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A 2023 Guide to Holiday Events in Charlotte

NOV. 9-19
Southern Christmas Show
The festive showcase returns to Charlotte on Thursday, November 9, and will run through Sunday, November 19. More than 400 vendors will be there for you to browse and shop as you take in the seasonal sights all around you. $16-$18 (kids 6-12, $8).

NOV. 22
Novant Health Thanksgiving Parade
This year, the free Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade marks its 77th anniversary and its third year as a nighttime event. Wednesday, Nov. 22, 6 p.m. Tryon Street, uptown.

NOV. 17-JAN. 6
Speedway Christmas
Drive through nearly four miles of Christmas lights with synchronized music on the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Then hop out for photos with Santa, a live nativity scene, rides, s’mores making, and gift vendors. Drive-in movies on select nights. Charlotte Motor Speedway. $45 per car.

NOV. 17-JAN. 1
Carowinds WinterFest
Explore millions of lights, ice skating, family activities, live entertainment, food and drink, holiday gift shops, games, and rides. Carowinds. Tickets start at $32.99.

NOV. 22-JAN. 1
Light the Knights
Truist Field hosts ice skating, snow tubing,lights, shopping, and more as part of this year’s Light the Knights festivities. Tickets start at $10-$40.

NOV. 24-DEC. 23
Holidays at the Garden
Winter will glisten with dazzling lights, sparkling fountains, and holiday décor throughout Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden this season. Tuesday-Sunday, 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Adults: $25; kids: $15.

A Guide to Charlotte’s Best Italian Restaurants: 2023

Charlotte’s roster of Italian eateries continues to expand, proving the city’s robust appetite for pizza and pasta isn’t going anywhere. Fortunately, we’ve got a range of options, from white tablecloth ristorantes to more casual osterias. Enjoy scratch-made tagliatelle the way you’d eat it in Bologna or order meatballs and breadsticks at a counter. Sip a glass of Chianti at a Venetian-style wine bar or take a gelato to go. Find an experience at any price in this restaurant guide.

Flour Shop
530 Brandywine Rd.
980-299-3754
The smell of fresh bread in the wood-fired oven hits you as soon as you walk into this intimate restaurant in the Backlot of Park Road Shopping Center. If there’s room at the counter, grab a seat and watch as the chefs prepare handmade ravioli, linguine, and tagliatelle in the open kitchen. When the housemade sourdough and warm focaccia tempt you—and they will—order a loaf with a plate of Burrata and use the bread to soak up the pesto and tomato jam. Chef Trey Wilson’s pasta is always divine, from the Ricotta Gnocchi with Pork Meatballs to the Squid Ink Linguine. His dishes often change with the seasons, but if the Fettuccini Lamb Bolognese is on the menu, order it.

Angeline’s
303 S. Church St.
704-445-2540
The Pappardelle Bolognese and Margherita Pizza are both excellent, but if you’re feeling adventurous, start with the whipped ricotta with sourdough, lavender honey, and pistachio. After dinner, ride the elevator to the 19th floor of the Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel for a nightcap from its sister cocktail bar, Merchant & Trade.

Aria Tuscan Grill
100 N. Tryon St.
704-376-8880
This trendy uptown spot has high-end Italian dishes with a sophisticated wine program to match.

Aqua e Vino
4219 Providence Rd.
704-364-4445
This is one of the smallest dining rooms in town, which means it can be hard to nab a reservation without planning. It also means chef Gabriele Grigolon serves each dish with textbook precision.

Capishe
500 E. Morehead St., Ste. 100
980-819-9494
Grab a margherita pizza or some linguine carbonara at this fast-casual eatery.

Cicchetti
100 N. Tryon St.
980-299-0039
Come for the drinks and stay for the food at this wine bar, restaurant, and retail shop. Cicchetti (pronounced “chee-KEH-tee”) means “small dishes” in Italian, i.e., Venice’s version of Spanish tapas.

Dolce Osteria
1710 Kenilworth Ave.
704-332-7525
This classic, cozy, family-run neighborhood trattoria serves a mix of fresh, regional Italian cuisine and a carefully curated, all-Italian wine list.

