This year, the public can view the Omni Grove Park Inn’s National Gingerbread Competition — the largest in the world — from the comfort of their homes. The finalists will be announced on Facebook and Instagram December 1 through 12.
For more information, visit facebook.com/omnigroveparkinn or instagram.com/omnigrovepark.
From dusk to midnight, the grounds of Chetola Resort will be illuminated with more than 26,000 lights! Tour the joyful displays from a car or on foot for free.
November 30-January 31. (800) 243-8652, chetola.com/events/festival-of-lights-2.
On display at the U.S. National Whitewater Center is artist Meredith Connelly’s immersive light display featuring illuminating crystals, vines and mushrooms along the natural landscape. The center also provides a chance to lace up some ice skates and glide along their upper pond.
Available through mid-February. For more information visit usnwc.org.
A country light display at Denton FarmPark is bound to bring visitors an extra dose of good cheer. Drive through the light show and pick up a snack from a food truck or a handmade goody from the craft barn along the way.
November 27-29; December 4-6, 10-13, 18-23, 26-27. (336) 859-2755, dentonfarmpark.com.
Join the Chabad of Durham-Chapel Hill and Jewish for Good’s in their Chanukah Drive-In Celebration on December 13 and enjoy music, entertainment and refreshments without leaving your car.
For more information calendar.levinjcc.org/jewishforgood.
The Greensboro Science Center zoo may not have a reindeer exhibit, but their Winter Wonderlights display does transport visitors to 12 holiday-themed realms. Catch live music by the Greensboro Opera on Fridays and Saturdays.
Available until January 3. For more information, including tickets, visit greensboroscience.org.
The New Bern Historical Society’s fourth annual Gingerbread House Contest comes with no fees, no forms, and no categories. Enter your creation in the contest by December 12, or simply view the houses on the Historical Society’s Facebook page.
For more information, visit newbernhistorical.org.
The Jolly Raleigh Scavenger Hunt takes participants to hidden light displays across the city’s parks as they solve the scavenger clues. The quest is self-guided and can be done at any pace between December 1-12 from 2 to 7 p.m. each day.
For more information visit raleighnc.gov/news/2020-11-12-join-us-jolly-raleigh-scavenger-hunt.
Grab your popcorn and a cup of hot chocolate for Curbside Cinema’s weekly holiday drive-in movie, featuring Home Alone, Elf, and Polar Express.
December 4, 11, 18. For more information visit uncw.edu/arts/curbsidecinema.
Gather ’round the fireplace and dream of sugar plums fairies — or watch The University of North Carolina School of the Arts virtual Nutcracker performance. The special premiere on December 12 serves as a fundraiser for student scholarships, and will later be available to watch for free on-demand.
For more information visit uncsa.edu/performances/nutcracker.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
