# Christmas parades and tree lightings in Charlotte, 2026

> In 2026, Christmas parades near Charlotte run Nov 21 through Dec 5. Concord Christmas Parade is Nov 21 and is free to watch. Mooresville Christmas Parade is Nov 24. This page lists eight parades and tree lightings with 2026 dates.

- Last checked: 2026-10-21
- 8 parades and tree lightings with 2026 dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/christmas-parades/
- Christmas break (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/christmas-break/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/llms.txt

## Christmas parades

- **Concord Christmas Parade** at Church St. N at Lake Concord Rd. to Union St. at Corban Ave., Concord. When: Sat, Nov 21, 2026. Time: 2:30 p.m. Price: Free. The 98th year of one of the oldest Christmas parades in the state. Grab a spot along Union Street downtown for the best view. Official page: https://concordnc.gov/Services/Things-to-Do/Christmas-Tree-Lighting-and-Parade (checked 2026-10-31)
- **Mooresville Christmas Parade** at Main Street, Mooresville. When: Tue, Nov 24, 2026. Time: 3 p.m. Price: Not listed. The 82nd annual parade, on a Tuesday afternoon this year. Official page: https://www.mooresvillechristmasparade.com/ (checked 2026-10-21)
- **Mint Hill Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting** at Bain School Road to Publix along Matthews Mint Hill Road, Mint Hill. When: Sat, Dec 5, 2026. Time: 5:30–9 p.m. Price: Not listed. The parade runs from Bain School down Matthews Mint Hill Road to Publix. After it ends, the tree lighting at Town Hall has food trucks and entertainment, and Santa stops by. Official page: https://www.minthillevents.org/christmas-parade-tree-lighting (checked 2026-10-29)

## Tree lightings and lighting nights

- **Concord Tree Lighting** at Downtown Concord, Concord. When: Fri, Nov 20, 2026. Time: 6–9 p.m. Price: Free. Concord’s 29th tree lighting. Kids can visit Santa and Mrs. Claus in a snowy Courthouse Plaza, and fireworks close out the night. Official page: https://concordnc.gov/Services/Things-to-Do/Christmas-Tree-Lighting-and-Parade (checked 2026-10-31)
- **University City Winterfest** at The Boardwalk at University City, 8931 J M Keynes Dr, Charlotte, NC 28262. When: Sat, Nov 21, 2026. Time: 4–8 p.m.; tree lighting 7 p.m. Price: Free (reserve a free spot online). Santa and Mrs. Claus, ornament making, hot cocoa and a Polar Express ride, then the tree by the lake lights up at 7. Formerly UCity Lights Festival. At The Boardwalk at University City, also called The Shoppes at University Place. Official page: https://universitycitypartners.org/ucitylights/ (checked 2026-11-11)
- **Light Up Cornelius** at Downtown Cornelius, Cornelius. When: Sat, Nov 28, 2026. Time: 4–7 p.m.; tree lit at 6:30. Price: Free. Santa shows up at 4:30. Kids can go sledding or decorate cookies while they wait for the tree to light. Official page: https://www.cornelius.org/park/classes___programs/special_events/light_up_cornelius.php (checked 2026-10-31)
- **Christmas in Davidson Tree Lighting** at Davidson Town Green, Davidson. When: Thu, Dec 3, 2026. Time: 6 p.m.; the festival runs 6–9 p.m. Dec. 3–5. Price: Not listed. Opening night of Christmas in Davidson starts with the tree on the Town Green. The festival carries on downtown for the next two evenings. Official page: https://www.townofdavidson.org/christmasindavidson (checked 2026-10-31)
- **Huntersville Town Tree Lighting** at Veterans Park, Huntersville. When: Fri, Dec 4, 2026. Time: 6–8 p.m. Price: Free. The town says all Holidays in Huntersville events are free to attend. Official page: https://huntersville.org/393/Holidays-in-Huntersville (checked 2026-10-21)

## Parades and tree lightings that come back every year

- [University City Winterfest](https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/events/ucity-lights-festival-university-city/): next dates Nov 21, 2026
- [Mooresville Christmas Parade](https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/events/mooresville-christmas-parade-main-street/): next dates Nov 24, 2026
- [Huntersville Town Tree Lighting](https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/events/huntersville-town-tree-lighting-veterans-park/): next dates Dec 4, 2026
- [Mint Hill Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting](https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/events/mint-hill-christmas-parade-and-tree-lighting-downtown/): next dates Dec 5, 2026

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6. Lists refresh Monday and Thursday. The email goes out Thursday evening.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
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## FAQ

### When is the Christmas parade in Charlotte in 2026?
Concord Christmas Parade: Sat, Nov 21, 2026, 2:30 p.m. (Concord). Mooresville Christmas Parade: Tue, Nov 24, 2026, 3 p.m. (Mooresville). Mint Hill Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting: Sat, Dec 5, 2026, 5:30–9 p.m. (Mint Hill).

### When is the Christmas tree lighting in Charlotte?
Concord Tree Lighting at Downtown Concord: Fri, Nov 20, 2026, 6–9 p.m. University City Winterfest at The Boardwalk at University City: Sat, Nov 21, 2026, 4–8 p.m.; tree lighting 7 p.m. Light Up Cornelius at Downtown Cornelius: Sat, Nov 28, 2026, 4–7 p.m.; tree lit at 6:30. Christmas in Davidson Tree Lighting at Davidson Town Green: Thu, Dec 3, 2026, 6 p.m.; the festival runs 6–9 p.m. Dec. 3–5. The full list is on the [tree lighting page](https://littlesweekly.com/charlotte/christmas-tree-lighting/).

### Are Christmas parades and tree lightings in Charlotte free?
Five of the eight we list are free to watch: Concord Tree Lighting, University City Winterfest, Concord Christmas Parade and Light Up Cornelius. Some charge for extras like Santa photos or rides, and each card says so.

### Which are best for little kids?
Daytime ones are easiest with little kids: Concord Christmas Parade and Mooresville Christmas Parade. Evening ones start after dark and are colder, so bring layers and a blanket for the stroller. Get there early for a curb spot near the start so little ones can see.

### How do you check these parades and tree lightings?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 21, 2026, and we recheck them every week through early December. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).