Ever Andalo
3116 N. Davidson St.
704-910-6543
Ever Andalo has the feel of a neighborhood trattoria, and the pasta, all made in-house, is the highlight of the menu.

Fiamma
2418 Park Rd.
704-333-3062
The open layout lends an air of conviviality to this slick eatery, which has housemade pastas, thin-crust pizzas, note-perfect risotto, and daring meat entrees.

Forchetta
230 N. College St.
704-602-2750
Chef Luca Annunziata serves lasagna just like his mom made it and carbonara as it’s served in Rome.

46 Garage Storage Ideas You Can DIY

Wire Shelving In the Garage
While no two garages are alike, one thing they might very well have in common is a deep need to be more organized. The walls are an obvious place to start.

Wall-mounted shelves are a simple fix that will help you maximize your garage storage space quickly and easily. Shelves, baskets and hooks are simple to install and inexpensive, while offering you an endless array of customizable options.

The garage storage racks pictured here are an easy DIY project that will only take you one morning to set up.

Garage Storage Ideas for Fishing Gear
We got sick and tired of our fishing rods getting tangled, so we came up with this easy fishing rod organizer. All you need is a length of 3-in.-diameter PVC pipe and a foam swimming pool noodle for this DIY garage storage system.

Drill 1-in. holes spaced every 4 in. in the PVC pipe.
Use a utility knife to cut slits in the foam noodle, spacing them 4 in. apart.
Line up the pool noodle on the wall so that at least two of the slits sit over studs.
Pull those slits apart, slide in a fender washer, and screw the noodle to the wall with 2-in. screws.
Finally, screw the PVC pipe to the wall beneath it at a comfortable height and insert your fishing rods.

Stack Bins Vertically To Save Floor Space
Plastic storage bins are one of the great garage storage systems to separate and organize your equipment by sport or season. Unfortunately, they usually get stacked against a wall somewhere, which makes getting to the bottom bins difficult, especially for your household’s littlest teammates.

Luckily, a permanent DIY garage solution is only a weekend away with our easy-to-build storage towers, an attractive and ingenious way to provide easy access to your bins. Consider different color bins for each sport to make finding what you need a breeze, and utilize the sides of the wooden frame for wall-mounted accessory items such as fishing rod holders or utility hooks for lightweight equipment.

The 30 Best NC Christmas Events (2023-2024)

There’s nothing quite like celebrating the holiday season in a magical place, and many small mountain towns offer special NC Christmas Events.

From parades and shopping to dazzling Christmas lights and meetings with Santa, these Blue Ridge Mountain Towns are the perfect place to celebrate and get into the holiday spirit.

So, whether you’re looking for a relaxing stroll down Main Street, a festive NC train ride through the mountains, or just some unique holiday memories, read on for our extensive guide to the best North Carolina Christmas events!

NC Christmas Events Guide
(Arranged Geographically)

1. Biltmore Virtual Tree Raising (Biltmore Estate)
2. Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration (Biltmore Estate)
3. Candlelight Christmas Evenings (Biltmore Estate)
4. National Gingerbread House Competition (Asheville)
5. Winter Lights at The NC Arboretum (Asheville)
6. Christmas Jam (Asheville)
7. Guild Holiday Makers Sale at the Folk Art Center (Asheville)
8. Apple Hill Farm Christmas Celebration (Banner Elk)
9. A Small Town Christmas (Banner Elk)
10. Tweetsie Christmas (Blowing Rock)

What’s latest about sports?

Charlotte 49ers

Charlotte 49ers Win Historic AAC Championship

The Charlotte 49ers Men’s Soccer team just won their first American Athletic Conference championship after beating the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs yesterday in Dallas.

This victory marks Charlotte’s first American Athletic Conference title in their inaugural season, having just joined the AAC this year. The 49ers, who were the No. 2 seed in the AAC tournament after a 6-2 conference record and 12-3-1 overall, defeated Florida Atlantic in the semifinals before overcoming SMU, the No. 2 ranked team in NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer.

The win came after Forward Brandon Morales scored the second goal in the game in minute 55. The first goal was scored by Defender Ian Pilcher in minute 22.

