CHARLOTTE — Get ready to fill your weekend with holiday fun! Here’s a list of shows, attractions, and other events that are happening in Charlotte.
Please use the links provided to confirm hours and to check for last-minute weather updates before you go.
The Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular has returned to Ballantyne’s Backyard. The outdoor walking trail is open through Dec. 30 and features more than 1 million lights, festive scenes, appearances from Santa, a holiday village featuring boutiques and shops, food trucks and a tubing slide.
Caroline Calouche & Co. puts a contemporary twist on a holiday classic in “Clara’s Trip: A Cirque & Dance Nutcracker Story” playing at Booth Playhouse through Sunday.
[ ALSO READ: Cirque du Soleil bringing big top show back to Charlotte ]
The Charlotte Ballet will perform its holiday classic “Nutcracker” at Belk Theater through Dec. 23.
The Spectrum Center will be buzzing when the Charlotte Hornets take on the Toronto Raptors on Friday and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra brings its “Ghosts of Christmas Eve” tour there on Saturday.
Other holiday happenings include:
A Classic Christmas festival in downtown Mooresville on Friday.
The Kannapolis Christmas Parade on Saturday.
Cocoa with Santa at Optimist Hall on Saturday.
Santa Claus is coming to the hall this Saturday at
The 23rd annual Santa Bar Crawl in Uptown Charlotte on Saturday.
The Charlotte SantaCon Bar Crawl in South End on Saturday.
The Catawba Riverkeeper’s Ugly Sweater Karaoke at Confluence in Cramerton on Saturday.
The Toasts & Trees cocktail competition and tree decorating contest at Southern Distilling Company in Statesville on Saturday.
Hanukkah on the Green at Davidson Village Green on Saturday.
The 10th annual Venezuelan Christmas Celebration at Neighborhood Theatre on Sunday.
The annual Waxhaw Christmas Parade on Sunday. (This event is canceled)
The Christmas Candlelight Tours at Historic Brattonsville on Saturday and Sunday.
The 69th annual Singing Christmas Tree at Halton Theater on Saturday and Sunday.
The Radio City Music Hall-style show “Need A Little Christmas” is playing at Central Piedmont’s New Theater through Dec. 21.
[ ALSO READ: Local entertainment group announces plans for 3-day music fest in Uptown ]
Holiday attractions to check out include:
Holidays at the Garden at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is open through Dec. 23.
Christmas at the Library at the Billy Graham Library is open through Dec. 23.
McAdenville will be lit up as Christmas Town USA through Dec. 26.
The Light the Knights Festival at Truist Field in Uptown is open through Jan. 1.
The Christmas Light Extravaganza at Patriots Park in Kings Mountain is open through Jan. 1.
Speedway Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway is open through Jan. 7
Shop for holiday gifts and stocking stuffers at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery’s Christmas Market, which is open Friday through Sunday. Other local spots to shop include the Mistletoe Market and Vintage Charlotte Pop-Up at Camp North End on Saturday, the Catawba Christmas Craft Fair at the River Room in McAdenville on Saturday and the Girl Tribe Holiday Pop-Up at Birkdale Village, which is open through Dec. 23.
Pack up the kids and take them to Camp North End on Sunday for singalongs, story time, art sessions and skate time on the outdoor ice rink.
And Repticon is back at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center on Saturday and Sunday. See hundreds of reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and small exotic animals.
VIDEO: Local entertainment group announces plans for 3-day music fest in Uptown
This browser does not support the video element.