Raleigh–Cary · November 15, 2026 – January 1, 2027
Christmas and holiday events for kids in Raleigh
16 tree lightings, Santa visits, light displays and holiday shows around Raleigh, November 15 to New Year’s Day. 5 are free.
Updated Oct 24. Every listing links to its organizer’s page.
Don’t miss
NovemberSun, Nov 15 – Mon, Nov 30
- Christmas
Tue, Nov 17 · 4:30 PM
Fall Holidays Around the World: K-5th Adventures — East Regional Library, Knightdale
East Regional Library
Free
- Tree lightings
Fri, Nov 20 · 5:30 PM
Downtown Raleigh Tree Lighting and Holiday Market
Moore Square
- Parades
Sat, Nov 21 · 9:30 AM
Raleigh Christmas Parade
Downtown Raleigh parade route (Hillsborough St. to Fayetteville St.)
Free
- Nutcracker and shows
Wed, Nov 25 · 4:00 PM
Cirque Holiday Pops — NC Symphony
Meymandi Concert Hall, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Paid
DecemberTue, Dec 1 – Fri, Dec 18
- Christmas
Wed, Dec 2
Christmas at Historic Oak View: 1850–1950
Historic Oak View County Park
Free
- Tree lightings
Fri, Dec 4 · 4:30 PM
Apex Tree Lighting Ceremony
Apex Town Hall Campus
- Tree lightings
Fri, Dec 4 · 5:00 PM
Lighting of Wake Forest
Centennial Plaza
- Nutcracker and shows
Sat, Dec 5 · 11:00 AM
The Nutcracker — Cary Ballet Company
Fletcher Opera Theater, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Paid
- Parades
Sat, Dec 5 · 5:00 PM
Apex Rotary Christmas Parade
Downtown Apex, Salem Street
- Tree lightings
Sat, Dec 5 · 5:00 PM
Light the Springs — Holly Springs Tree and Menorah Lighting
Holly Springs Cultural Center
All ages
- Markets and festivals
Sun, Dec 6 · 3:00 PM
Apex Chanukah Festival
Apex Senior Center
- Hanukkah
Wed, Dec 9 · 10:30 AM
Artful Story Time: Happy Hanukkah!
North Carolina Museum of Art
Free
- Nutcracker and shows
Thu, Dec 10 · 7:00 PM
The Nutcracker — Carolina Ballet
Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Paid
- Nutcracker and shows
Fri, Dec 11 · 7:30 PM
Holiday Pops and Ugly Sweater Night — NC Symphony
Meymandi Concert Hall, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Paid
- Christmas
Sun, Dec 13 · 12:00 PM
Pop-Up Art: Giant Snowflakes at NCMA
North Carolina Museum of Art
FreeAll ages
All seasonLight displays, Santa visits, shows and exhibits that run for weeks. Check the organizer’s page for open nights and times.
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Quick answers
What free Christmas events are there for kids in Raleigh?
5 listed. Coming up:
- Fall Holidays Around the World: K-5th Adventures — East Regional Library, Knightdale · Tue, Nov 17 · East Regional Library
- Raleigh Christmas Parade · Sat, Nov 21 · Downtown Raleigh parade route (Hillsborough St. to Fayetteville St.)
- Christmas at Historic Oak View: 1850–1950 · Wed, Dec 2 · Historic Oak View County Park
- Artful Story Time: Happy Hanukkah! · Wed, Dec 9 · North Carolina Museum of Art
For organizers
Hosting a tree lighting, Santa visit or holiday show in Raleigh?
List it on Grassy Knees and it can show up on this Christmas page, in the metro’s weekend picks and in the app. Free to post until Oct 31.
How this list works
Tree lightings, Santa visits, light displays, Nutcrackers, menorah lightings and Noon Year’s Eve parties, beyond your own block. This page collects every event and program in our Raleigh listings whose title names Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Santa, holiday lights, the New Year or the like, dated between November 15 and January 1. 16 are still ahead. Each one opens its listing page, which links to the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. Dates are in Eastern Time.