Best Christmas light displays in the Charlotte area - 2020

Looking for the biggest, best Christmas lights in the Charlotte area for the 2020 Christmas season? Here’s what you have to look forward to.

This list includes professional displays, town events, and private homes.

The displays in private homes, often synchronized to Christmas music, are put on by regular people, at their own expense, and it takes an incredible amount of time and creativity. So visit and let them know you appreciate it.

Note: We’ve removed some displays because the homeowner was getting too much traffic and asked to be removed.

Some are collecting money for charitable causes. If a radio station is listed, tune your car radio to that station to listen to the coordinated music. Please be considerate of these folks’ neighbors.

If a website or Facebook page is listed, make sure to visit and check out the hours, start dates, and any additional information that you need to know. Most of these displays start shortly after Thanksgiving. Some families show videos and pictures of their works in progress as well.

Do you know of a light display that should be included in the list? Please send information to jody@charlotteonthecheap.com. I’ll need to see a website or Facebook page so that I know the homeowner wants the information shared.

Professional and city or town Christmas light displays in the Charlotte area

McAdenville Christmas
December 1st through December 26th, 2020
Every night: 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
McAdenville

McAdenville’s famous Christmas lights will be lit in the downtown area, from Pharr Family YMCA on Main Street to the Spruced Goose Restaurant on Wesleyan Drive, but not around the lake. Families will make the decision individually about whether they want to host a Christmas light display. There won’t be any festivals this year.

Speedway Christmas
Charlotte Motor Speedway
5555 Concord Parkway South, Concord

Drive through the infield and see 800 displays made up of more than 3 million holiday lights. The lights are synchronized to Christmas music that you can listen to on your car radio, on 101.3 FM. On Thursdays through Sundays, plus all Christmas Week (with the exception of Christmas Day, when the attraction is closed) the Christmas Village will also be open. Christmas movies will be projected onto the big screen and you can watch from your car or a lawn chair. Walk through the Bethlehem-themed village and enjoy food from a number of vendors. Santa will be available for professional photos, and, new this year is a 50-food ferris wheel (additional charge.)
Check back soon for 2020.

McGill’s Winter Wonderland
Tuesdays through Sundays, November 26th to December 29th, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Tuesday to Friday: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday: 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
McGill Rose Garden, 940 N. Davidson Street
Free

In 2019, for the second time, McGill Rose Garden is decorating for the holidays and invited the public to stroll the decorated garden. Hot chocolate, s’mores and other items were available for purchase.
Check back soon for 2020.

Kannapolis Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express
Free to walk through the park; $2 for Winterland Express Train

You can walk through the park for free and take in the impressive display of Christmas lights, or take the Winterland Express for $2. The attraction also features music, Santa visits (take your own picture for free), marshmallow roasting and more.
Please check back soon about this event. The City of Kannapolis hasn’t made an announcement about whether it’s taking place this year, and, if it is, whether there are any changes to it.

Chinese Lantern Festival
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
6500 South New Hope Road, Belmont
October 15th to January 3rd, with the exception Mondays and Tuesdays, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (timed tickets)
$15.95 to $23.95, when purchased in advance. More at the door.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden’s Christmas light display is an annual favorite. Wander through the extended lights of fire and ice in the perennl gardens, and enjoy the towering orchid tree, live music, fires where you can roast a marshmallow and much more. Santa will available for professional photos with families on select evenings. There are other times when Santa will be available for photos with your own camera, and there’s no extra charge for that. Follow the above link to see Santa’s schedule.

Zootastic Park Christmas Wonderland of Lights
Zootastic Park
385 Ostwalt Amity Road, Troutman
November 25th, 2020, to January 1st, 2021.

Drive through the light display and walk through part of the animal park.
Check back soon for 2020 details.

Lights at Whitewater Center
5000 Whitewater Center Parkway
Starting November 19th, 2019
6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Free (parking is $6.)

Lights is a half-mile walking trail through the forest that leads viewers through a series of immersive light installations designed by Charlotte artist Meredith Connelly.

It includes honeycombs, vines, crystals and other natural features.

Meredith Connelly has worked with lighting and technology for almost a decade. Her installations have been on display at art museums, galleries and private collections throughout the region.

These are not Christmas lights–they are something more.

You will not need an activity pass to access the lights. Note: Ice Skating will be available at the Whitewater Center as well, but it will require a Single Activity Pass ($20.)

Christmas light displays on houses in the Charlotte area

Note: Any addresses included here have been made publicly available by the homeowner on a website or Facebook page. However, if a homeowner lets us know that they don’t want to be listed, we’ll take your address off this list.

Also, please follow the links to the Facebook pages, if available, because changes to the schedule will usually be announced there, especially when due to weather.

Arndt Christmas Lights
14904 Carbert Lane, Huntersville
November 29th to December 31st, 2020
5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Verified for 2020.

Fantetti Christmas Light Show
263 Palaside Drive NE, Concord
Every night from November 29th to December 25th, 2020
26 minute show of over 100,000 lights synchronized to Christmas music. All donations benefit a dog rescue TBA.
Verified for 2020.

Hammond Family Light Show
508 Chamberlain Court, McAdenville
Dates TBA.
Verified for 2020.

Lights on Indian Beech (Concord)
9592 Indian Beech Avenue, Concord
November 27th, 2020, to January 3rd, 2021.
Holiday light show featuring thousands of lights and singing bulbs set to music. Tune to 87.9 FM.
Verified for 2020.

Hard Family Christmas Lights
1641 Shadow Creek St , Concord
November 29th to around Christmas Day.
5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Check Facebook page for updates to times.)
Listen on 91.5 FM
Verified for 2020.

Isenhour Lights
411 E Dixon Street
Lincolnton
Sunday to Thursday: 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The show lasts about 28 minutes and is synchronized to music.
Check back soon for 2020.

Providence Pointe Neighborhood
15238 Prescott Hill Avenue
Sunday through Thursday: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Through New Year
Check back soon for 2020.

A Sweitzers Christmas

A Sweitzers Christmas
1001 Sunnyview Circle Matthews, NC 28105 (107.3 FM)
Shows will last approximately 20 minutes.
Check back soon for 2020.

Zimnowski Light Show
15419 Hugh Mcauley Rd. Huntersville, NC 28078 (87.9 FM)
Starts November 27th and ends December 31st, 2020
Verified for 2020.

Harbin Family Christmas Lights

Harbin Family Christmas Lights
10223 Summer House Court
December 1st to 31st, 2020
Accepts donations for Make-A-Wish
Verified for 2020.

Hillside Avenue in Myers Park
The neighborhood has a tradition of creating chicken-wire Christmas balls and hanging them from tall trees. It’s very impressive. We don’t have specific information about what’s happening in 2019, but it’s a pretty good bet that you’ll enjoy driving or walking down Hillside Avenue.
Accepts cash or food donations for Loaves and Fishes. Follow Hillside on Facebook.

Sherwood Forest Drive (off Colony Road)
There are usually several big displays in neighborhood, especially 7323 Sherwood Forest Drive. In past years, Santa was outside handing out candy canes. There was Christmas music and a collection for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. We’ll update when we learn what’s going on in 2020.