Salisbury 

• Downtown Salisvbury Holiday Night Out — 5-9 p.m. Nov. 24: Late night shopping and dining, strolling carols, hot cocoa, visits from Santa and the Grinch. downtownsalisburync.com

• Santa and the Grinch at the Bell Tower — 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Nov. 25: Hot cocoa, treats, greet Santa and the Grinch at free photo-op at Downtown Salisbury’s historic Bell Tower. Arts and crafts activities. Visit downtownsalisburync.com for information regarding inclement weather.

• Jingle Mingle — 5-9 p.m. Dec. 1: Classic holiday fun with strolling carols, hot cocoa, special visits from Santa and the Grinch. downtownsalisburync.com

• 20th annual ROBOJO — 2-3 p.m. Dec. 2: 20th annual children’s Christmas Show. In the Stanback Room, RPL, W. Fisher St. rowanpubliclibrary.org

• Brunch with Santa — 10 a.m.- noon Dec. 2: Register in advance. Salisbury Civic Center. $6 per person or $20 per family of 4.

• Fulton Heights Holiday Tour — 5-8 p.m. Dec. 2: . $10 suggested donation

Linda & Buddy Jones. 715 Wiley Ave.
Bret Busby. 507 Wiley Ave.
Susan & Mike Williams. 701 Maupin Ave.
Soful Yoga & Wellness. 1024 S. Fulton St.
Happy Roots. 1026 S. Fulton St.
Cut Up & Dye. 1003 S. Fulton St.

• Swing into Christmas for Rowan Helping Ministries — 7 p.m. Dec. 2: Salisbury Swing Band live at the Salisbury Civic Center, 704-798-5840, salisburyswingband.com

• Gingerbread Workshop at Rowan Museum — Dec. 3: Advance registration required. Museum volunteers put the houses together, you and your child can have the fun of decorating. $35 per house. www.rowanmuseum.org

• PPT Youth Theatre presents ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ — Dec. 7-16: The classic animated television special comes to life; Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts Gang discover the true meaning of Christmas. Tickets go on sale Nov. 27. Norvell Theater, 135 E. Fisher St., 704-633-5471, www.PiedmontPlayers.com

• Horizons Unlimited — • 1-3 p.m. Dec. 9: Cookies with Santa and Holiday Lasers • Dec. 16: Holiday Lasers, Hall of Trees, silent auction, Holiday laser shows, Winter Story Walk and Setzer Christmas. 1636 Parkview Circle. 704-639-3004, www.rss.k12.nc.us/horizonsunlimited-margaret-c-woodson-planetarium

• Christmas Tradition Stories & Music of Christmas — 7 p.m. Dec. 11-12: At the Meroney Theatre featuring Karl Hales and Neal Wilkinson with Lauren Stephson, vocalists and Susan Trivette, pianist. Admission: one canned item for Rowan Helping Ministries.

• Rowan Big Band All Stars at Lee Street theatre — 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15: 18-piece community big band in the style of Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, etc. $20 + tax. 329 N. Lee St., 704-310-5507, www.leestreet.org

• Salisbury Symphony’s ‘The Nutcracker’ with Piedmont Dance Theatre — Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. and Dec. 17 at 2:30 p.m. Keppel Auditorium. Tickets at salisburysymphony.org

• Santa and the Grinch with Antique Fire Trucks — 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Dec. 16: Cruise around downtown. Cookies, cocoa, holiday crafts while you wait. Weather permitting. downtownsalisburync.com

• Christmas Open House at THD — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 16: free horse and carriage rides, Mr. & Mrs. Claus, Hot chocolate and cookies, Craft vendors. Tilley Harley-Davidson, 653 Bendix Drive, 704-638-6044, www.tilleyhdofsalisbury.com

• Handel’s Messiah by Salisbury Symphony and Chorale — 6:30 p.m. Dec.19: Salisbury Symphony and the Salisbury Symphony Chorale’s first holiday concert of Christmas excerpts from Handel’s “Messiah.” First Presbyterian Church at 308 W. Fisher St. $15 adults and $5 ages 18 and below. Free for children under 10. General admission. Tickets at www.salisburysymphony.org, or 704-216-1513.

