The Christmas Town In North Carolina That Has One Million Christmas Lights On Main Street
There’s no place like home in North Carolina for the holidays. New memories and traditions are created each year as cities, towns, and attractions all over the state host events filled with holiday cheer. One town, in particular, seems to really go over the top with getting into the Christmas spirit. They decorate Main Street with more than a million lights and host merry events each weekend to share the fun.
The town of Forest City, in Rutherford County (Western, NC), flips the switch on their Forest City Christmas on Thanksgiving night (7:00 p.m.) and keeps them on each night through January 2, 2019. This year's display shows off one million lights found twinkling right on Main Street.
You can drive right through the lights and enjoy them from the comfort of your car, but we think you'll change your mind (and pull over) once you see all of the activities Forest City has planned.
On Saturday nights in December, for instance, you can take in the views from a horse-drawn carriage. Imagine the clippity-clop of the horse hooves while you admire the twinkling lights and listen to the sounds of Christmas.
Whether you are walking or riding, the festively adorned storefronts are a sight to see all unto themselves. The Main Street merchants in Forest City spare no expense in dressing out their windows with seasonal decor.
On Friday nights (Nov. 30, Dec 7, 14, 21) take an old fashioned wagon ride with the whole family to see the lights and more. You may want to brush up on your Christmas carols beforehand — you know, so you can lead everyone in the wagon in a carol or two...
Other fun events include live music on select nights, ice skating on Friday nights, and visits with Santa in his very own Santa house on Fridays and Saturdays Nov. 30 through December 22.
Have you discovered the holiday cheer found in Forest City’s Christmas on Main Street yet?
Want to attend the lighting ceremony on Thanksgiving night? The joyful fun begins on Thursday, November 22nd at 6:00 p.m. (Lights will be turned on at 7:00 p.m.) After, take a spin around the ice-skating rink and enjoy complimentary cookies at Santa’s house. Sounds perfect!
For more information, see this page on the official Forest City website.
Can’t get enough holiday cheer this year? Head to Charlotte Motor Speedway, where you’ll actually drive on the track as you make your way through their enormous Christmas lights drive-through display!
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Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. General questions and FAM tours: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com.
