The holiday season is kicking off across the Tar Heel State with lots of fun things happening to pencil in on the calendar.
Below are some of the events happening around North Carolina this weekend.
Carowinds transforms into a winter wonderland once again as Winterfest returns for 2024.
The theme park invites everyone to celebrate the holiday season with an immersive experience featuring ice skating, live entertainment, holiday inspired food and beverages and a wide array of family friendly activities and attractions.
And when the evening is done, don’t miss the nightly Winterfest Wonderland Parade with beautifully decorated floats, festive music and performers.
Winterfest kicks off Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 and continues through Jan. 4, 2025. For tickets, times and more information, click here.
Kannapolis Celebration of Lights
Hundreds of thousands of lights will light up the night in Village Park as the annual event gets underway Saturday, Nov. 16.
Everyone is invited to board the Winterland Express train, take a spin on the Double Decker Carousel, roast marshmallows, make holiday crafts and shop the holiday marketplace while enjoying live entertainment as the event continues through Dec. 30.
Park admission is free. Tickets for the train and carousel rides are $2 per person.
The Chinese Lantern Festival kicks off Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 and continues through Jan. 12, 2025.
Hosted by the Koka Booth Ampitheatre in the Town of Cary, guests can enjoy beautiful light displays throughout the holiday season and take in nightly traditional Chinese stage performances.
For more information and tickets, click here.
The largest Christmas show in North America returns to the Charlotte Expo Center Thurs. Nov. 14 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 24.
Shop unique holiday gifts while supporting hundreds of local artisans and vendors, sip a wide selection of delicious wines and get inspired from a wide selection of holiday decor.
You can find more information and get tickets to this holiday tradition by clicking here.
Get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at unrestored areas of the Battleship North Carolina this weekend. The unique tour takes place just four times throughout the year, with the last tour casting off Saturday, Nov. 16.
The tour is organized into small groups, which take participants into areas in the bow, third deck and below, as well as the superstructure, including all the way to the very top. According to the website, the program does require climbing ladders, crossing high hatches and going through tight and confined spaces. You must be 16 years or older to participate.
Tours take place from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $60 per person and sell out fast, according to the website.
Taste wines from nine different wineries in Yadkin Valley, North Carolina's mini "Napa Valley."
The tour started Nov. 1 and will run through Dec. 31.
Tickets are $100 but can be shared between two people. A ticket includes a visit and tasting of five wines (1 oz. pours) or a flight of four wines (2 oz. pours) at all nine of the participating wineries. Each ticket also includes a custom ornament from each winery.
Event organizers recommend checking each winery's hours of operation and private event closings before traveling to the winery.
Participating wineries include:
- Brandon Hills Vineyards
- Cellar 4201
- Dobbins Creek Vineyards
- Divine Llama Vineyards
- Hanover Park Vineyards
- Midnight Magdalena Vineyards
- Sanders Ridge Vineyards
- Shadow Springs Vineyards
- Windsor Run Cellars
Grab a turkey leg and take a step back in time! The Carolina Renaissance Festival is going on in Huntersville Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"Adventure awaits with games and rides, valiant jousting knights on horseback, majestic falconry, beautiful mermaids and fairies, friendly dragons, feasting, and so much more," event organizers posted.
With over 140 vendors, there's jewelry and arts and crafts available at the event's open-air market, and the opportunity to rent a costume for the day. Event-style food, like bread bowls, and beverages are available too. From tomato-tossing to a jousting show, entertainment is scattered through the park.
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time. Event organizers said they often sell out. Children under age 4 are free.
Five North Carolina state park sites that had been closed since Helene moved through have reopened. Crowders Mountain State, Gorges State Park, Grandfather Mountain State Park, Lake Norman State Park and Rendezvous Mountain State Park are now open again.
Related article: Five state parks reopened in western North Carolina after catastrophic Helene