101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Charlotte - 2023
KidsOutAndAbout is Charlotte's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and please keep in mind that events could be canceled... so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
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Santa Sightings
Old-Time Christmas
Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2023 | Christmas at Billy Graham Library |
Dec 5, 2023 | Holidays at the Garden – Merry Krampus Night |
Dec 14, 2023 | 2023 Yule Log Ceremony at Christmas Town U.S.A. |
Light Displays
Holiday Races
Nov 22, 2023 | Bright Lights 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run |
Nov 25, 2023 | ChristmasTown 5K 2023 |
Dec 1 - 31, 2023 (Virtual) | Santa Hustle 2023 VIRTUAL |
Dec 9, 2023 | 2023 Jingle Bell Run - Charlotte, NC |
Dec 9, 2023 | We Believe - Santa 5K and Dog Jog |
Holiday Theatre
Multiple dates starting Nov 3, 2023 | The Real Christmas Story - NarroWay Productions |
Multiple dates starting Nov 17, 2023 | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical - Children's Theatre of Charlotte |
Nov 25 & 26, 2023 | Christmas with C S Lewis - Blumenthal Performing Arts |
Multiple dates starting Dec 7, 2023 | CLARA'S TRIP: A Cirque & Dance Nutcracker Story |
Multiple dates starting Dec 8, 2023 | Scrooge! The Musical - Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts |
Multiple dates starting Dec 8, 2023 | A Christmas Carol presented by Theatre Charlotte |
Multiple dates starting Dec 8, 2023 | Charlotte Ballet - NUTCRACKER |
Dec 9 &10, 2023 | Nutcracker (in a nutshell) presented by Open Door Studios |
Dec 20 - 23, 2023 | Cirque de Noël & Charlotte Symphony |
Dec 26 & 27, 2023 | The Hip Hop Nutcracker 2023 - Blumenthal Performing Arts |
Dec 27 & 28, 2023 | A Magical Cirque Christmas - Blumenthal Performing Arts |
Holiday Concerts
Nov 18, 2023 | 2023 Jazz at the Garden Holiday! featuring Kim Scott |
Nov 24 & 25, 2023 | ELF™ IN CONCERT - Charlotte Symphony |
Nov 25, 2023 | Rocky Mountain High Experience®, A John Denver Christmas - Blumenthal Performing Arts |
Nov 27, 2023 | A Motown Christmas - Blumenthal Performing Arts |
Nov 28, 2023 | MAJESTIC BRASS - Charlotte Symphony |
Nov 29, 2023 | Christmas with The Petersens - Blumenthal Performing Arts |
Dec 1 - 3, 2023 | Handel's Messiah - Charlotte Symphony |
Dec 2, 2023 | Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis - Blumenthal Performing Arts |
Dec 2, 2023 | ¡Celebra! with Criss Cross Mangosauce: A Bilingual Family Holiday Concert |
Dec 8, 2023 | Soulful Christmas - Charlotte Symphony |
Dec 15 - 17, 2023 | Holiday Pops - Charlotte Symphony |
Dec 20 - 23, 2023 | Cirque de Noel - Charlotte Symphony |
Dec 22 & 23, 2023 | Soulful Noel 2023 - Blumenthal Performing Arts |
Christmas Tree Experience
Multiple dates starting Nov 18, 2023 | Helms Christmas Tree Farm |
Multiple dates starting Nov 18, 2023 | Cedar Lake Tree Farm |
Multiple dates starting Nov 19, 2023 | Millstone Creek Orchards |
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | Penland Christmas Tree Farm - York, SC |
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | Cherry Place Farm |
Ice Skating
Multiple dates starting Nov 18, 2023 | Founders Holiday Ice Rink |
Seasonal | Ice Skating at United States National Whitewater Center |
Year Round | Extreme Ice Center |
Year Round | Pineville Ice House |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
Multiple dates starting Nov 9, 2023 | 2023 Southern Christmas Show |
Multiple dates starting Nov 11, 2023 | Mistletoe Markets at Millstone Creek Orchards |
Mutiple dates starting Nov 17, 2023 | Lincolnton's Annual Handmade for the Holidays |
Nov 18, 2023 | Holiday Pop Up Market at Ballantyne Village |
Postponed to 2024 | Charlotte Christmas Village |
November 24- 26, 2023 | Holiday Market 2023 - City of Kannapolis |
November 25, 2023 | Huntersville Holiday Market |
Nov 30 - Dec 2, 2023 | The Winter Wonderland Shop |
Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Pop-Up Marekt at Metropolitan |
Dec 2, 2023 | 2023 Winter Artisan Market at Anne Springs Close Greenway |
Dec 2, 2023 | Belmont's Christmas Village |
Dec 8, 2023 | A Classic Christmas in Mooresville |
Hanukkah
Dec 8, 2023 | Shabbat Evening Service - Celebrating Chanukah / Temple Beth El |
Dec 10, 2023 | Porch Southern Fried Chanukah |
Dec 13, 2023 | Menorah Lighting 2023 - Town of Waxhaw |
New Year's Eve
Dec 31, 2023 | 2023 Apple Drop NYE Street Party! - City of Lincolnton |
Dec 31, 2023 | New Years at Noon - NASCAR Hall of Fame |
Dec 31, 2023 | New Year’s Eve Trail Race |
Dec 31, 2023 | Countdown to Noon NYC Party - SAS Cupcakes |
Dec 31, 2023 | CLT NYE |
Miscellaneous
Nov 8, 2023 | Grinchmas Story Time at SAS Cupcakes |
Nov 15, 2023 | Wreath Making at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden |
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | Christmas Wreath Making Workshop at Millstone Creek Orchards |
Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2023 | Holiday Tea at The Ballantyne |
Dec 2 & 3, 2023 | Sugar Plum Tea Party at Open Door Studios |
Dec 3, 2023 | FREE Holiday Community Movie Night |
Dec 3, 2023 | Community Holiday Movie Night with Matthews United Methodist |
Dec 9, 2023 | Flashlight Candy Cane Dash - Town of Cornelius |
Dec 16, 2023 | Wreaths Across America 2023 - Town of Waxhaw |
Dec 24 & 25, 2023 | Christmas Meals at The Ballantyne |
Dec 26, 2023 | UNDECK the Hall! - NASCAR Hall of Fame |
Multiple dates starting Dec 26, 2023 | Winter Holiday Train Rides - North Carolina Transportation Museum |
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com and BeyondTheNest.com at ross@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!