Your 5-minute guide to the best things to do in Charlotte | Nov. 25-Dec. 1
Friday, Nov. 25
Shop, brunch and shop some more. CharlotteFive’s guide to Black Friday includes tips on what time places open, where to find mimosas and a few deals on gift cards while you stop for a bite to eat. bit.ly/3gscxgY
Find presents to help check off everyone on your Christmas list with CharlotteFive’s guide to local holiday gifts. There are ideas for host/hostess gifts, sports lovers, wine connoisseurs, foodies and more. bit.ly/3Vkswwg
Drink Glühwein or nonacoholic Kinderwein, see live music and other performances, and browse vendors for gifts at Charlotte Christmas Village/Light the Knights. Tickets include all the Light the Knights displays, and you can also go ice skating or snow tubing. Purchase tickets online or at the stadium ticket window. Tickets are $5 per person before 5 p.m., and $10 afterward. Season passes are available for Light the Knights for $39 for admission only or $99 for all activities. Noon-10 p.m. Truist Field, 324 S. Mint St. bit.ly/3GEvAiY
Saturday, Nov. 26
Spend Small Business Saturday at Camp North End, where you can purchase work from Davita Galloway, an award-winning costume designer and co-owner of DUPP&SWAT. Pieces from “Colored Girls,” a collection of mixed media portraits in various sizes and shapes, start at $175. You can purchase them online starting at 9 a.m. or in person when they debut at 1824 Statesville Ave., during an opening event from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. bit.ly/3OrPoYu
Do some yoga, then browse the Lost Worlds Christmas Market. Yoga starts at 10 a.m. in the taproom, then the market lasts from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Shop 45+ local makers on Small Business Saturday while you listen to music from Steve Brown, enjoy a new beer release — Chocolate Covered Candy Cane Porter — and snack on bites from 22 Street Kitchen and Tin Kitchen. Free admission. 19700-D One Norman Blvd., Cornelius. bit.ly/3tPTEYe
Ditch the Thanksgiving leftovers and head out for the SouthEast Crab Feast, offering all you can eat blue crabs and a side of fish and chips while you listen to music. Diners are welcome to bring their own dipping sauces, special seasonings and a crab mallet, but large coolers, beverages and large bags aren’t allowed. (You can buy a soda or bottled water there.) Purchase tickets online. Ages 12+ are $38, and children are $17.25 plus taxes and fees. Noon and 3 p.m. seatings. Park Road Park, 6220 Park Road. bit.ly/3ESoAgR
Find gifts from artisan vendors, food and beverages at Huntersville’s Holiday Market. You can see Santa, too. The event continues through the rest of Shop Small Weekend on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2-6 p.m. each day. Veterans Park at Main & Maxwell, 201 Huntersville-Concord Road, Huntersville. bit.ly/3AF3zE6
Experience the 1987 hit film “Dirty Dancing” like you never have before with a screening accompanied by a live performance of the film’s soundtrack at “Dirty Dancing in Concert.” 8 p.m. Tickets start at $40. Purchase online. Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd. https://bit.ly/3SPI0Hv
Journey through The Eagles’ songbook with On the Border — which fancies itself as “The Ultimate Eagles Tribute” band — at the Middle C Jazz music club in uptown Charlotte. $32-$40 (or, if you’d prefer to listen to “Desperado,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” “Life in the Fast Lane” and “Heartache Tonight” from home, there’s a way to live-stream the concert for just $9.99). 6 p.m. 300 S. Brevard St. bit.ly/3EuqNh7
Sunday, Nov. 27
If you’re returning home from holiday travel through CLT, stop in at Sycamore Brewing’s new airport location. An Uptown Burger with an Impossible burger patty, veggie mozzarella and kale slaw, or the CLT Chop Salad with bacon, fresh avocado, roasted corn and hard cooked egg can put you in a better mood to hop on that bus and make the trek to the parking lot for your car. bit.ly/3TSB7p3
Enjoy lights, fountains and holiday decor at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden’s Holidays at the Garden. After you tour the property, gather around a fire to make s’mores, eat at a food truck or enjoy a warm beverage. You can also shop at the Garden Store. Adults, $20; seniors 60+, $18; children 2-12, $10; children under 2, free; and members receive a 25% discount. Purchase online, as tickets are timed and limited at the door. 5-9 p.m., 6500 South New Hope Road, Belmont. bit.ly/3ESW9Q5
Monday, Nov. 28
Admire festive trees adorned with holiday lights at the Belmont Festival of Trees. The lights go up at 6:30 p.m., then remain on display through Jan. 3. This year, the festival will also feature a special display of “Oh Starry Night” — a luminary display presented by Strong Like AK located on the upper field of Stowe Park. Free; $20 to purchase a luminary 24 S. Main St., Belmont. bit.ly/3En3y8A
Book reservations in advance to skate at Birkdale on Ice. Walk-ups are welcome if space remains, and checking the weather beforehand is recommended, too. 3-10 p.m. on weeknights; Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, noon-7 p.m. General admission is $18/person plus tax, which includes skates; Children 12 and under are $14/child plus tax, which includes skates. All ticket sales are final, with no refunds or transfers allowed. Ice skating lasts through Monday, Jan. 16 at The Plaza at Birkdale Village, Sam Furr Road and Birkdale Commons Parkway, Huntersville.
