# Downtown Concord Tree Lighting & 98th Annual Concord Christmas Parade > Event for families in the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia area (NC / SC). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Nov 20 – Nov 21 · 6:00 PM – 5:00 PM - Where: Historic Downtown Concord Courthouse Square, 65 Church St SE, Concord, NC 28025 - Ages: All ages (free community tradition with children's craft village and fireworks) - Price: Free admission; all activities, parade viewing, and fireworks are free to the public - Organizer: City of Concord & Concord Downtown Development Corporation - Official page: https://concordnc.gov/Services/Things-to-Do/Christmas-Tree-Lighting-and-Parade - Last checked: Sat, Nov 7 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/charlotte/activities/downtown-concord-tree-lighting-and-98th-annual-concord-christmas-parad--listing-be75d9472a3695f0d86bb39b ## About Historic Downtown Concord rings in the holiday season with a weekend of cherished Cabarrus County traditions. On Friday evening, families gather at the historic Courthouse Square for the 28th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, featuring live children's choir performances, an interactive kids' craft village, bounce houses, horse-drawn carriage rides, visits and free photos with Santa, and a fireworks finale over the courthouse roof. The celebration continues Saturday afternoon with the 98th Annual Concord Christmas Parade—one of North Carolina's longest-running holiday parades—showcasing over 100 parade units, high school marching bands, festive community floats, youth dance troupes, and Santa riding high atop a vintage fire truck. Downtown streets are closed to vehicular traffic during both events, creating expansive, pedestrian-friendly viewing areas with ample space for strollers and folding lawn chairs. Free parking is available in the Cabarrus County Parking Deck and downtown surface lots. Restrooms with baby changing stations are accessible inside the historic courthouse building and the Concord City Hall. ## Similar picks in Charlotte - [Concord 29th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony](https://grassyknees.com/charlotte/activities/concord-29th-annual-tree-lighting-ceremony--listing-15271d1911244ad63788f15f) — Fri, Nov 20 · 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · Downtown Concord (main stage at Union Street & Barbrick Avenue) · Free · checked Oct 14. Christmas in Concord kicks off with the 29th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Downtown Concord: food trucks, a kids' zone, Santa Land with Santa and Mrs. Claus in the snow-filled… - [98th Concord Christmas Parade](https://grassyknees.com/charlotte/activities/98th-concord-christmas-parade--listing-497f33ab88a4310b75e2f7f2) — Sat, Nov 21 · 2:30 PM · Concord Christmas Parade route (start: Church Street N at Lake Concord Road) · Free · checked Oct 14. One of the oldest continuously running Christmas parades in North Carolina, presented by Eli Lilly. 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