Month-long Festive Events in Durham, North Carolina

Durham, North Carolina is home to great events to kick off the holiday season.

The City of Durham is offering a Holiday Fun Fest featuring a parade with Santa Claus and bands, snow sledding, a petting zoo, food vendors and a tree-lighting ceremony. This event takes place on Saturday, December 4 at CCB Plaza from 1pm to 6pm.

American Tobacco’s Annual Tower Lighting is Friday, December 3 at 7pm. Ring in the season with performances by the Durham Public School Choral Groups as countless water tower lights fill the sky.

Take in a holiday show at DPAC-Durham Performing Arts Center or experience a historical Christmas at one of Durham’s historical sites. On December 3, see Duke Homestead by candlelight. Celebrate an 1870 Christmas during the evening candlelight tours showcasing period decorations, caroling, hot apple cider, and other goodies.

On December 4, experience “Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters” at Stagville. During the day, see the Bennehan house decorated for the holidays, listen to music, and shop the local vendors from all over North Carolina with everything from pottery, to jewelry. At night, step into the antebellum period and see how enslaved people celebrated the holidays.

The Durham Museum of Life and Science also has a highly popular Santa Train that runs from December 1–5, 8–12, and 15–20 which features a train ride to the North Pole to see Santa, free hot chocolate, free make n’ take crafts, and free face painting. 

For more information about top events in North Carolina take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in North Carolina.

Visit www.durhameventcalendar.com to search for other events happening through the New Year in Durham.