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Join jazz musicians Noel Freidline and Maria Howell as they reinterpret Christmas classics, as well as contemporary holiday favorites, in an intimate setting during Noel & Maria: Home for the Holidays 2022. Along with their all-star band, Noel and Maria will be joined by special guest violinist Karen Briggs. Purchase tickets online. Prices are $39.50 and $49.50. 7:30 p.m. Booth Playhouse, 130 N. Tryon St. bit.ly/3EQQ6vm
Buy tickets for the R.O.A.R. female leadership symposium. The day-long event Friday, March 31 at the Statesville Country Club features dynamic female leaders that will encourage women to Resound, Outshine, Actualize and Revolutionize their lives, featuring guest speaker Jane Jenkins Herlong. Tickets are $85 per person for chamber members and $110 for non-chamber members. Get $15 off when you purchase your tickets before Dec. 2. 116 N. Center St., Statesville. bit.ly/3gnfhMJ
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Pick up a real Christmas tree and turn your home into a holiday wonderland. CharlotteFive’s guide to where to find a live tree in the Charlotte area will point you in the direction of a tree lot or farm near you. bit.ly/3gz7tY2
Thursday, Dec. 1
Kick the last month of 2022 off with some laughs at Spectrum Center, where Sebastian Maniscalco will crack wise about life’s various annoyances and aggravations as part of his “Nobody Does This Tour.” (Just five nights later, on Dec. 6, the comedian’s new stand-up special drops on Netflix, FYI.) Tickets for the arena show start at $39.50. 8 p.m. 333 E. Trade St. bit.ly/3tTN8jj
Tour through the streets of Historic Fourth Ward in Uptown Charlotte during the Fourth Ward Holiday Sip & Stroll. The self-guided, porch-crawl-style tour includes small bites from local businesses, seasonal live music, carriage rides and views of holiday decor adorning the Victorian-era homes the neighborhood is known for. You can also upgrade your ticket to include the Holiday Home Tour to view three private homes, decorated for the season. 5-9 p.m., with the event continuing through Dec. 3. Get tickets online. $30 per person for day-specific tickets; $40 for flex tickets to use on any day of the tour; $45 for Sip & Stroll + holiday home tour day-specific tickets and $60 for Sip & Stroll + holiday home tour flex tickets. West 9th and North Poplar streets. bit.ly/3GCwA6Z
Watch a McAdenville Elementary School student flip the switch to officially start another season of Christmas Town USA. Afterward, the town’s lights will glow nightly through Dec. 26 during McAdenville Christmas, and you can drive — or walk — around to view them. Free. 5:30-10 p.m. 102 Main St., McAdenville.
Sip a festive drink at Tinsel Town at Billy Sunday. The Optimist Hall spot will transform into a holiday bar with themed cocktails, a decked out space and a Kris Kringle pop-up market. Events will last through Jan. 2, including movie nights, cocktail classes and s’mores on the patio throughout the season, so watch its social media for more details. 1115 N. Brevard St, Unit 1. bit.ly/3Ouvqwn
View a live nativity, holiday light shows, live music and more at Christmas in Davidson. You’ll encounter roaming entertainment, food vendors, shopping and other attractions. The events last in Downtown Davidson through Dec. 3. Free. 6-9 p.m. bit.ly/3tTmrLy
Mark your calendar
Explore holiday-themed events with the CharlotteFive guide to seasonal activities in Charlotte. The guide includes musical performances, shopping events, parades and more — and will be updated throughout the holiday season. https://bit.ly/3T0zmpf
Explore Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth., which profiles Black male icons in America, at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts+Culture and Levine Museum of the New South. The exhibit highlights revolutionary men including Muhammad Ali, James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates, W.E.B. DuBois and Kendrick Lamar, whose journeys have altered the history and culture of the country. The traveling work from the Smithsonian will remain on display through March 12. Free. Gantt at 551 S. Tryon St., and Levine Museum at 401 South Tryon St. https://bit.ly/3fNnyZm and https://bit.ly/3fMUUId
This story was originally published November 23, 2022 at 6:30 AM.
