CHARLOTTE — From Christmas parades and holiday festivals to concerts and comedy shows, here’s what’s happening around Charlotte this weekend.
Please use the links provided to confirm hours and to check for last-minute weather updates before you go.
Kick off your weekend celebrating the magic of the season at A Classic Christmas in downtown Mooresville on Friday where you’ll find family-friendly live entertainment, ice skating, horse-drawn wagon rides, photo ops with Santa, and other holiday festivities.
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Take a train ride, watch an outdoor movie, grab a bite from a food truck and take care of your holiday shopping at the Mingle & Jingle Christmas Market at Veterans Memorial Park in Mint Hill on Friday.
Other spots where you can watch outdoor movies include The Amp Ballantyne where “Home Alone” will be shown on Friday and Stowe Park in Belmont where “A Christmas Story” will be playing on Saturday.
See holiday lights and decorations, play carnival games, and visit with Santa at the 5th annual Tree Festival that runs through Sunday at Chickadee Hill Farms in Statesville.
Grab a blanket or chair and line the street for a Christmas Parade! On Saturday, Kannapolis will host its parade downtown, Channel 9′s Tina Terry will be the grand marshal at the parade in Indian Land on River Road, and Mount Holly will host its Electric Christmas Parade. The Lake Wylie Holiday Boat Parade is happening on Saturday too!
Need a laugh? Take a ride on the Funny Bus Laughs and Lights Holiday Tour. The tour, which runs through Dec. 30, combines comedy, history, games, and holiday music and lights. Or check out stuntman and performer Steve-O when he brings his stand-up comedy act to Ovens Auditorium on Friday.
Listen to holiday favorites when the Charlotte Symphony is joined by the Charlotte Master Chorale for performances of Handel’s Messiah at Knight Theater this weekend or rock out with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Saturday at Spectrum Center. One Voice will also present its Pride and Joy Holiday Concert at First United Methodist Church in Uptown on Friday and Saturday while the Charlotte Music of History will host Celebra! with Criss Cross Mangosauce: A Bilingual Family Holiday Concert on Saturday.
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See Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and their friends at “Sesame Street Live! Say Hello” at Ovens Auditorium on Saturday. Next door at Bojangles Coliseum, see gravity-defying stunts at the Nitro Circus.
Enjoy hot cocoa and photos with Santa and shop for unique treasures at Optimist Hall on Saturday where the Charlotte Vintage Market is also happening.
Dress your 4-legged furry friend in their holiday best and join the Reindog Parade on Saturday at Camp North End where you’ll also find outdoor ice skating and the Mistletoe Market.
Experience a German-themed holiday festival in downtown Belmont on Saturday where the inaugural Bavarian Holiday Fest will be held.
Dress in your best Santa outfit, ugly sweater, or Christmas-themed costume and join the fun at Charlotte SantaCon on Saturday in Uptown.
Head to the Sullenberger Aviation Museum for its Flight Deck Festivities event on Saturday. Enjoy airplane crafts and hot chocolate, and snap a photo with the museum’s very own Elf on the Shelf!
Raise a glass to celebrate Birdsong Brewery’s 13th anniversary on Saturday. Festivities there will include live music, food trucks, special beer releases, a holiday market, and holiday pet portraits with Santa to benefit Naughty Donkey Farm Sanctuary.
Another spot to have a good time for a good cause is at Red Clay Ciderworks where they’ll host their annual One Christmas Charity Fundraiser Performance on Saturday. Cash donations will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
Shop for a good cause at the WNC Hurricane Relief Potters Market, a one-day pop-up sale featuring some of the top potters from western North Carolina who have suffered losses because of Hurricane Helene. The event is happening Saturday at the Park Expo and Conference Center.
Cheer on the home team when the Carolina Panthers take on the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday.
Grab your cape and head to Charlotte Comicon, one of the largest one-day comic conventions in the southeast. It’s happening on Sunday at the Embassy Suites Concord.
Watch a colonial cooking demonstration and sing along to Christmas favorites at the 18th Century Feast and Caroling event at the Hugh Torance House in Huntersville on Sunday.
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