2014 Triangle Christmas Parades, Tree Lightings, & Holiday Concerts!

The Angus Barn at Christmas ~ Raleigh, NC

I know it is still November but Christmas events like the 2014 Raleigh Christmas Parade and the North Hills tree lighting are set to kick off this Saturday (Nov. 22nd) and the ice skating rinks in Raleigh and Durham will be open this weekend too. With that in mind I thought now would be a good time to share my annual list of events scheduled in the Triangle for the 2014 holiday season. There is so much going I’m sure I missed a few. If you have any to add to the list please leave a comment below or shoot me and email and I will do my best to add it to the list. Happy Holidays!!

Parades

• Raleigh Christmas Parade – Nov. 22nd
• Apex Christmas Parade – Dec. 6th
• Durham Parkwood Christmas Parade – Dec. 6th
• Garner Christmas Parade – Dec. 6th
• Hillsborough Holiday Parade – Dec. 6th
• Knightdale Christmas Parade – Dec. 6th
• Fuquay-Varina Christmas Parade – Dec. 7th
• Pittsboro Christmas Parade – Dec. 7th
• Cary Christmas Parade – Dec. 13th
• Holly Springs Christmas Parade – Dec. 13th
• Chapel Hill / Carrboro Holiday Parade – Dec. 13th
• Wake Forest Christmas Parade – Dec. 13th
• Holly Springs Christmas Parade – Dec. 13th
• Clayton Christmas Parade – Dec. 14th

Tree Lightings

• Wendell Lighting of Town Square – Nov. 22nd
• Waverly Place Cary Tree Lighting – Nov. 22nd
• North Hills Tree Lighting – Nov. 22nd
• Chapel Hill Community Tree Lighting – Nov. 30th
• Clayton’s Live Village and Tree Lighting – Dec. 4th
• Fuquay Varina Tree Lighting & Sleigh Rides – Dec. 4th
• Garner’s “Light up on Main” – Dec. 5th
• Knightdale Tree Lighting – Dec. 5th
• Lighting of Wake Forest – Dec. 5th
• Apex Tree Lighting – Dec. 5th
• Hillsborough Tree Lighting Ceremony – Dec. 6th
• American Tobacco Campus Lucky Strike Tower Lighting – Dec. 5th
• Raleigh City-Plaza Winterfest & Tree Lighting – Dec. 6th
• Cary Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – Dec. 6th
• State Capital Tree Lighting – Dec. 11th
• Holly Springs Tree Lighting – Dec. 12th

Christmas Concerts / Performances

• Raleigh Boychoir Christmas Concerts – Multiple Locations
• Trans Siberian Orchestra – PNC Arena Nov. 22nd
• The Snowman – Duke Energy Center Nov. 26-27th
• Nutcracker Ballet – DPAC Nov. 28-30th
• Holiday Pops NC Symphony – Duke Energy Center Nov. 28-29th
• Rudolph Broadway Series – Duke Energy Cenrer Nov. 28th Dec. 24th
• Mannheim Steamroller Christmas – DPAC Dec. 2nd
• Anthony Hamilton – Home for the Holidays – DPAC Dec. 3rd
• Cirque Dreams Holidaze – Duke Energy Center Dec. 3-7th
• Bassmass – Duke Energy Center Dec. 6th
• Kenny G Holiday Concert – DPAC Dec. 7th
• Raleigh Concert Band Christmas Concert – Unitarian Fellowship Dec. 7th
• Nutcracker NC Ballet – UNC Memorial Hall Dec 6th & 7th
• Jazz for the Holidays – UNC Memorial Hall Dec. 8th
• Master Chorale “Joy of the Season” – Duke Energy Center Dec. 9th
• Holly Springs Community Band Christmas Concert – Cultural Center Dec. 11th
• Durham Community Band Holiday Concert – Durham Dec. 11th & 18th
• Triangle Brass Band Holiday Favorites – Wake Forest Dec. 13th
• Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus Concert – Dec. 13th & 14th
• Nixon, Blevins, & Gage Pickin’ On Christmas – Dec. 14th
• Raleigh Ringers Concert – Duke Energy Center – Dec. 14 & 15th
• A Christmas Carol – Duke Energy Center – Dec. 10th -14th
• Home for the Holidays Army Band – Duke Energy Center – Dec. 17th
• Pink Martini Christmas Symphony – Duke Energy Center Dec. 19-20th
• Irish Christmas Concert – Tir Na Nog Irish Pub – Dec. 20th
• A Christmas Carol – DPAC Dec. 18th & 21st
• Nutcracker Ballet – Duke Energy Center – Dec. 19-28th
• A Christmas Carol – Hillsborough Dec. 18th & 19th
• Nutcracker on Ice – Hillsborough Dec. 19th & 20th

Holiday Historic Home Tours

• Apex Historic Home Tour – Dec. 7th
• The Hillsborough Candlelight Home Tour – Dec. 7th 
• Duke Homestead Christmas by Candlelight – Dec. 13th 7-9pm
• Historic Oakwood Candlelight Tour – Dec. 13-14th 1-7pm
• Chapel Hill Holiday House Tour– Dec. 6th
• Historic Wendell Candlelight Tour – Dec. 21st 2-5pm
• Mordecai Holiday Open House – Dec. 14th & 15th
• Holiday Lantern Tour in Mordecai Historic Park – Dec. 14th 5pm

Holiday Ice Skating

• Ice Skating at American Tobacco Campus – Nov. 20th – Feb. 15th
• Raleigh Winterfest Ice Skating Rink (Daily) – Nov. 22nd – Jan. 1st

Other Holiday Events

• Wendell Wonderland Light Display – Nov. 22nd – Dec. 31st
• Airlie Gardens Lights – Wilmington Nov. 28th – Dec. 22nd
• Gingerbread Village Display – Carolina Inn Dec. 1-31st
• Raleigh Winterfest Festival – City Plaza Dec. 6th
• Durham Fun Fest – Durham Central Park Dec. 6th
• Sleigh Rides & Cider at Oak View Park – Dec. 6th
• Christmas at Stagville Historic Site – Dec. 6th
• Santa Train at Museum of Life & Science – Durham (various dates)
• Holiday Fun Fest at Durham Central Park – Dec. 7th 1-5 pm
• Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge – Dec. 5th – Jan. 41th

Holiday Markets – Shop Local!

The fine folks at Carolina Parent have put together a nice list of holiday markets throughout the Triangle. You can see their full schedule of markets here. Two of my favorites are the Boylan Heights Artwalk in Raleigh on Dec. 7th and the Saxapahaw Holiday Market (Dec 8-9th).