The Queen City lights up when the air is at its frostiest—both figuratively and literally. Check out 4 ways to celebrate the holidays in Charlotte.
Tai Saint-Louis•Oct 21, 2025
If you’ve been paying attention to travel trends, then you already know that the city of Charlotte, NC has emerged as one of the preferred destinations in the South. Especially if you’re looking for big vibes, complete with soulful culture, without the noise.
That expertly curated energy, which seems to have been cultivated with the support of all Charlotte’s creatives and business owners, doesn’t end when the temperatures cool. On the contrary! The Queen City lights up when the air is at its frostiest—both figuratively and literally. Check out four ways to celebrate the holidays and all things winter in Charlotte.
1. Bring In The Season With Community:
Whether you’re looking for family-friendly fun or a single event that can satisfy multiple interests, Charlotte has a winter festival that will perfectly suit your needs. A mainstay in the area is WinterFest at Carowinds, which this year, runs from November 28 to January 3. From theme park-like attractions to dinners and live entertainment, this is a great option to beat the cabin fever that sometimes hits during a multi-generational family vacation.
Just as the day wraps at Carowinds, the fun at Truist Park will just be revving up, as the Light The Knights Festival returns during almost the exact same dates— and ending January 4. In addition to a holiday market and lights, Light The Knights brings winter sports to the Queen City, with snow tubing, ice skating, hockey and more.
Starting the week before Thanksgiving, Charlotte Motor Speedway transforms into Speedway Christmas, a drive-thru holiday light show featuring more than 5 million lights on a four-mile course that takes over the race track. Along the way, the path is sprinkled with activities like Santa’s Workshop, a race car selfie station, and a lighted tree pathway. Or you can have a similar experience, in a more intimate setting at Ballantyne’s Backyard with a more recent Charlotte tradition: the 4th Annual Carolina Holiday Spectacular.
2. Stand Only For The Ovations
If you prefer your holiday fun indoors, with assigned seating, Charlotte is the perfect destination in which to join in the time-honored tradition of holiday shows. Each holiday season, Charlotte Ballet presents a classic rendition of The Nutcracker at Uptown Charlotte’s Belk Theater. If you’re looking for something a little more modern, grab your tickets for Soulful Noel, which returns to Booth Playhouse on December 22 and 23. Or keep the entertainment a little more impromptu with a night out at Middle C Jazz, The Jazz Room, Eighty Eights or any of the other local spots where musicians come together to jam.
3. What Could Be Better Than A Themed Event?
How about one complete with craft cocktails meant to make the most festive time of the year a little more fun? Not only will you find a variety of themed holiday bars in Charlotte this winter, each is sure to give you its own spin on things. Supperland Speakeasy, for example, brings old-school supper clubs back with multiple dinner pairing events throughout the season. Merchant & Trade lets you curate a rooftop dinner for up to 10 people in your own private heated igloo. BackStage Lounge, which elevates the “neighborhood speakeasy” theme year-round transforms into a Miracle starting November 20, allowing those holiday dreams to feel closer to home. There’s even something for the Scrooge in you at Humbug, which puts a twist on the theme by celebrating Krampus instead of Jolly Old St. Nick.
4. The Other* Reason For The Season
Whether you love the idea of exchanging gifts with those who are nearest and dearest to you, or you simply can’t pass up a good bargain, there’s no denying that the holiday season has become pretty synonymous with shopping. And even in this day and age, where convenience is king, there’s nothing like discovering a local creator or a uniquely handcrafted gift that you may never see again in your lifetime.
Charlotte has mastered the art of expertly positioning small businesses to win during the holidays with events like the seasonal VTGCLT Market. Short for Vintage Charlotte, this incubator not only works with small businesses to help them scale and grow, but also centers its operations around creating and nurturing a sense of community for its partner vendors. Other experiences like the Black-Owned Holiday Marketplace, Mistletoe Market at Camp North End, and the Southern Christmas Show bring together the best of the region and the season. And for the luxury girlies, SouthPark Mall is home to brands like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Lacoste and more.
Don’t just take our word for it! Head over to charlottesgotalot.com to check out more of what the Queen City has to offer and start packing for your Southern Winter Wonderland experience!
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