This is a strange year and Christmas may not look like it usually does, but there are still lots of fun ways to celebrate with your family this holiday season! See below for our list of in-person holiday events happening in Raleigh, Durham, and across the triangle! 🎄
Contactless Visit with Santa at the Mall
Streets of Southpoint in Durham is offering virtual and in-person, contactless visits with Santa this year starting November 20th through December 24th. You must reserve your spot online in advance.
Triangle town center is also offering scheduled visits with Santa. Book your spot here.
Photos with Santa at Brier Creek
Brier Creek Commons would like to invite you to visit and bring a letter to Santa on Saturday, December 5!
Children and their families will have the opportunity to have a safe, socially distanced visit with Santa. After the visit, families will receive a photo, a special gift and the chance to drop off their letter in Santa’s mailbox.
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. One reservation is required per family. The reservation fee is $10. Proceeds will benefit Families Together, a local charity in Raleigh, NC.
Learn More: bit.ly/BrierCreekHoliday
Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops
This holiday tradition for many is continuing this year in a safe and responsible way. Visits with Santa can be reserved online in advance up to a week out, from November 7th through December 24. Santa will be behind clear plexiglass so no contact is made, but you can still get that FREE family photo!
Winter Wonderland with Goats at Spring Haven farm
Upon your arrival at Spring Haven farm you’ll be transported to a magical Winter Wonderland. Hunt through the Christmas Tree forest to find your very own freshly cut tree to bring home. During your search, join your kids and hop on the Polar Express Tractor Train ride tricked out with shimmering lights and sleigh bells. You must reserve your spot online in advance at https://www.springhaven.farm/scheduled-visits
Youngsville Christmas parade
This year, the Youngsville Christmas Parade will be held on December 5, 2020. The town Christmas tree lighting ceremony will also be held from 4:30-7pm on Friday, December 4, 2020. Get parade route info here.
Carolina Ballet presents The Nutcracker
This beloved holiday tradition has gone virtual this year, but this means even more people can access the thrill of the theater from the comfort of their own home. WRAL will be filming a special performance of Carolina Ballet’s The Nutcracker and broadcasting it on December 25th at 7pm. Be sure to tune in!
Christmas with the Kringles at Millstone Creek Orchard
Join us for a holly, jolly Christmas adventure where your family can create cherished memories and celebrate the holiday season in a safe, outdoor space with the Kringles. Reservations must be made 12 hours in advance of your visit as there will be no same day online reservations.
Your Christmas with the Kringles adventure includes:
- A visit with Santa
- Reindeer Food Creation with Mrs. Claus
- Christmas Hayride with Light Show (Masks required on hayride at all times)
- We have decreased hayride occupancy by 50% for the safety of our guests.
- Family S’more Roasting
Hours and Pricing:
- November 27th & 28th: 4-8pm | $15.95/person (Kids 2 & Under are free)
- December 5th (6-9pm), 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd: 4-8pm | $15.95/person (Kids 2 & Under are free)
Holidays at 1870 Farms (SOLD-OUT)
Enjoy 1.5 hours of access the farm transformed into a festive winter wonderland! Meet Santa (all children get a gift), pet festive animals (from goats to Llamas), take a candy cane from our peppermint forest (COVID-friendly chute), meet some of your favorite holiday characters and enjoy s’mores & hot apple cider.
Every family will get a pre-made “Christmas kit” with s’mores, sticks, tickets to exchange for hot apple cider and your animal feed. In an effort to use less single-use wrapping, we will customize & combine these items in one package per family/ticket order.
Deck the Halls at Old Mill Farms
Enjoy farm time with the family this holiday season! Reach weekend in December, visit with Santa and his festively-friendly animal helpers, get a stocking full of gifts, and wander around the decorated winter wonderland. Children’s tickets are required for all children 2 and older and include a stocking stuffed with gifts, feed for the animals, hot chocolate/apple cider, and a socially-distant visit with Santa, in addition to one hour of farm access. Adult tickets are required for entry and include feed for the animals, hot chocolate/apple cider, and one hour of farm access. Each event time slot is limited to 40 tickets to comply with NCDHHS outdoor gathering limits. Masks will be required for all participants aged five and older.
Santa at Bumble Brews
Join Bumble Brews each weekend in December for a one-hour session with Santa! The kids will have plenty of time with Santa, plus any remaining time in the play space. Only 10 tickets available per time slot (adults free).
