2. Have fun at the Southern Christmas Show
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
The Southern Christmas Show is a yearly holiday event with a theme held at The Park Expo and Conference Center. Winter Wonderland is this year’s theme for Christmas. Guests will be enchanted with the frosty decor set in a simulated Old Town filled with shops, crafts, finger food, wines, festive music, live entertainment, and the personal appearance of Santa. There are 400 merchants selling holiday gifts for all ages. A portion of the profit from the shows will go to their chosen charities.
The event starts on November 10 and runs until November 20. There is a preview night on November 9 (Wednesday) from 5 pm to 9 pm. A special show for the Early Bird VIP will take place on November 12 (Saturday) from 8 am to 10 am.
Southern Christmas Show
Address: The Park Expo and Conference Center 800 Briar Creek Rd, Charlotte, NC 28205, United States
Website: Southern Christmas Show
Opening hours: (Nov 10- 20) Sun - Wed: 10am - 6pm; Thu - Sat: 10am - 9pm
Price: starts at 7 USD
3. Visit the Charlotte Christmas Village
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Posted by Charlotte Christmas Village on Thursday, December 23, 2021
Every Christmas, Truist Field, a baseball stadium in the Uptown area, transforms into a lovely Christmas village that is a holiday market filled with colorful lights. People gather here to go shopping for gifts, enjoy watching live entertainment, taste German sausages and drinks such as Glühwein, indulge in traditional Christmas food, and see Santa! This year, the Charlotte Knights will be installing a snow tubing hill and a regulation-sized ice-skating rink as an exciting added attraction.
The event has been going on for seven years and has been voted the Best Holiday Event by Charlotte Magazine for three years in a row. It coincides with the Light the Knights Festival. Though it is wheelchair accessible, wheelchairs are not available here for rent.
Charlotte Christmas Village
Address: Truist Field 324 S. Mint Street Charlotte, NC 28202
Website: Charlotte Christmas Village
Opening hours: Nov 23 to Dec 23 (daily)
Price: 5 USD before 5pm & 10 USD after 5pm
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4. Enjoy watching Charlotte Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Belk
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Ever wondered what the Snow Queen does during the summer? Ask her next Friday evening! We're celebrating Nutcracker and...
Posted by Charlotte Ballet on Thursday, July 16, 2015
The classic Christmas story of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s The Nutcracker will be interpreted in ballet by the Charlotte Ballet dancers. The fancy costumes and lavish sets complete with a magnificent snowfall are a sight to behold as the dancers perform to the music of Tchaikovsky at the stage of Belk Theater.
The Nutcracker will be performed exclusively at Belk Theater from December 9 until the 23rd. The theater is part of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. This state-of-the-art establishment has a modern European horseshoe seating arrangement. It offers the audience a better appreciation of the performance with its high-tech optic lights and world-class acoustics.
Charlotte Ballet’s Nutcracker
Address: Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28202
Website: Charlotte Ballet’s Nutcracker
Opening hours: Dec 9 (Fri): 7:30pm; Dec 10 & 11 (Sat & Sun): 2pm & 7pm; Dec 14 (Wed): 7:30pm; Dec 15 (Thu): 7:30pm; Dec 16 (Fri): 7:30pm; Dec 17 & 18 (Sat & Sun): 2pm & 7pm; Dec 20 - 23 (Tue - Fri): 2pm and 7:30pm
Price: starts at 25 USD
5. Go skating at Light the Knights Festival
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Posted by Charlotte Knights on Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Something exciting will be happening this year at the Truist Field. It coincides with the annual Christmas Village that is also held at the same venue. The Light the Knights Festival happens right on the baseball field only this time, a portion of the field will be transformed into a huge ice-skating rink. It’s big enough for people to go ice skating, play hockey games, and enjoy a few performances of figure skating.
On one side of the field will be a six-lane slide for the snow tubing activities. In the middle will be a small tent where food and drinks will be sold. All these will be happening while the entire field is festooned with cheery Christmas lights.
Light the Knights Festival
Address: Truist Field 324 S. Mint Street Charlotte, NC 28202
Website: Light the Knights Festival
Opening hours: Nov 23 to Jan 8 (daily)
Price: 39 USD
6. Listen to storytelling in Christmas at the Library
This is not your typical library but a huge one dedicated to the famous evangelist Billy Graham. It is also a part of the Graham family residence. Great things happen here where Christmas is celebrated in a special way.
