# Waxhaw Holiday Festival of Lights & Christmas Parade

> Event for families in the Charlotte–Concord–Gastonia area (NC / SC). Times are Eastern Time.

- When: Nov 28 – Jan 2 · 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Where: Historic Downtown Waxhaw, 115 E North Main St, Waxhaw, NC 28173
- Ages: All ages (stroller-friendly sidewalks; historic pedestrian bridge offers train and light views)
- Price: Free admission; walking the light displays and attending the parade are free to the public
- Organizer: Town of Waxhaw Parks and Cultural Resources
- Official page: https://www.waxhaw.com/
- Last checked: Thu, Nov 5

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/waxhaw-holiday-festival-of-lights-and-christmas-parade--listing-0980110037f8a174e380e037

## About

Historic Downtown Waxhaw in Union County offers one of the most picturesque holiday light experiences in the Carolinas, with more than one million lights illuminating the town's turn-of-the-century brick storefronts, water tower, and historic overhead pedestrian footbridge spanning the working CSX railroad tracks. Families can stroll both sides of the tracks along North and South Main Street to admire glowing reindeer, sparkling arches, and festively decorated shops. The season includes the Waxhaw Holiday Festival of Lights kickoff with live musical performances, Santa visits, and food trucks, followed in mid-December by the Waxhaw Christmas Parade featuring marching bands, antique tractors, costumed characters, and Santa.

Waxhaw's historic downtown features wide sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb cuts, and wheelchair-accessible ramps leading to the historic overhead footbridge. Public restrooms with infant changing counters are located inside the Waxhaw Police Department and at the downtown pavilion. Free municipal parking is located on Broome Street and Givens Street.

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