At 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, downtown Concord's 29th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony begins. Food trucks line the blocks and Santa and Mrs. Claus settle into Courthouse Plaza. That same evening, the gates open for the first night of Speedway Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Santa also starts taking photos at Concord Mills that day. By 2:30 the next afternoon, the 98th Concord Christmas Parade is heading down Church Street.
Concord's biggest holiday events all start within about 20 hours of each other, six days before Thanksgiving. After that weekend, the season moves off Union Street and into smaller venues, including the mill, the breweries, the arena, a historic hotel and two theaters.
Friday night is downtown's biggest night of the season
The tree lighting runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Its event map stretches along Union Street and Cabarrus Avenue, so the celebration takes up the downtown grid rather than one plaza. The City has set it up around two stages and a Santa station, so you can plan the evening by location:
- Main stage at Union Street and Barbrick Avenue. Saddletramp, an Asheville-based classic and outlaw country show band, plays country hits from the '70s, '80s and '90s. The band is fronted by Blake Anthony Ellege, a Grammy member and American Idol Golden Ticket winner.
- Youth entertainment stage at Church Street and Means Avenue. Local school and youth groups perform here.
- Santa Land in Courthouse Plaza. It's presented by Propst Brothers Commercial Fuel and Kinetic, and the City describes it as "snow-filled," a backdrop built for photos with Santa.
There is also a kids' zone, and the evening ends with fireworks. All of it is free.
The Friday overlap matters for families. On Nov. 20 you'll have to choose between downtown and the Speedway, since the tree lighting and the Speedway's opening night run at the same hours. The good news is that the Speedway course stays open for six more weeks. The tree lighting happens once.
Saturday's parade runs more than two miles
The City calls the Concord Christmas Parade "one of the oldest and continuously running Christmas parades in North Carolina." This year's parade is presented by Eli Lilly and starts at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. That date appears on the City's event page and in the City's 2026 parade rules. Some regional event listings show Sunday, Nov. 22. The City's dates are the ones to plan around.
According to the City, the route runs more than two miles:
- Start: Church Street N at Lake Concord Road
- Route: south along Church Street, then Buffalo Avenue, then Union Street
- Finish: Union Street at Corban Avenue
- Judges' stage: near Barbrick Avenue and Union Street
The judges' stage sits at the same corner as Friday night's main stage. If you were there for the tree lighting, you'll already know the spot. Judged categories include school bands, schools, churches and civic organizations, and the judges' table is sponsored by Harris Teeter. The route map on the City's page is still labeled 2025, so check that page again in the days before the parade for any 2026 updates on streets and closures.
The Speedway is the one event that lasts all season
Downtown's events take up one weekend. Speedway Christmas runs nightly from Nov. 20 through Jan. 3, from 6 to 10 p.m., except Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, when the show is closed. You drive a four-mile route lit by more than five million lights. According to Explore Cabarrus, the course goes around the track, through the infield and under the concourse. Holiday movies play drive-in style on the 16,000-square-foot Speedway TV from Thursday through Sunday nights.
Tickets are priced per vehicle, and the price depends on the night you pick:
| Night type | General admission | Express | Christmas Village |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village Night | $60 | $95 | Included |
| Value Night | $46 | n/a | Not included |
Each pass covers a vehicle with up to 15 passengers. You don't have to buy ahead. Advance tickets are tied to a specific night, and you can also buy a pass at the gate. The Christmas Village in the infield is the main reason to pay more for a Village Night. The Speedway's FAQ lists an illuminated walking trail, a 360-degree selfie camera, Santa photos, vendors, food and drinks, fire pits, and a tubing hill that costs $15 extra.
Timing matters too. The Speedway says Friday and Saturday nights in December are usually its busiest. Because the course opens before Thanksgiving, a weeknight in late November is the calmest time to go. If your family only wants the drive and the lights, a Value Night is $14 less than a Village Night.
Thanksgiving weekend moves the season to the mill and the brewery
Once opening weekend is over, the season changes shape. On Thanksgiving weekend, the events move off downtown's main streets and spread across the city, mostly as markets.
- 5th Annual Christmas Extravaganza, Nov. 27–29. Around 200 indoor vendors fill the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center with gifts, handmade goods, home décor and treats.
- Small Business Saturday Holiday Trail, Nov. 28, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Downtown Concord organizes this event with more than 60 indoor and outdoor businesses. Two trolleys run between downtown, Gibson Mill Market and Southern Strain Brewery. Explore Cabarrus lists it as free.
- Holiday Market at Cabarrus Brewing Company, Nov. 28. Dozens of Christmas vendor booths set up on the same Saturday.
- Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge, starting Nov. 29. The Concord indoor waterpark resort hosts visits with Santa, Snowflake Story Time and a Family Dance Party through Dec. 23.
The trolley is the most useful part of that Saturday. Gibson Mill, Southern Strain and the Union Street storefronts usually take three separate drives and three separate parking spots. For five hours on Nov. 28, they work as one shopping route. Downtown Concord's listing for this year doesn't name the participating businesses or post a trolley schedule. Check the listing closer to the date before you plan your stops.
The first weekend of December belongs to smaller venues
By early December, events move indoors and get more intimate. The 22nd Annual Festival of Trees at The Hotel Concord runs Dec. 4–6. Explore Cabarrus calls it the first-weekend-in-December way to "kick off the holiday season," even though Concord's season started two weeks earlier.
On Saturday, Dec. 5, the ClearWater Arts Center & Studio holds its holiday market for the third year. Sellers include ClearWater tenant artists, the Cabarrus Art Guild, Southern Piedmont Woodturners and other local makers. That same weekend, Dec. 5–6, Cabarrus Brewing Company hosts its two-day Christmas Festival. It has its own tree lighting, Santa photos, a kids' play zone, and performances by The Lake Norman Big Band.
The season then winds down at two downtown-area theaters:
- Jim Avett and Friends Holiday Show, Dec. 11, Davis Theatre. The Cabarrus County native has played the Davis Theatre for more than a decade.
- Holiday Model Train Display, Dec. 11–13, Swanee Theatre. The Atlantic Coast S Gaugers set up their interactive layout for one weekend only.
- A Christmas Carol, Dec. 18–20, Swanee Theatre. This production includes music, dance, puppetry and illusions.
The Cabarrus County Visitor Center in Concord offers free hot cocoa, locally made gifts and classic Christmas movies throughout December. If you'd like something before any of this begins, Seasonal Sips: A Holiday Wine Showcase on Sunday, Nov. 8 features four vendors pouring wines chosen for holiday meals and gifts.
In practice, the season takes three dates of planning. Nov. 20–21 covers downtown, the Speedway's opening and the start of Santa photos at Concord Mills. Nov. 28 is for the trolley loop between Gibson Mill, Southern Strain and Union Street. Dec. 5 is for ClearWater and Cabarrus Brewing. You can fill in the Speedway on any weeknight before the December weekend crowds arrive.
If family visits this season get anyone talking about a move to Concord, or about what your own home might be worth, Aralena Paulette is glad to help with neighborhood questions and pricing whenever you're ready. Schedule a Consultation to start the conversation.