Festive Flix
Ring in the holiday season with a drive-in movie! Raleigh Parks is excited to announce a brand-new drive-in movie experience ‘Festive Flix’ the first two weekends of December. Moviegoers of all ages will enjoy seeing their favorite holiday classics on the big screen. Refreshments will be available for purchase at one of our food trucks. Tickets are $5 per car and must be pre-purchased on Reclink.
The gates open at 6pm and the film starts at 7:00pm. Guests are required to wear masks when leaving their designated parking space.
Festive Flix Full Schedule:
- Friday, December 4, 2020,
Location: Spring Forest Road Park,
Movie: Grinch *This movie will be available in English and Spanish* - Saturday, December 5, 2020
Location: Spring Forest Road Park, 4203 Spring Forest Road
Movie: Elf - Friday, December 11, 2020
Location: Anderson Point Park, 20 Anderson Point Dr, Raleigh
Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life - Saturday, December 12, 2020
Location: Anderson Point Park, 20 Anderson Point Drive, Raleigh
Movie: The Polar Express
Jolly Raleigh Scavenger Hunt
Join Raleigh Parks this holiday season to participate in a festive self-guided scavenger hunt with your family! Explore Raleigh as you search for unique holiday light displays located at 12 of our Raleigh Parks sites.
First, Register online via RecLink using the barcode 269771. When you register, you’ll receive an email with a link to all the scavenger hunt clues. Solve the clues to guide you to hidden light displays located at 12 Raleigh Parks sites. The scavenger hunt can be completed in any order and at any time at your own pace between December 1-12 from 2 to 7 p.m. daily. At each site you will find a link to a holiday surprise! As a bonus, all scavenger hunt participants will be entered into a raffle to win a Holiday Express 2021 prize package.
Christmas Light Displays
Christmas light hayrides at Lazy Hound farms
Admission to the farm is FREE this winter. Come enjoy the animals and playground. Animal food is available to purchase in the ticket office, as well as hot chocolate and concessions.
Christmas light hay rides are operating and cost is $8 per person, 2 and under are free. Santa will be available for pictures on Saturdays.
Hill Ridge Farms drive-thru Festival of Lights
This year’s Festival of Lights looks a bit different than in year’s past. Immerse yourself in the magical lights on a mile-long trail throughout the farm from the comfort of your vehicle. There will be no country store or hayrides this year and everyone must stay inside their vehicle. The festival begins Thanksgiving Night (11/26) and runs nightly from 5:30pm-10pm until December 27th.
The entire trail will have lighted guide lines on each side and you will turn off your headlights while still keeping your parking lights on to ensure safe travel throughout the lights. Cost is $20 per vehicle and you will pay upon arrival.
The Lights of North Hills
Come visit the first ever Lights of North Hills holiday event! Every night for two weeks, make your way to The Commons for a holiday light show that runs every 30 minutes! Running December 4 to December 11, The first show begins at 6pm with the final show starting at 10pm.
Town of Cary Christmas Tree Lighting
On Saturday, December 5th at 6pm, head over to Cary Town Hall for their official Christmas tree lighting! This festive night features actors, singers, and musicians from the community.
Nights of Lights at Dorothea Dix Park
Dorothea Dix park is hosting Nights of Lights, a 1.3 mile drive-through holiday light show for the whole family. Nights of Lights will operate nightly from December 16th through December 31st, 2020, closed on Christmas Day. Timed entry tickets must be purchased online in advance for $15 per car, or $30 per 9+ passenger vehicles. The show will typically run from 5:30pm to 11pm most nights and your ticket gives you a 30 minute window to arrive.
Piper’s lights
Piper Lights is a local, family-run Christmas light display located at 5725 Fixit Shop Road, Wake Forest. They started with a tiny manger scene 30 years ago and now feature 7 acres of lights. Usually they have a candy store and free train ride through the lights, but this year it will be a drive thru event only. You must stay in your car to enjoy the lights. We anticipate large crowds so please be patient and be prepared to wait on busy nights. Traffic can be heavy and is one-way.
The lights will open daily starting November 27, 2020 through January 1, 2021. The Christmas lights are on 7 days a week on Sunday-Thursday from 5:30-9pm, Friday and Saturday from 5:30-10:00pm. Admission is always free, but donations are greatly appreciated. All donations go to light repairs and the electric bill. Please check their Facebook page for the latest updates.