Game Highlights: 2023 American Men’s Soccer Championship | Charlotte vs SMU

Biggest Event this December!

WINTER WONDERLIGHTS

Nov. 22 – Dec. 31, 2023; Greensboro

Greensboro Science Center invites you to celebrate with loved ones at Winter Wonderlights. Featuring 12 magical realms of joyful sounds and shimmering lights, this walk-thru experience recommends making reservations online. Check the calendar before buying tickets; select weekdays are discounted, and you’ll find Santa most weekend days.

Know more here: WINTER WONDERLIGHTS

WINTERLIGHTS AT ELIZABETHAN GARDENS

Select dates Nov. 17 – Dec. 30, 2023; Manteo

Peacocks, butterflies, deer and other enchanting creatures take up temporary residence at the Elizabethan Gardens. Created with flowers, seeds and other natural elements, the lighted displays join permanent art elements – which include the world’s largest bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Know more here: WINTERLIGHTS AT ELIZABETHAN GARDENS

WINTERFEST AT CAROWINDS

Select dates Nov. 17, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024; Charlotte

One of the South’s most popular theme parks, Carowinds transforms into WinterFest with thousands of shimmering lights, a large Christmas tree, lavish displays, live shows and strolling performers, and special holiday dishes and desserts fill the midways.

know more here: WINTERFEST AT CAROWINDS

NORTH CAROLINA CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL

Nov. 17, 2023 – Jan. 14, 2024; Cary

The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival includes all-new displays, each one comprising hundreds of parts and thousands of LED lights. A variety of ticket options – including Twilight, Any Night and VIP – make planning your visit a breeze. There will also be cultural performances and artisan crafts.

know more here: NORTH CAROLINA CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL

Check out these AMAZING Concerts and Plays this DECEMBER!

Booth Play house

CLARA’S TRIP: A CIRQUE & DANCE NUTCRACKER STORY
DEC 7 – 10, 2023

A contemporary twist on a holiday classic.

Clara attends a holiday party hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Flowers. At the party, she meets Beau and they dance the night away. Only one problem. Clara is a passionate dancer but not the most coordinated. She trips, falls and is whisked off to the hospital to learn that her ankle is broken. That night her friends and get-well gifts swirl in her dreams.

Come one, come all to the perfect holiday treat for your friends and family!

All shows will have sound dampening headphones, fidget toys and a quiet room for people with sensory and learning disabilities. A Know Before You Go that will include when loud and sudden theatrics will occur will also be sent out on December 1 to ticket holders.

Buy tickets here: CLARA’S TRIP: A CIRQUE & DANCE NUTCRACKER STORY

Knight Theater

CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY: HOLIDAY POPS
DEC 15 – 17, 2023

Create lasting memories with family and friends at the Charlotte Symphony’s annual Holiday show with sing-alongs, falling snow, and so much more.

Buy tickets here: CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY: HOLIDAY POPS

Spectrum Theater

Jumpman Invitational 2023
Dec 19 / Tuesday

The fans are stomping their feet in excitement for the greatest sports and athletics event of this year comes to North Carolina. And if you act now, you can be a part of the action when Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina hosts Jumpman Invitational – 2 Day Pass for a live event on Tuesday 19th December 2023! You heard it here first! You could be a part of an ENERGETIC crowd that gets to see the biggest athletes in their league go head to head in December’s most intense competition. Ticket holders won’t be able to look away because they might miss highlights reel moments that are too hot for a TV broadcast. You’ll be on the edge of your seats as you watch out for fan-favorite stars rush out to the playing field. And you might just cheer until it hurts when you see the twists and surprises that could only come from this STUNNING athletics event. Hundreds have already secured their tickets to see the show, but there’s still time to buy the best seats in the house. But only if you hurry while supplies last. Don’t miss out! Click the buy tickets link below, so you can buy your tickets to see Jumpman Invitational – 2 Day Pass live at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina this coming Tuesday 19th December 2023!

Buy tickets here:Jumpman Invitational 2023

ReevesHomeTeam

A blog from Charlotte's Real Estate Geek.

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