On the grounds is a life-size nativity scene with real farm animals. You can also opt for a 15 to 18-minute carriage ride that will take you around the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Headquarters and the library grounds. There’s also a live storytelling time on the library patio, and you can buy books and blankets from a Christian bookstore called Ruth’s Attic. Other fun activities include a sumptuous Christmas dinner, nightly caroling performances, and a tour of state-of-the-art exhibits about Billy Graham’s life.
Christmas at the Library
Address: 4330 Westmont Dr, Charlotte, NC 28217, United States
Website: Christmas at the Library
Opening hours: (Nov 28 to Dec 23) Mon - Thu: 5pm - 9pm; Fri & Sat: 5pm - 10pm
Price: Free
7. Attend Charlotte Symphony's holiday concerts
The Charlotte Symphony, under the direction of conductor laureate and music adviser Christopher Warren-Green, offers a series of holiday concerts this year. The performances will be held at various locations starting from November 25 to December 23. Their angelic voices will be backed up by the music from a full orchestra, making you feel the Christmas cheer through songs.
This year, the show titled “The Polar Express in Concert” will be held at Belk Theater from November 25 to 26 at 7:30 pm. The other shows such as “Handel Messiah,” “Holiday Pops,” and “Cirque de Noel” will all be held at the Knight Theater starting from December 2 to 23. The “Holiday Brass & Organ” will take place at the First United Methodist Church on November 29 at 7:30 pm.
Holiday concerts with Charlotte Symphony
Address: Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St.
Website: Holiday concerts with Charlotte Symphony
Opening hours: Varies depending on the show
Price: Varies depending on the show
8. Buy something vintage at VTGCLT Winter Market
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Posted by Vintage Charlotte on Thursday, May 5, 2022
Giving a vintage gift for Christmas adds a whimsical vibe to the season. If you’re on the hunt for precious items to give as a present to your friends or to yourself, then come to the VTGCLT Winter Market. There are 78 vendors offering a variety of handcrafted and vintage things from jewelry, apparel, holiday decor, toys, make-up, and household items. You may find a unique gift that will strike a good memory or make someone happy.
The VTGCLT Winter Market
Address: The GreenHouse at Savona 401 S. Gardner Ave., Charlotte, NC 28208
Website: The VTGCLT Winter Market
Opening hours: (Nov 19) Sat: 11am - 5pm
Price: starts at 3 USD
9. Drink and shop at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery’s Christmas market
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
For 11 years and counting, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten, Charlotte’s oldest and biggest craft brewery, holds its annual Christmas market. Its outdoor seating area is transformed into a traditional German Christmas market called Weihnachtsmarkt. It has clusters of open-air booths selling traditional German food, sausages, baked items, and beer!
It has become a tradition to go shopping and dining in Weihnachtsmarkt. Families come here to sip hot cocoa, watch live entertainment, and buy gifts! In between those, they can dine at the restaurant serving authentic German dishes. The market is open on the last weekend of November and the first three weekends of December.
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten
Address: 4150 Yancey Road, Charlotte, NC 28217
Website: The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten
Opening hours: (Nov 25 -27, Dec 2 - 4, Dec 9 -11, Dec 16 - 18) Fri & Sat: 11am - 11pm; Sun: 10am -10pm
Price: Free
10. Witness the Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Walk through the magic of the holidays at Ballantyne's Backyard - Charlotte, NC Ballantyne Community #ncholidaylights Tickets and info at www.ncholidaylights.com/
Posted by Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular on Friday, October 14, 2022
Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular is more than a lights show. Ballantyne’s Backyard is decorated with thousands of twinkling lights, and you will have to traverse the whole 0.5 mi (0.8 km) walking trail to see it all.
Along the trail, you will find giant snowglobes, life-sized holiday scenes, decorated trees, and magical interactive wands. You’ll enjoy dances and live entertainment while you shop in a variety of stores, boutiques, and food trucks. For an additional fee, you can slide down the Alpine Avalanche Snow Tube Slide.
Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular
Address: 11611 N Community House Rd Charlotte, NC 28277 United States
Website: Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular
Opening hours: Dec 12 - 31: 5pm - 10pm (daily)
Price: starts from 15 USD (Kids below three years old can enter for free)
Christmas time in the Queen City
There’s nothing like spending Christmas in the Queen City of North Carolina. Charlotte is literally transformed into a winter wonderland and Christmas village to the delight of its visitors. Its German-themed Christmas decor and cuisine speak much about its German influences. This makes it more special to spend Christmas in Charlotte. With this comprehensive list of things to do, you can make the most out of your visit.
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