There’s a reason Lifetime airs its holiday movies year-round: More than the storytelling, it’s that cozy, snowy, small-town spirit that draws us in, even in July. Neighbors come together to make downtown twinkle for the most wonderful time of the year. The level of charm is strong, but it’s not real. Is it?
“You see those movies and think, ‘That’s not real life,’” Stephen Hayes says. “But then you go to Mooresville at Christmas, and it kind of is real.”
The magic of a Mooresville Christmas played no small role in Hayes’s desire to open Fred & June’s Books on North Main Street. He and his wife, Morgan, and their son had been coming to Mooresville holiday events for years and seeing the town’s investment in creating Christmas cheer made them want to be a part of it.
From luminous snowflakes to garlands hanging high overhead, Mooresville sparkles a little brighter during the holiday season. Photography courtesy of Visit Mooresville
The couple opened Fred & June’s in September 2023. Three months later, they hosted a sold-out Holiday Express Pajama Party, where 75 pajama-clad kids squeezed into the store for hot cocoa, silver bells, and a reading of the The Polar Express by a local teacher.
The party was such a success that the Hayes family made it a weekly December event in 2024, and they’ll do it again this year. The pajama party, a celebration filled with joy and merriment, is just one of the many cheerful events in Mooresville. Read on for a rundown of how the holiday season transforms the town each year — and how you can join in the fun.
A Classic Christmas in Mooresville is the crown jewel of the town’s holiday events. On Friday, December 12, it transforms downtown into a destination for ice skating, horse-drawn wagon rides, a carousel, train rides, Christmas carols, and even snow — courtesy of artificial snow makers perched atop buildings on Main Street.
“That’s when the town just becomes this winter wonderland,” Hayes said. “It’s a real movie-style downtown feel where you just get this sense of community and belonging.”
Experience a horse-drawn wagon ride during A Classic Christmas in Mooresville. Photography courtesy of Visit Mooresville
There are plenty of festivities leading up to and following the Classic Christmas celebration. For more than 80 years, the Mooresville Christmas Parade has kicked off the season on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (November 25 this year). The annual event brings out more than 5,000 people who line the 1.5-mile parade route through downtown.
Parade volunteers published a guide with insider tips for optimizing your parade-viewing experience, the most important being to come early: People start placing chairs along the route the night before the event to reserve their spots.
Work on your Christmas shopping list and spectate at the LangTree Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. Photography courtesy of Visit Mooresville
No holiday season would be complete without lights and music, and Mooresville offers both in bulk. On November 15, the LangTree commercial district on Lake Norman lights its 40-foot Christmas tree. Along with the illumination, there are craft and food vendors, animal rides, a DJ spinning festive tracks, and an early visit from Santa Claus.
The Lake Norman Philharmonic is also a big part of the holiday season. At its annual Holiday Concert, this year on December 11 at 7 p.m., conductor Eduardo Cedeňo and the all-ages, all-volunteer orchestra play a full slate of Christmas classics. The Philharmonic’s string quartet also plays yuletide tunes the following evening at A Classic Christmas.
Shop for handmade hats, scarves, blankets, and more at the Working Fingers Craft Show. Photography courtesy of Visit Mooresville
Early-season shoppers get two opportunities to check items off their gift lists and support local businesses. At the 49th annual Working Fingers Craft Show on Saturday, November 8, dozens of local artisans sell unique, handmade goods, including jewelry, home décor, handmade dolls, clothing, baked goods, artwork, lotions, candles, and more at the Charles Mack Citizen Center downtown.
Small Business Saturday — the Saturday after Thanksgiving — is observed across the nation, but few small towns show up for it like Mooresville. More than 100 shops, restaurants, galleries, coffee shops, and downtown bars offer special deals, raffles, and open houses.
Turn your home into a winter wonderland with vintage décor and other festive finds from Main Street Antiques and Design Gallery. Photography courtesy of Visit Mooresville
Those who need a little gift-giving deadline pressure can finish their shopping December 20 and 21 at the Holiday MEGA Market. Also at the Charles Mack Citizen Center, the MEGA Market offers wares from more than 75 local vendors and themed workshops on candle making, cookie decorating, and other holiday crafts.
While it’s open all year long, Main Street Antiques and Design Gallery is worth a holiday season visit. With more than 160,000 square feet of space, it’s the largest antique mall in the Carolinas. More than 500 vendors sell vintage goods, art, clothes, handcrafted jewelry, and more in the building that once housed a textile mill. No need to leave for lunch; this destination is home to the award-winning Barcelona Burger and Beer Garden and Alino’s Pizza.
Check out seasonal drink specials and events at Dive Bar on North Main Street. Photography courtesy of Visit Mooresville
In the last few years, Mooresville has become a hub for craft beer, coffee, and cocktails. And its bars, breweries, and coffee shops take Christmas as seriously as the rest of the town.
Every Sunday between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Hoptown Brewing hosts holiday movie screenings in their taproom. Past favorites include Elf and A Christmas Story. The December editions of their regular trivia and music bingo nights also take on yuletide themes.
Not one for beer? Sip one of Scratch Kitchen’s craft cocktails. Photography courtesy of Visit Mooresville
At LangTree, the intimate Scratch Kitchen pairs Ghostface Brewing’s acclaimed beers with house-made sandwiches and burgers. Plan to cozy up with your friends and a winter’s brew after the season-opening LangTree tree lighting ceremony.
Every December, 158 on Main becomes a Christmas bar, its halls decked with garland and holiday packages draped from the ceiling. Bask in the twinkling lights, listen to their live music, and sip a Mistletoe Glow (gin, lemon, cranberry simple syrup, egg white, orange bitters, and club soda) or one of the other holiday cocktails on offer.
Grab a sweet pick-me-up from Coffee Republic. Photography courtesy of Visit Mooresville
If you like your Christmas beverages caffeinated, Mooresville has that covered, too. All located along Main Street, Coffee Republic, Summit Coffee, and Defined Coffee each offer seasonal drinks and baked goods.
Where will you go first? Whether you live in town or want an event worthy of a day trip, click here to learn more about all you can see and do in Mooresville during the holiday season — and discover firsthand why it really is the most wonderful time of the year.
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