2025 holiday events list for Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill: Christmas concerts, lights, trees, nativities, and more. . . plus activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve.
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!
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Santa Sightings
| Nov 1, 2025 |
Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 14, 2025 |
Pictures with Santa at The Streets at South Point |
| Nov 15, 2025 |
Free Professional Photos with Santa - Salem Baptist Preschool Holiday Market |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 17, 2025 |
Pet Picture Nights with Santa at The Streets at South Point |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 17, 2025 |
Letters to Santa - City of Mebane |
| Nov 22, 2025 |
81st ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade presented by Shop Local Raleigh |
| Nov 29 & 30, 2025 |
Merry Moo-mories: Highland Cow Photo Experience with the Kringles - Millstone Creek Orchards |
| Dec 3, 2025 |
Santa Cares: A Sensory-Friendly Visit - Town of Holly Springs, NC |
| Dec 3, 2025 |
Santa Paws at Fenton |
| Dec 5, 2025 |
Mebane Christmas Parade |
| Dec 6, 2025 |
Letters to Santa - Town of Fuquay-Varina, NC |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 6, 2025 |
Photos with Santa at Downtown Cary Park |
| Dec 7, 2025 |
53rd Annual Holiday Open House - High Point Museum |
| Dec 7, 2025 |
Santa Cares Day at The Streets at South Point |
| Dec 7, 2025 |
Pancakes & Pajamas with Santa & Mrs. Claus - Millstone Creek Orchards |
| Dec 9, 2025 |
Photos with Santa: Sensory-Friendly at Downtown Cary Park |
| Dec 11, 2025 |
Smithfield Christmas Parade |
| Dec 13, 2025 |
Happy Holly Days Christmas Parade - Town of Holly Springs, NC |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 15, 2025 |
Mornings with Mrs. Claus at Fenton |
Old-Time Christmas
Light Displays
| Nov 15, 2025 |
Lighting of the Tree - Lafayette Village |
| Nov 21, 2025 |
Raleigh Tree Lighting and Holiday Market |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 21, 2025 |
Meadow Lights - Benson, NC |
| Nov 22, 2025 |
Light the Square at Fenton |
| Nov 22, 2025 |
Christmas Tree Lighting & Holiday Movie Night - Downtown Mebane |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 28, 2025 |
Fieldstream Farm Festival of Lights Drive Thru |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 28, 2025 |
Lights On The Neuse 2025 |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 29, 2025 |
Christmas Lights On The Farm - Middlesex, NC |
| Dec 2, 2025 |
Christmas Celebration & Parade - Selma, NC |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 3, 2025 |
Holidays in the Park - Museum of Life + Science |
| Dec 4, 2025 |
Lights in Mineral Spring Park |
| Dec 4, 2025 |
Christmas Village & Tree Lighting - Clayton, NC |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 5, 2025 |
Illuminate Art Walk: Shining Light on North Carolina |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 7, 2025 |
Winter Wonderpark at High Point City Lake Park |
Holiday Races
| Nov 22, 2025 |
Turkey Leg 5K - Knightdale Station Park |
| Dec 6, 2025 |
2025 Reindeer Romp 5K |
| Dec 6, 2025 |
2025 Raleigh Jingle Bell Run - Arthritis Foundation |
| Dec 28, 2025 |
Last Mile - Fit & Able Productions |
| Dec 6, 2025 |
The Grinch- Stink, Stank, Stunk 5k Toy Run or Jingle Bell Jog - Smithfield, NC |
| Dec 13, 2025 |
Frosty Run 10k/5k |
| Dec 13, 2025 |
Reindeer Run 5K - Chatham County Partnership for Children |
Holiday Theatre
| Nov 14 & 15, 2025 |
Carolina Youth Ballet: Magical Nutcracker - Fletcher Opera Theater |
| Nov 23, 2025 |
NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet! - Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 26, 2025 |
Elf The Musical - Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 4, 2025 |
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by the Cary Players Community Theatre Company |
| Dec 5 & 7, 2025 |
Peter Rabbit Christmas - Downtown Cary Park |
| Dec 5 - 7, 2025 |
Theatre in the Park's A Christmas Carol |
| Dec 6, 2025 |
Cary Ballet Company - The Nutcracker |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 11, 2025 |
The Nutcracker: Presented by Carolina Ballet |
| Dec 12 - 14, 2025 |
The Nutcracker 2025 - Fuquay-Varina Arts Center |
| Dec 22 & 23, 2025 |
Clara's Trip: A Cirque & Dance Nutcracker Story |
Holiday Concerts
| Nov 22, 2025 |
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Tour at Crown Theatre |
| Nov 22, 2025 |
Home For the Holidays with Gerald Parker Jazz Orchestra |
| Nov 26, 2025 |
The Embers Christmas at Fuquay-Varina Arts Center |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 26, 2025 |
Cirque Holiday Pops - NC Symphony |
| Dec 5 & 6, 2025 |
Handel Messiah - NC Symphony |
| Dec 5 & 6, 2025 |
Fuquay-Varina Chorale Holiday: Snow |
| Dec 9, 2025 |
NC Master Chorale - Joy of the Season |
| Dec 12 & 13, 2025 |
Holiday Pops Concert - NC Symphony |
| Dec 14 & 15, 2025 |
The Raleigh Ringers - Holiday Concerts |
| Dec 18, 2025 |
Icons of Jazz: My Favorite Things at Fuquay-Varina Arts Center |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 19, 2025 |
A Candlelight Christmas with the North Carolina Symphony Holiday Brass - NC Symphony |
Christmas Tree Experience
Ice Skating
Hanukkah
Kwanzaa
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Nov 17 - 20, 2025 |
Holiday Market at Lyon Park Center |
| Nov 22 & 23, 2025 |
The Durham Art Walk Holiday Market |
| Dec 6, 2025 |
High Point Holiday Stroll |
| Dec 6, 2025 |
Durham German Holiday Market |
| Dec 6, 2025 |
MAKRS Holiday Fest 2025 |
| Dec 7, 2025 |
Jingle Paws Market at Fred Fletcher Park |
| Dec 7, 2025 |
Jul Jubilee: Norse Winter Market |
| Dec 11 - 14, 2025 |
Moore Square Winterfaire |
| Dec 12 & 13, 2025 |
18th Annual St. Nicholas European Christmas Market |
| Dec 13, 2025 |
Merry and Bright Market at Mordecai Historic Park |
| Dec 14, 2025 |
Holiday Open House - West Point on the Eno |
| Dec 14, 2025 |
Durham Geek and Grub Market (Holiday Nightmare Edition) |
| Dec 21, 2025 |
Winter Solstice Faire - Durham Central Park |
New Year's Eve
Miscellaneous
| Multiple dates starting Nov 3, 2025 |
Operation Share (Toy Drive) with the Fuquay-Varina Fire Department and Fuquay-Varina United Methodist Church |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 3, 2025 |
Holiday Food Drive with the Fuquay-Varina Fire Department |
| Nov 15, 2025 |
WF Cares Holiday Kick-Off |
| Nov 22, 2025 |
Horse Drawn Carriage Rides at Fenton Square |
| Nov 24, 2025 |
Santa's Mailbox - Town of Holly Springs, NC |
| Dec 7, 2025 |
Nature Art: Wild Ornaments - Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve |
| Dec 12 - 14, 2025 |
Santa's Trolley at Historic Raleigh Trolley |
| Dec 13, 2025 |
Dashing through Downtown Mebane |
| Dec 13, 2025 |
Grinch Candy Cane Hunt - Town of Cary, NC |
| Dec 13, 2025 |
Gift Making Workshop at The Makery - North Carolina Children's Museum |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 13, 2025 |
A Highland Cow Christmas Adventure Featuring Santa & Mrs. Claus - Millstone Creek Orhards |
| Dec 21, 2025 |
Winter Solstice Hike - West Point on the Eno |
| Dec 21, 2025 |
Holiday Teen Zine Party - Downtown Cary Park |
Below are more holiday events that have been posted to our calendar by local organizations. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
