Music, Santa and a bit of football will help launch the holiday season Thursday night in Charlotte’s uptown, and it’s just the start of a busy schedule of parades and town celebrations of the Christmas season across the region over the next few weeks.

The annual tree-lighting ceremony in Charlotte’s uptown will be about 6:30 p.m., but the festivities begin 60 minutes earlier.

Holiday music, Santa and outdoor games are planned in the area near Trade and Tryon streets from 5:30 to 8 p.m. There’s also ACC Fanfest, with the ACC football championship game scheduled for Saturday evening at Bank of America Stadium. That means ACC mascots will join the fun.

The event is sponsored by Charlotte Center City Partners and Historic South End..

But there is much more over the coming weeks. For example:

THURSDAY

Fort Mill: Tree-lighting ceremony, 7 p.m., downtown.

FRIDAY

Albemarle: parade, 6 p.m.; downtown.

Belmont: Holiday festivities begin at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, 6 p.m. (also on Dec. 1, 2, 6 and 7).

Chester, S.C.: parade, 4 p.m.; downtown.

Davidson: Christmas in Davidson celebration, 6-9 p.m.

Lenoir: parade, 6 p.m.; downtown.

Rock Hill: parade, 6:30 p.m.; Oakland Avenue (at Winthrop University) to Main Street.

SATURDAY

Boone: parade, 11 a.m.; downtown.

Cat Square: parade, 2 p.m.

Claremont: parade, 3 p.m.; Main Street.

Davidson: Christmas in Davidson celebration, 6-9 p.m.

Denver: parade, 2:30 p.m.; N.C. 16 North.

Fort Mill: parade, 11 a.m.; S.C. 160 in downtown.

Granite Falls: noon; downtown.

Hickory Grove, S.C.: parade, 3 p.m.; Wylie Avenue.

Kannapolis: Holiday festival, 2 p.m., Village Park. Opens a month-long Celebration of Lights, with 250,000 lights in Village Park.

Kings Mountain: parade, 3 p.m.; downtown.

Matthews: Hometown Holiday Celebration, 3-6 p.m.; downtown. Includes tree-lighting at 5 p.m.

Monroe: Tree-lighting ceremony, 6-8 p.m.; Plaza in front of the courthouse.

Morganton: parade, 6 p.m.; downtown.

North Mecklenburg: annual parade, 1 p.m.; N.C. 115, from Davidson into Cornelius.

Rutherfordton: parade, 5 p.m.

Spindale: parade, 3:30 p.m.; Main Street.

Valdese: parade, 10 a.m.; downtown.

SUNDAY

Clover, S.C.: parade, 3 p.m.; Main Street.

Gastonia: 65th annual parade, 2 p.m., on West Franklin Boulevard (from the YMCA to Belvedere Avenue).

Indian Trail: parade, 3 p.m.; Indian Trail Road. Tree-lighting ceremony, 5:30 p.m., Crossing Paths Park.

Mint Hill: tree-lighting ceremony, 5:45 p.m.; town hall, on Mint Hill Village Lane.

Tirzah, S.C.: 3 p.m.; Tirzah Road.

York, S.C.: parade, 4:30 p.m.; Congress Street.

THURSDAY, DEC. 6

Cramerton: parade, 4 p.m.; Eighth Avenue. Tree-lighting ceremony follows parade, at Town Center Amphitheater.

Wadesboro: parade, 4 p.m.; Washington, Martin and Greene streets.

FRIDAY, DEC. 7

Bessemer City: parade, 4:30 p.m.; Pennsylvania Avenue.

SATURDAY, DEC. 8

Fort Lawn, S.C.: parade, 2 p.m.; Main Street.

Hickory: parade, 4 p.m.; downtown.

Kannapolis: parade, 6 p.m.; downtown.

Lancaster, S.C.: parade, 6 p.m.; Main Street.

McConnells, S.C.: Brattonsville Christmas Candlelight Tours, 3-9 p.m.

Richburg, S.C.: parade, 11 a.m.; Old Richburg Road and Main Street.

Van Wyck, S.C.: parade, noon.

SUNDAY, DEC. 9

Statesville: parade, 3 p.m.; downtown.

SATURDAY, DEC. 15

Lake Wylie: 24th annual Lights on the Lake boat parade, 6:30 p.m.; Buster Boyd Bridge on N.C.-S.C. 49.

McConnells, S.C.: Brattonsville Christmas Candlelight Tours, 3-9 p.m.

SUNDAY, DEC. 16

Shelby: parade, 3 p.m.; downtown.