McAdenville ‘Christmas Town USA’ has opened, and the traffic has started, too
As McAdenville lit up its town Monday into a Christmas village of dazzling lights, the neighboring roads saw a similar transformation, except the lights came from the many cars traveling to see the spectacle.
For its 64th year, McAdenville turned into “Christmas Town USA,” featuring over 100 decorated houses, a nativity scene and over 250 trees covered by half a million multicolored lights, according to the event’s website.
As of around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, two hours after the tree lighting ceremony, there were slowdowns headed out of Charlotte on Interstate 85 Southbound starting at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and extending into McAdenville, according to DriveNC.gov. U.S. 74 was clear near McAdenville, but had a slowdown near the airport.
Around 7 p.m. traffic near McAdenville on I-85 subsided, though there were slowdowns on Main Street through the center of town.
The display has long been a tradition since 1956 and was named by USA Today as one of the top 20 best holiday light displays in the country, according to the Observer’s news partner WBTV.
With thousands of visitors expected to visit, North Carolina Department of Transportation issued advice for drivers who are visiting McAdvenville or just passing by.
NCDOT recommends that drivers coming from Charlotte should use Wilkinson Boulevard or U.S. 74, or take Exit 27 on I-85 South to access U.S. 74.
For those visiting, NCDOT advised those driving toward Charlotte on I-85 North to use Exit 22 into McAdenville. Exit 23 will be closed at night due to the events.
“Pack plenty of patience, both driving and walking through town,’ said Steve Rankin with the Christmas Town Committee. “Come early on the weekends, park and wait for the lights to come on.”
Rankin said parking and then walking to see the lights is a better option than driving through town. He also asks visitors to stay on the sidewalk and be respectful of people’s homes and yards.
The attraction kicked off Monday night and will continue through Thursday, Dec. 26. The lights are on display from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and until 11 p.m. on the weekends.
