Holiday Fun in Charlotte!!

There's no better place during the holidays than Charlotte!

WBT Holiday on Ice
Holiday on Ice brings the coolest surface in the city to the heart of uptown. Located on the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza, the rink has more than 7,000 square feet of ice. With skates available for rental or the option to bring your own, Holiday on Ice is a cool treat for the new or experienced skater. Discount combo tickets are available for skating and admission to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. 

Speedway Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Speedway Christmas is one of the largest holiday light shows in the U.S., featuring more than 800 LED light displays boasting 3 million lights. And as if that wasn't enough, there's Christmas Village with a realistic Bethlehem-themed village, a Festival of Trees, photos with Santa, movie nights, an ice skating rink, and areas with food and music. The route starts at zMAX Dragway and weaves through the infield of the 1.5-mile superspeedway giving visitors a taste of the Speedway with holiday flair.

Christmas Town USA - McAdenville Lights
McAdenville, also known as Christmas Town USA, shines bright with holiday lights and decorations strung from every home, building and tree in sight. Hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights turn this small mill town into a spectacular holiday display. Visitors stroll down Main Street surrounded by the sights and sounds of Christmas.

Christmas at the Billy Graham Library
Explore Christmas at the Billy Graham Library where visitors can view a nativity scene with real animals, ride on horse-drawn carriages, or take in the incredible lights display and merry carolers. Evening story times for the children and seasonal treats at the Dairy Barn are added bonuses.

Holidays at The Garden
At Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, you'll be greated by a half million lights, a breathtaking Christmas tree created with hundreds of orchids, carriage rides, live entertainment and even a visit from Santa in a room designed to capture the essence of Christmas morning.

The Real Christmas Story: A Broadway-Style NarroWay Original
See your favorite Christmas scenes. Hear your favorite Christmas songs. Then watch in awe-stricken wonder as NarroWay Productions beautifully recreates the real Christmas story. Guaranteed snowfall at every performance!

There are plenty of holiday-themed performances and events taking place throughout the Charlotte area. Here are some short-duration events available this holiday season:

Buddy Valastro Live! The Cake Boss
Buddy Valastro, the star of TLC’s Cake Boss, brings a special holiday show the entire family will enjoy. Sharing the holiday traditions and stories from his family at Carlo’s Bakery, Buddy presents an all new show full of holiday spirit and jingle bell rock. Demonstrating the techniques that have made him the most famous cake artist in the country, Buddy will share behind-the-scene stories from his hit TV show, answer audience questions, and bring several lucky members of the audience up on stage for cupcake and cake decorating.

Cirque de Holidaze
Brought the Charlotte by the renowned director Neil Goldberg, Cirque Dreams Holidaze features an international cast of more than 30 artists who bring the holidays to life through astonishing performances you’ll watch in disbelief. Rediscover the magic of the season as you experience flipping gingerbread men, toy soldiers marching on thin wires, spinning penguins and soaring reindeer. An original music score and some seasonal favorites accompany hundreds of spectacular costumes in a setting of gigantic gifts, colossal candy canes and 30-foot towering soldiers.

North Carolina Dance Theatre presents The Nutcracker
Nutcracker, Charlotte’s favorite holiday tradition, celebrates the sights and sounds of the holiday season. Bring your family and friends along for this holiday voyage featuring choreography by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, live music from the Charlotte Symphony and more than100 performers.

Theatre Charlotte presents A Christmas Carol
Theatre Charlotte’s holiday tradition of performing Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol is back this year. The play opens with Dickens himself presenting a reading of the popular novel. As he begins, the story unfolds on the stage around him: the classic tale of cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. These spirits gradually warm old Scrooge’s heart, as well as ours.

Annual Singing Christmas Tree
It was the first Singing Christmas Tree production in the country back in 1953, and today it's one of Charlotte's most beloved performances—Carolina Voices' The Singing Christmas Tree. Starring the 80+ member Main Stage Choir standing atop a 32-foot glimmering tree, this magical show features everyone's favorite holiday songs. A special kid-friendly performance will also be offered. Only an hour in length, this special viewing is filled with puppets, dancers, music and sing-a-longs perfect for children age 3 to 10.

Fourth Ward Holiday Home Tour
The Friends of Fourth Ward Holiday Home Tour is a three-day event showcasing the elegant Victorians, urban condominiums, cultural institutions and historic places for which Fourth Ward is famous—all dressed in their holiday finery.

Christmas in Mecklenburg County with the Polks
This living history event will show visitors how the Christmas holiday was celebrated in Mecklenburg County in the year 1802. Visitors can step into the past, visit with holiday revelers, and hear about the different holiday customs of the early 19th century!

A Golden Christmas at Reed Gold Mine
Enjoy the only Christmas candlelight tour you can take in the daytime at Reed Gold Mine, the first site of documented gold in the U.S. The underground mine tunnels will be decorated for the holidays for all to experience how Christmas was celebrated at the mines over the years. The celebration continues in the Reed Gold Mine Visitor Center with crafts, historical demonstrations, musical performances and free refreshments.

Events beyond Christmas...

Belk Bowl
The Belk Bowl returns each year to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. This exciting championship game running on ESPN features a matchup of the No. 2 selection from the Big East Conference against the No. 4 pick from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Sports Business Journal named the Bowl one of the five best startups in the sports world over the past five years.

First Night Charlotte - New Year's Celebration
Charlotte's most exciting, imaginative and uplifting cultural event of the year! This New Year's Eve celebration features a fantastic array of events and activities for all to enjoy in a safe, family-friendly and alcohol-free environment. The kid’s portion of First Night begins at noon and ends at 5 p.m. with an early countdown for the wee ones. Then from 8 p.m. on, it's time for the adults to ring in the New Year, which culminates with an unforgettable party at midnight.

 
*Excerpts taken from Charlotte's Got Alot

Know anyone thinking of moving to the area? I'd love to help them with their home purchase! Please call or email me anytime! 

Jackie Young, Realtor®/Broker

Keller Williams Realty

Direct: 704-575-9202

Email: jackieyoung@kw.com

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