GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Each December, the quiet small town of McAdenville in Gaston County comes alive in spectacular fashion for the holidays. Almost overnight, the town transforms into “Christmas Town USA,” which has been consistently ranked in the top 5 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Public Holiday Lights Display.
Christmas Town USA will shine nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Dec. 1-26. Visitors can see hundreds of trees covered in lights and homes and yards decorated for the holidays along the 1.3-mile route.
The official start on Dec. 1 begins with the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. at 102 Main Street in downtown McAdenville. The switch will be pulled at 6 p.m.
The annual Yule Log Ceremony and Parade are set for Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. on the lawn of the Pharr Corporate Office. The parade will start at 5:50 p.m. and go two blocks to Legacy Park, where the lighting of the Yule Log will take place at 6 p.m.
There is no charge to view the lights, and you can tour the town by car or on foot.
Know before you go:
If possible, plan to visit Monday through Thursday. Traffic increases greatly from Friday through Sunday.
There is only one route through Christmas Town, so some entrances to McAdenville will be closed to the public during display hours. Designated entrances are accessible from Interstate 85, U.S. Highway 29-74 and North Carolina Highway 7. Click here for directions and recommended routes.
If you choose to walk through the tour, there are several free parking areas in town:
1. Behind McAdenville Baptist Church and Caromont Clinic.
2. On Poplar Street, behind the town’s business area.
3. Beside the lake in the heart of Christmas Town.
4. McAdenville Elementary School at 275 Wesleyan Drive.
Street parking is also allowed in the business area.
For more information, click here.
(VIDEO: Christmas Town, USA, through the years)
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