Last updated: November 11, 2024
Plan your holiday fun in Winston-Salem with our detailed event guide. For Winston-Salem aficionados and curious cats, our guide is your ticket to holiday discoveries.
One highlight of the season is the Tanglewood Festival of Lights, where twinkling lights transform the park into a winter wonderland, inviting families and friends to enjoy the festive displays. Candle Tea Lovefeast offers a warm blend of tradition and community, featuring candlelight singing and delicious treats. And the Nutcracker at UNCSA is something you definitely don’t want to miss, showcasing the stunning ballet performance that captures the essence of the holiday spirit. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Winston-Salem Holiday Light Displays
Tanglewood Festival of Lights
- What to Expect
- Extensive holiday light display with interactive musical elements.
- Description
- Tanglewood Festival of Lights features over a million twinkling lights, festive tunes, and interactive displays along a five-mile route. Enjoy holiday crafts, specialty foods, and handmade gifts at the Gift Shop, located halfway through the light show route. The event also includes marshmallow roasting at Smoresville and horse-drawn carriage rides.
- Where
- Clemmons | More Info : Tanglewood Festival of Lights
Christmas Tree Lighting
- What to Expect
- Community celebration with tree illumination.
- Description
- The Christmas Tree Lighting event in Winston-Salem features the illumination of a festive tree, often accompanied by music and community gatherings.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Christmas Tree Lighting
Reynolda Mile Holiday Drive
- What to Expect
- Large-scale drive-thru light display with interactive musical elements.
- Description
- Tanglewood Festival of Lights is a spectacular holiday event featuring over a million twinkling lights along a five-mile drive-thru route. The event includes festive tunes, interactive musical displays, and various amenities like refreshments and a gift shop. Special events like horse-drawn carriage rides and hayrides add to the festive atmosphere.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Reynolda Mile Holiday Drive
Winston-Salem Holiday Shows and Entertainment
The Nutcracker at UNCSA
- What to Expect
- World-class ballet performance with elaborate sets and costumes.
- Description
- The Nutcracker at UNCSA features student-artists bringing Ilya Kozadayev's captivating choreography to life with Tchaikovsky's lighthearted melodies performed live by the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Chancellor Brian Cole.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : The Nutcracker at UNCSA
Christmas at Bethabara
- What to Expect
- Immersive Moravian holiday traditions by candlelight.
- Description
- Celebrate the season by touring the decorated 1788 Gemeinhaus, listening to a performance by Duo Licht, tasting Christmas treats made by Moravians in the 1800s, enjoying the sounds of a Moravian Brass Band, making Christmas crafts, dipping a candle, observing a potter, blacksmith, and woodworker, and meeting Sister Anna Catharina in a first-person dramatization.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Christmas at Bethabara
Winston-Salem Other Holiday Activities
Candle Tea Lovefeast
- What to Expect
- Interactive exploration of Moravian traditions through hands-on activities.
- Description
- Ardmore Moravian Church's Candle Tea is a traditional Moravian Christmas celebration where visitors learn about Moravian traditions, enjoy music and Moravian cookies, and participate in activities like cookie making and candle crafting.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Candle Tea Lovefeast
Winston-Salem Holiday Parade
- What to Expect
- Lighted floats and entries in a winter evening setting.
- Description
- The Winston-Salem Holiday Parade is a festive winter event featuring lighted floats and entries, celebrating the holiday season with community spirit.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Winston-Salem Holiday Parade
Salem Square Christmas Festival
- What to Expect
- Historical reenactments of 18th and 19th century Christmas traditions.
- Description
- Celebrate Christmas in 18th and 19th century Salem, North Carolina, with special activities and attractions each Saturday, including visits to historic sites like the Tavern Museum and Vogler House.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Salem Square Christmas Festival
Winston-Salem Jingle Jog
- What to Expect
- Custom finisher medals that double as Christmas ornaments.
- Description
- The Jingle Jog 5K in Winston-Salem, NC, is a festive holiday event featuring a 5K Run/Walk and Santa Strut Fun Walk & Run. Participants receive custom finisher medals that double as Christmas ornaments and enjoy hot drinks, cold craft beer, and fun costumes.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Winston-Salem Jingle Jog
Christmas in Old Salem
- What to Expect
- Historical holiday traditions in a preserved Moravian town setting.
- Description
- Celebrate Christmas in 18th and 19th century Salem, North Carolina, with special activities and attractions that highlight the town's rich history and traditions.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Christmas in Old Salem
Christmas at Reynolda Village
- What to Expect
- Historic house tours with antique ornaments.
- Description
- Celebrate the holiday season at Reynolda Village with historic house tours, caroling, and festive art-making activities. The tranquil 170-acre setting offers a variety of experiences, including Christmas-themed historic house tours and antique decor. Authentic early 20th-century glass ornaments adorn the Christmas trees in R.J.’s Study and the Reception Hall.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Christmas at Reynolda Village
Bethabara Park Holiday Events
- What to Expect
- Immersive Moravian holiday traditions with historical reenactments.
- Description
- Celebrate the holiday season at Historic Bethabara Park with tours of the decorated 1788 Gemeinhaus, performances by Duo Licht, and tastings of traditional Moravian Christmas treats. Enjoy the sounds of the Moravian Brass Band and participate in various crafts and activities.
- Where
- Winston-Salem | More Info : Bethabara Park Holiday Events