Holiday activities abound here in the Port City! The holidays are such a special time of year. With a chill in the air, we still get the warm and fuzzies while celebrating with our friends and families!
Kicking the holidays off, Wrightsville Beach does it up each year with The Flotilla. An amazing display of boats decorated and decked out in lights and holiday décor! The events kick off the Friday following Thanksgiving with the tree lighting ceremony and a visit from Santa at the Wrightsville Beach Town Hall. Then, on Saturday, the Festival in the Park starts at 10am and goes until 4pm with the boat parade starting at 6pm, followed up by fireworks at 7:30pm.
If you happen to miss the Wrightsville Beach Flotilla, no worries! Pleasure Island holds the Pleasure Island Parade and Flotilla the very next weekend (November 30th / December 1st). The Parade will be held on Friday, November 30th with the Flotilla being held on Saturday, December 1st.
If you have children or feel like a child any time you’re around trains – this time of year is the time to get out and check out the Wilmington Railroad Museum. They have a Polar Express show that includes a reading of the story, a visit from Santa, receive a special “first gift” and more! Readings are held Saturday and Sunday afternoons/evenings during the month of December. You might also catch a glimpse of the Railroad Museum’s handy work at Enchanted Airlie, as they typically have their holiday train on display there!
Speaking of Airlie – it just wouldn’t be the holidays if you didn’t take a stroll through Enchanted Airlie at least once while the stunning gardens are dressed up in a twinkling display of lights. The gardens have two showings each Friday and Saturday night through the month of December.
The 10th annual Wilmington Holiday Parade will be held on December 2nd in Historic Downtown Wilmington. The parade begins at North Front Street and Walnut at 6:10pm. If you get there in time, grab a seat on the court house steps for the best views of the parade.
And lastly, if you’re looking for a low key event to take your children (big or small) to, you might consider stopping by the Polar Express Train Ride after some shopping or dining at Mayfaire Town Center. If the kids haven’t had a chat with Santa, stop in for a visit and a great photo op. Mayfaire begins the holiday season with a lighting ceremony that will be held Friday, November 23rd at 6:30pm in front of the cinemas. After Santa makes his appearance at the ceremony, he’ll head over to Santa’s Village to visit with the children until Christmas Eve! Visit Mayfaire’s website for more details on Santa’s hours.
Please have a safe and happy holiday season and hold your loved ones close!
If you need any information about any of the events listed, please feel free to contact me at Carrie@CoastalCarolinaProperties.com.
Carrie Upchurch
910.833.4947