What a wonderful week it’s going to be from candy cane hunts, to latkes and dreidels; make time to decorate cookies, visit a life-size gingerbread house, take a train ride, get in some shopping and more.
Yoga Storytime
Cornelius Library
Enjoy stories coupled with fun and easy yoga moves. Discover how movement can bring stories to life in new ways in this story time.
Leonard Bearstein Symphony Orchestra
Founders Hall
The 18-piece display of animatronic bears performs classic holiday songs. The 45-minute program starts on the hour. All performances are subject to cancellation so check the website for updates. No performances on Christmas Day.
Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience
Blumenthal Performing Arts
Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience – A Parody by Dan and Jeff, is perfect for ages six to Dumbledore, who is very old indeed. Potted Potter takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books (and a real life game of Quidditch) into 70 hilarious minutes.
Turtle Adventures
Latta Nature Center
Discover nature with you little one through stories, crafts, and activities centered on a new topic each week.
Paint Your Own Pottery: Milk and Cookie Plate/Mug Combo
Morrison Family YMCA
Paint a piece of pottery to create a unique masterpiece. A professional artist is on site to guide and assist. Pieces are fired in the kiln and ready for pick up within two weeks. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Preregistration encouraged.
Annual Christmas Parade in Downtown Mount Holly
Downtown Mount Holly
Visit Downtown Mount Holly for the Annual Christmas parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony. Thousands of locals and visitors attend this annual event. The parade will begin at 4:00 p.m. with the Tree Lighting Ceremony to follow at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Santa’s Bag
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte
Children can shop a wide-variety of inexpensive, pre-wrapped gifts with a helpful elf and select something for everyone on their list.
ChristmasVille Rock Hill
Downtown Rock Hill
Old Town Rock Hill will come alive as a charming, picturesque holiday village and outdoor art festival. The 13th annual ChristmasVille has more than 100 events, including horse drawn carriage rides, historic tours, strolling Dickens carolers, art, theater, dance, music, a gingerbread house contest, multiple Santa activities, and an ice skating rink.
Uptown Tree Lighting
Charlotte Christmas Village
It’s officially the Christmas season when Uptown turns on the lights to the gorgeous tree.
Mint Hill Christmas Tree Lighting
Mint Hill Town Hall
Meet Santa, and enjoy hot chocolate, cider and delicious cookies. Bring a gender neutral toy to support the Mint Hill Police Department’s Toy Drive.
Christmas in Davidson
Downtown Davidson
The annual three-day festival includes local arts and crafts vendors, horse-drawn carriage rides, a live nativity, an ugly sweater contest, a doggie fashion show, and live entertainment. Santa arrives via carriage at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 29 before “Santa’s House” opens at 7:00 p.m.
Christmasville at Main Street Children’s Museum
Main Street Children’s Museum
Celebrate ChristmasVille at Main Street Children’s Museum with exhibits inspired by the work of illustrator Vernon Grant.
Charlotte Career Discovery Day
Charlotte Convention Center
The City of Charlotte Housing & Neighborhood Services, Youth Programs will host its annual Charlotte Career Discovery Day in honor of National Career Development Month. This highly engaging event features local businesses and universities with hands-on experiences designed to expose high school students to emerging careers in diverse sectors.
Santa’s Workshop at Blakeney
Blakeney Shopping Centers
Visit Santa’s brand new workshop on the Village Green at Blakeney Shopping Center this holiday season for portraits with Santa Claus. See website for dates and times. Santa’s Workshop will also host two pet-friendly Paws and Claus Saturdays on December 8 and 15.
Breakfast with Santa at Harris YMCA
Harris YMCA
Come for breakfast, crafts and pictures with Santa Claus. Register at the front desk.
Sugar Cookie Decorating
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Learn to edge, flood, and sprinkle your way to beautiful, professional-looking sugar cookies and take home some samples to enjoy.
Candy Cane Hunt and Paws with Claus
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Children can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, search the greenway for candy canes, and finish with s’mores over a campfire. There are two candy cane hunt sessions (10:00 a.m. and noon). Register online. There is a $10 suggested Paws with Claus sitting/portrait fee and an addition $5 special event parking fee.
Enchanted Forest Bash
Reedy Creek Nature Preserve
Stroll through the forest before enjoying hot chocolate while creating an ornament, handmade soaps and decorations as a family to celebrate the holiday season. Parents are required to stay with children.
Christmas at Whispering Hope Farm
Whispering Hope Farm
Visit the animals, ride a horse, enjoy some hot coco and meet Santa. Bring a letter to be mailed off to the North Pole. Ticket sales end 30 minutes after the start of the event. Cash only.
Great Gingerbread Candy Hunt
Downtown Concord
Free horse-drawn wagon rides for young and old, alike. Children can participate in a Gingerbread Candy Hunt by visiting participating businesses along Union Street collecting edible decorations to create a gingerbread house to take home. Reservations strongly suggested.
Storytime and Activities Featuring How to Catch a Snowman
Barnes and Noble, Birkdale
Join Barnes and Noble for a special story time event with story and activities, and get a coupon from the Café for a grilled cheese sandwich with milk or juice for $4.
Cookies and Cocoa with Santa and Market
Metropolitan
Enjoy a train ride, face painters, balloon artists, live holiday music and free photos with Santa. Do not miss delicious cookies and hot cocoa, and parents cannot miss samples from Metropolitan’s restaurants, shopping and wine tastings.
Hanukkah Extravaganza
Levine Jewish Community Center
Join the Levine JCC for an exciting time with lots of food, friends and fun. Enjoy Hanukkah games, songs and crafts. Pizza, latkes and refreshments will be served. Registration required.
Hanukkah Storytime
Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville
Enjoy storytime with ‘I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Dreidel’ by Caryn Yacowitz at the Town Hall Stage and then head to I CAN Create to make crafts and play some games.
Soothing Santa
Northlake Mall
Soothing and sensory-friendly event for children with special needs allows families to experience a time-honored tradition with Santa in Tinsel Town at Grand Court. Families are encouraged to reserve a time between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Sensory Sensitive Sundays at Chuck E. Cheese
Chuck E. Cheese
The restaurant opens early to cater to families of children with special needs. Families can expect smaller crowds, reduced lighting and noise, food and games, and specially-trained staff.
Caring Santa
SouthPark Mall
Caring Santa is a private event designed for children and young adults with special needs and their families to have an opportunity to visit Santa and have their photos taken. SouthPark has made necessary adjustments to the environment to support the sensory, physical and other developmental needs of children of all abilities for this special event.
Don’t Miss
The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte – Dazzling Holiday Wonderland
Within the macaron tree forest lies a picturesque 12-foot-wide life-size gingerbread house. There’s also an eco-friendly tree created with 789 recycled green plastic bottles, and small-scale versions of the lobby gingerbread house available for purchase at Bar Cocoa, and at the dessert shop you can also order “build-able” cookies.
*Images sourced from Facebook/website of events listed or free site