• Old Stone Christmas — Dec. 30-31: at Old Stone House, Christmas like our Rowan County ancestors would have known 200 years ago. $5 adults $3 students. www.rowanmuseum.org

• New Year’s Eve at the Bell Tower — 9 p.m. – midnight Dec. 31: Hosted by Salisbury Parks and Rec. Celebrate at Salisbury’s historic Bell Tower. Live music, video feed of Time Square, hot cocoa, more. downtownsalisburync.com

Kannapolis

• Offical Kannapolis Tree Lighting Ceremony — 6 p.m. Nov. 25: Village Park, 700 West C St. Live music, entertainment, kid’s activities and fireworks. Free admission.

•Winterland Express train — Nov. 25-Dec. 30: 6-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 6-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Train runs every evening but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 250,000 Christmas lights. Admission and viewing is free; train and carousel tickets $2 per person per ride. PlusSanta in his studio and Kannapolis Singing Bears, Atlantic Coast S Gaugers group’s model trains.

• Holiday Market at The Laureate Center — 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Dec. 9: Kannapolis City Hall. Free admission. Info www.kannapolisnc.gov/christmas

Concord

• Concord’s 20th annual Tree Lighting Ceremony — 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17: Kick off the holiday season the weekend before Thanksgiving, with the City of Concord’s 20th annual Tree Lighting Ceremony begins family entertainment, live misuc, Santa, and grand finale of fireworks at 8:30 p.m. Info at cabarrusevents.org

• Salisbury Swing Band Christmas Spectacular — 7-9 p.m. Nov. 17: Carolina Mall Main Stage in the Mall Food Court. Finale show of the Carolina Mall Week of Holiday Performances. 704-798-5840 salisburyswingband.com

• Bill Gaither & The Gaither Christmas Homecoming at the Cabarrus Arena — 6 p.m. Dec.2: Cabarrus Arena and Events Center, 4751 NC 49, Concord, 704-920-3976, www.cabarrusarena.com

• Salisbury Swing Band — 6 p.m. Dec. 9: Swing into Christmas Big Band style. Live at Carolina Mall Concord, 704-798-5840 salisburyswingband.com

• The Barefoot Christmas Movement Show — 8 p.m. Dec. 16: Christmas favorites from International Bluegrass Music Association’s Band of the Yea. $30. The Davis Theatre. 65 Union St., South in the Historic Cabarrus County Courthouse. 704-920- ARTS or www.cabarrusartscouncil.org

Other 

• Christmas in Gold Hill Village — Dec. 8-10: Christmas in the Village in Historic Gold Hill, Saint Stephens Church Road, www.goldhillnc.com

• ‘Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical’ at Ovens Auditorium — 7 p.m. Dec. 20: $29.50 to $69.50 (plus charges). At Ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000 or 2700 E. Independence Blvd. See rudolphthemusical.com

• Boston butt and turkey BBQ — Dec. 22, 5-8 p.m.: Cleveland Lions’ Den, Cemetery Street, Cleveland. Pre-order by Dec. 18, 704-278-2252.

• Christmas in Old Salem — 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Dec. 9: 18th-19th century celebrations culminate in lighting of the 16-foot-tall Moravian Christmas pyramid. Other days: candlelight tours, Special Day with St. Nicholas, St. Philips Anniversary Lovefeast, Tannenberg Organ Recital Series, Christmas Week. oldsalem.org for dates, times, details.

• High Point Ballet presents ‘The Nutcracker’ — Dec. 20-22: At High Point Theater, 220 E Commerce Ave., reserved seating, see highpointballet.org or call 336-887-4HPB.

• A Tweetsie Christmas — Nov. 24- Dec.30: Blowing Rock. Santa Claus in his shop, train ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains, carolers throughout the park, live Christmas Show, roasted s’mores, selecting the perfect Christmas tree. Advance tickets recommended at Tweetsie.com

• 26th Annual Tanglewood Park Festival of Lights — Begins 6 p.m. through Jan. 1: 26th annual Festival in Clemmons. Also Santa and Mrs. Claus, performers, gift village, tractor-pulled hayrides. Reservations required at 336-766-9540 or www.forsyth.cc/Parks/Tanglewood/