Holiday spirit is all around in downtown Asheboro. photograph by Stacey Van Berkel
Around Christmastime, a nostalgic sense of anticipation and fellowship brings together this Randolph County community. Hop in a wagon or carriage and ride through downtown to enjoy the Christmas lights and festive storefronts.
Davidson’s Main Street is often busy and bustling in early December. photograph by Stacey Van Berkel
For more than three decades, this small college town north of Charlotte has been known for its Hallmark-like holiday festival featuring costumed pooches, gingerbread houses, and Christmas trees galore.
During Dillsboro’s annual Lights & Luminaries event, more than 2,500 candlelit paper bags line the streets, bathing the storefronts in a warm glow. photograph by Derek Diluzio
This Western town has an abundance of Christmas spirit that is highlighted at the annual Lights & Luminaries Celebration. Twinkle lights and paper-bag luminaries line the streets, musicians perform on the sidewalks, and shops stay open late, offering hot chocolate and holiday treats.
Downtown Farmville was once a thriving commercial center where farmers sold tobacco, shopped with local merchants, and stopped to talk to their neighbors. Now, its vibrant spirit is back. photograph by Baxter Miller
This eastern town gets all decked out for the season with local storefronts featuring festive décor. After wandering around to finish your Christmas shopping, warm up with a cheese biscuit from The Little Rocket.
McAdenville residents work hard to decorate their community with sparkling lights and decor in the weeks leading up to December 1. photograph by Charles Harris
Every December, residents string up thousands of twinkling lights, transforming their Gaston County village into Christmas Town, USA. Dazzling displays — like the town’s bedazzled homes and breathtaking lawns — are their gift to North Carolina.
Tucked into a historic neighborhood, a backyard in Forsyth County holds hundreds of Southern wildflowers collected by one wild flower woman.
John Champlin has traveled across the state — and the nation — in search of hard-to-find spots that serve an unforgettable hot dog. After 11 years, what he’s discovered goes way beyond the bun.
In the early 20th century, textile mill owners sponsored baseball teams, providing entertainment for their employees and nurturing a passion for the game that’s been handed down through generations of North Carolinians.
Our writer reflects on where his love of vinyl began, and how the snap, crackle, and pop of a needle sliding across a turntable will always satisfy his soul.
