🎡 Light shows, drive-throughs & attractions
WinterFest
The premier holiday festival in the Carolinas transforms the Carowinds amusement park with lights, festive live shows (including the Tinker's Toy Factory holiday musical), up to 29 rides and attractions open for winter, Santa visits, cookie
Holidays at the Garden
Millions of lights across the botanical garden's paths, a Four Seasons light show, dancing fountains, the towering Orchid Tree photo spot, live music in the Great Hall, marshmallow-roasting fires, food trucks, Santa visits and trackless tra
Christmas at the Library
Free evening Christmas event on the Billy Graham Library grounds: lights and decor, a live nativity with camel, donkey and lambs, horse-drawn carriage rides around the grounds, nightly carolers, story time every 30 minutes, holiday treats a
Winter at Whitewater
The outdoor adventure center's winter season features a free illuminated Winter Trail through the woods around the canyon with suspension bridges, the Southeast's largest outdoor ice rink (24,000 sq ft with an on-ice Airstream serving drink
Kannapolis Celebration of Lights
More than 250,000 lights fill Village Park nightly through the season, with a walk-through display, the Winterland Express train ride through the lights, a carousel, marshmallow roasting, Santa's studio and the Leonard Bearstein Symphony Or
Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular
A half-mile walk-through of over 1 million lights with 25+ interactive scenes, oversized snow globes with nightly ballerina performances, an Ice Castle with princess carriage, Santa on site nightly through Dec 23, a holiday village with bou
Light the Knights Festival
The Charlotte Knights' uptown ballpark becomes a holiday festival with an NHL-sized outdoor ice rink, a 10-lane 150-foot snow tubing hill in right field, themed walk-through areas (Mrs. Claus's Kitchen, Winter Wonderland, Santa's Workshop),
Christmas Light Extravaganza
Over a million lights turn downtown Kings Mountain's Patriots Park into a walk-through storybook wonderland each night of the season. The display is dedicated to Katie and Grady Costner, the couple who originally designed the lights, and an
Arbor Hills Holiday Festival
A privately owned 112-acre tree farm and event venue in western Rowan County whose holiday festival features over 1 million lights, lighted walking trails (including a 1/3-mile illuminated trail), the 35-foot, 8-lane, 190-foot 'Cold Mountai
ChristmasVille
An award-winning four-day holiday festival that fills Old Town Rock Hill with nearly 70 events: Santa's arrival at the opening ceremony, horse-drawn carriage rides, historic tours, strolling Dickens carolers, art, theater, dance, music, a g
Christmas in Davidson
The Town of Davidson's signature three-night event, 6-9 p.m. nightly: Santa's arrival and tree lighting on the Town Green opening night, a holiday light show, roving entertainment, live nativity scenes, bubble snowflakes, an artisan village
Pirates Christmas
A pirate-and-nautical-themed miniature golf course that transforms into a glowing treasure chest for the holidays: lights covering the pirate ship and reflecting off the water, snowfall effects, projection videos, a human-sized snow globe p
🏠 Decorated home displays
Michaud Family Christmas
A roughly 15-minute sequenced light show that repeats through the evening; best viewed with parking on the opposite side of Selwyn Avenue
Royal Tern Drive Light Show
Home display synchronized to music broadcast over a car-radio FM station
Thurmond Place Candyland Christmas
Candyland-themed yard display that COTC notes is 'great during the day too'
Selwyn Avenue Light and Music Show
A roughly 15-minute lights-and-music show cycling 5:30-10 p.m. nightly; best view from the driveway, with street parking on Selwyn Avenue
Lights on Bosson
10,000 LED pixels synchronized to music on 90.1 FM, with a website jukebox where visitors pick the next song
Burrage Road Light Show
Light show on 88.9 FM beginning every half hour; Sun-Thu 5:30-9 p.m., Fri-Sat 5:30-10 p.m.
Christian Family Lights
Home light show synchronized to music on 93.9 FM
Hard Family Christmas Lights
Fully synchronized light show on 91.5 FM in the Moss Creek neighborhood, with occasional candy cane handouts
Lights on Indian Beech
Thousands of lights and singing bulbs set to music on 87.9 FM
Isaac Alexander DIY Christmas Display
Thousands of lights plus giant hand-made props built by a DIY YouTuber who posts build tutorials
Baltray Road Christmas Lights
Homeowner-submitted yard display featured with photo in COTC's 2025 roundup
Rounding Run Road Christmas Lights
Homeowner-submitted yard display featured with photo in COTC's 2025 roundup
Sunstone Circle Sleigh Display
Life-sized sleigh and reindeer that visitors can sit in for photos; 2024 Charlotte Five holiday light contest winner
Westmoreland Road Christmas Lights
Nightly display lit 5:30 to 9:15 p.m. unless there is heavy rain or wind
Gibson Family Light Show
Over 40,000 synchronized LED lights dancing to music on 89.1 FM in the Wyndham Shores neighborhood
Lights at Chesapeake Pointe
Over 18,000 pixels choreographed to an approximately 22-minute show transmitted over FM radio
Jordan Family Lights
Synchronized show on FM 107.1 with an on-site QR code so visitors can choose from a large list of songs
Jones Family Holiday Lights
About one hundred figurines each with its own story - deer pond, dog park, land of misfit toys, penguin ice hockey rink - plus a walking trail through the yard
Greenman Family Lights
Family yard display featured with photo in COTC's 2025 roundup
Grafham Circle Christmas Lights
Homeowner-submitted yard display featured with photo in COTC's 2025 roundup
Gilbraltar Street Walking Path Display
Front- and back-yard display with a walking path; park in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street for the full experience
Nikita's Christmas Wonderland
Walk-through village of hand-made lighted buildings
Christmas on the Farm
Free walk-through display across 2 lighted acres of a 5-acre horse farm, with miniature horses, a donkey and an alpaca
High Flying Lights
Over 60,000 lights synchronized to 15+ songs on 92.5 FM or the PulseMesh phone app, nightly sundown-10 p.m.; a whimsical Halloween show that transforms into the Christmas show each November
Lights on Bluebonnet Lane
Four songs running with synchronized lights; schedule posted on the family's Facebook page
Isenhour Lights
A roughly 28-minute show fully synchronized to music
Duncan Family Christmas Light Show
Nightly light show starting at 5:30 p.m.; 2025 season opened Nov 21
Ridgehaven Road Snowing Light Show
Over 25,000 pixels with more than 2.5 hours of music on 93.3 FM, nightly artificial snow, and a Santa mailbox for kids' letters
Schweitzer's Winter Wonderland
Lights to music on 89.1 FM from 5 to 10 p.m., a Santa mailbox that Santa answers, and a sit-in sleigh photo op (stay within the fenced area)
Drayton Lane Light and Music Show
A two-hour light and music show: 5:40-9:10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, until 10:10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Lights on 13th Street
Over 15,000 pixel lights synchronized to music on 93.9 FM, with a Remote Falcon web jukebox where visitors help choose the songs
Christmas on the Hill
Three neighboring houses in the Bainbridge neighborhood running a display synchronized to music on 94.5 FM
Home locations are shown approximately in the Noelly app to respect residents — please be courteous, keep the street clear, and follow posted hours.
✨ Famous light streets & neighborhoods
Pleasant Street Holiday Lights (Belmont)
Neighboring homes on the 400 block in a friendly holiday decorating competition — one known for a towering lit evergreen, others for figurines; a longtime Belmont landmark stretch