Lake Myra Christmas Lights Show
A city block in Wendell is transformed into a captivating light show set to music. Opening Night is Wednesday, November 25th (the night before Thanksgiving Day), and the show will run until December 31st. Hours are Sunday-Thursday 5:30pm-10pm, Friday and Saturday 5:30pm-11pm. Each show is FREE and will run 25 minutes with a 5 minute intermission between shows. If there are large crowds waiting the night you come, please maintain current regulations and feel free to walk around town and come back and see another show. If you would like to stay in your vehicle, tune into 103.3 FM to hear the music.
Lights on the Neuse
The 2020 Season at Boyette Family Farms will look slightly different, but you can still take a 20 minute hayride through the lights, get a Santa photo, and enjoy concessions. Santa will be keeping his distance, but still able to hear children’s request and take photos. You will need to bring your own camera as they will not be taking any photos. You must purchase timed entry tickets in advance. They will not have cookie decorating, the 3D house, or seasonal candy this year.
Fieldstream Farm Christmas Lights
The 2020 Light Show runs from November 21st to December 31st and you must purchase timed entry tickets online in advance. This is a drive thru event and cars that hold less than 8 passengers are $20.
Mangum Family Lights
7510 Guess Road, Hillsborough NC
https://www.facebook.com/MangumLights/
A local family has decorated their home and set at least 53 songs synchronized to over 100,000 lights. The entire show, from beginning to end, lasts approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. At the conclusion of each show it repeats until the end time for each night. There are also several professional voice-overs, which provide information on the display and also provide serious messages and sometimes humor. The show will be starting sometime in November, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates.
Planter’s Walk Christmas Light Trail
Lynwood Road, Knightdale, NC
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Planters-Walk-Light-Show/472866419497432
Walk the greenway and view an entire neighborhood that decorates for Christmas!
Lights on Cedar
206 W. Cedar Ave, Wake Forest, North Carolina
https://www.facebook.com/Lights-On-Cedar-300932166981558/
The Wright family has decorated multiple properties with lights, sound, inflatables, and other bright Christmas Decorations. There is even a Santa’s workshop where Santa is available to visit and take pictures on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 6-8pm Dec. 4th- Dec. 20th!!
New Hope Valley Railway’s Santa’s Reindeer Roundup Express
Passengers will search for Santa’s nine missing reindeer (including Rudolph) along the tracks during their ride and in the rail yard. The trains and rail yard will be festively decorated and holiday scenes will be set up along the tracks. Santa will be on his sleigh (not on the train) for socially distanced family pictures. Tickets must be purchased online in advance.
N.C. Transportation Museum In Lights: A Drive Thru Experience
This first ever museum drive-thru offering will allow visitors to enjoy this historic site, illuminated by thousands of holiday lights, all from the comfort of their car. The museum’s historic structures and antique railroading equipment will be part of the scenery, shining like never before.
This 1.25 mile drive-thru experience is available for just $8 per car or $15 for 12-15 passenger vans, mini-buses or shuttle buses. Purchase tickets here.
Wilson’s Electric Light Fantasy: A Holiday Laser and Music Extravaganza
Imagine colorful laser beams dancing across the sky to a backdrop of gigantic spinning whirligigs. Add in holiday music, a little synchronization, and you have an extravaganza of sight and sound called Electric Light Fantasy…or ELF for short! Come see the show at the Wilson Whirligig Park on December 4-5, 2020 and December 11-12, 2020. Show times are 6 PM, 7 PM, 8 PM, and 9 PM. Tickets must be purchased in advance at $20 per vehicle. Get more info at: https://www.wilsonwhirligigpark.org/elf/
Before or after the show, visit Candyland Christmas in Historic Downtown Wilson where shops and restaurants transform into Candyland stops including Lollipop Forest, Ribbon Candy Haven, and the Gingerbread House. Stops will offer special holiday sales; fun activities such as ornament-making, cooking decorating or snow globe in a jar; giveaways, and yummy refreshments. Other special stops include Santa’s Sleigh in the Banker’s Plaza on Goldsboro Street, where a life-size sleigh is the perfect selfie or photo op for you, your friends or family, and the Candyland Christmas tree on the Courthouse Plaza!
We’ll be updating this list with any new events as we find them, so be sure to check it out throughout the month of December! Let us know in the comments if there are any events that should be added!