Christmas in July: Tickets on sale for popular holiday events

It’s never too early to start thinking about cooler temperatures and the holiday season, and if decking the halls and Santa are on your mind, you’re in luck — tickets for two of the area’s most popular holiday events are now on sale.

The 57th annual Southern Christmas Show will return to the Park Expo and Conference Center in Charlotte from Nov. 14-24. This year’s theme is the 12 Days of Christmas and more than 400 holiday merchants from the Charlotte area and around the country are scheduled to be there.

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The show will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Adult tickets can be purchased online now through Nov. 13 on the show’s website for the discounted rate of $18. Tickets purchased at the door will cost $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and younger are admitted free with a paying adult.

Tickets are also available for Preview Night on Nov. 13 for $28. A portion of each ticket sale on Preview Night will be donated to charity partner The Sandbox, which supports local families who have children with cancer or other life-altering illnesses. Tickets for the Early Bird VIP morning on Nov. 16 from 8 to 10 a.m. cost $24 online and at the door.

The 3rd annual Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular will take over Ballantyne’s Backyard from Dec. 5-29. The event features more than 1 million lights plus holiday scenes and displays on a half-mile walking trail. There’s also a snow tube slide. This event will be open nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., although it will close early on Christmas Eve and be closed on Christmas Day.

Tickets are on sale through the event website at ncholidaylights.com and cost $39 for VIP admission and $25 for any day admission. General admission prices range from $10-$20 depending on the time and day of your visit. Tickets for the Grand Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 5 cost $30 with proceeds benefitting the Spirit of Hope Children’s Foundation.

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