Stanly County Christmas 2026: every parade, tree lighting and Santa stop.
Five town parades, four tree lightings, two holiday home tours, a free Whoville festival and markets from Albemarle to Norwood, checked against each organizer’s own page.
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Christmas parades and tree lightings, town by town.
Times come from each town’s own calendar or event page. Rows fade out once the event has happened.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Locust Christmas Tree Lighting Festival Vendors, food trucks, photos with the Grinch | Locust Town Centre | 5–8 p.m. |
| Wed., Dec. 2 | Norwood Christmas Parade | Downtown Norwood | 5 p.m. |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Oakboro tree lighting, then Christmas parade | Downtown Oakboro | 6:30 p.m. lighting · 7 p.m. parade |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | An Albemarle Downtown Christmas Tree lighting at City Hall, Santa in Courthouse Square | Downtown Albemarle | 5:30–7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Locust Christmas Parade | From the Lions Club Drive lot along N.C. 200 | 1 p.m. |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Palestine Christmas Parade | Palestine community | 2 p.m. |
| Mon., Dec. 7 | Angel Tree Lighting with Santa | Stanly County Commons, Albemarle | 5:30–7 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Albemarle Christmas Parade Grand Marshal nominations close Nov. 16 | Downtown Albemarle | 4–5:30 p.m. |
Every holiday event we’ve confirmed.
Filter by town, tap a day, or add any event to your phone. When an event ends it leaves this list on its own and is saved in the Events Journal.
How the season lines up.
Mid-November: markets and the first lights
The season opens Saturday, Nov. 14, with the free Holly Jolly Christmas Show on Newt Road and the 43rd Stanfield Arts and Craft Show, then the Raleigh Ringers handbell concert on Sunday. Locust lights its tree Thursday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. with vendors, food trucks and the Grinch. The Stanly Arts Guild’s holiday craft show runs through Dec. 30, with late Shop Small hours Nov. 19, Nov. 28 and Dec. 4.
Nov. 21: Albemarle’s Holiday Tour of Homes
Albemarle Downtown’s Holiday Tour of Homes runs Saturday, Nov. 21, from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Ticket sales fund downtown revitalization and small-business grants.
First week of December: three towns in four days
Norwood’s parade steps off Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m. Oakboro lights its tree at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, and the parade follows at 7. On Friday, Dec. 4, An Albemarle Downtown Christmas brings the City Hall tree lighting, Santa in Courthouse Square Park, firepits, s’mores and the Elf Hunt, while the Stanly County Historical Society opens the decorated Snuggs and Marks houses a block away from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 5–6: the busiest weekend
Saturday brings Christmas on the Square in Norwood (11 a.m.–6 p.m.), the Locust Christmas Parade at 1 p.m., the Christmas Market at Uwharrie Brewing (2–6 p.m.) and the Better Badin Holiday Home Tour (3–7 p.m.; day-of tickets at the Badin Inn from 2:30). The Palestine Christmas Parade follows Sunday at 2 p.m.
Dec. 12–13: Santa, the big parade and Whoville
Locust’s Breakfast with Santa (registration required) and the start of The Art Place’s ticketed Polar Pals Christmas Party lead into the Albemarle Christmas Parade at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Stanly County Chorale sings Home for the Holidays Saturday night at Pfeiffer’s Henry Pfeiffer Chapel and Sunday afternoon at First Baptist in Albemarle, and A Whoville Christmas Festival at A Place in the Vineyard is free from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday. Christmas pajamas encouraged.
Make someone’s Christmas
SCCM Helping Hands: families apply by noon Fri., Nov. 20. Volunteers are needed Dec. 7–11 and on Toy Store day, Dec. 12. Sign up →
Tillery Compassionate Care: more than 50 trees fill the Stanly County Commons all December, and the Angel Tree Lighting is Dec. 7. Details →
4-H Holiday Greenery Sale: wreaths and poinsettias, pickup Nov. 24. How to order →
Santa, bells and letters
Reindeer Bell Hunt: nine bells hide in Locust City Park Dec. 1–24. Photograph them, leave them, and tag the City of Locust.
Letters to Santa: the North Pole Express mailbox at Locust City Hall is open Dec. 1–24; mail by Dec. 16 for a guaranteed reply.
Meet the Grinch: at the Locust tree lighting (Nov. 19) and the Whoville festival (Dec. 13).
Breakfast with Santa: Dec. 12, West Stanly Senior Center. Register at locustnc.recdesk.com.
The calendars we check every week.
We follow every town, museum, arts group and nonprofit in the county. See each group’s website, calendar and Facebook page on our community calendars page. Planning an event? Send it to us; listings are free.
Stanly County Christmas 2026: quick answers.
When is the Albemarle Christmas Parade in 2026?
Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, at 4 p.m. in downtown Albemarle; it runs until about 5:30 p.m. The city’s downtown Christmas and tree lighting is the week before, Friday, Dec. 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
When is the Locust Christmas tree lighting and parade?
The Locust Christmas Tree Lighting Festival is Thursday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Town Centre. The Locust Christmas Parade is Saturday, Dec. 5, at 1 p.m.
When are the Norwood and Oakboro Christmas parades?
Norwood’s parade is Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m. Oakboro lights its tree at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, with the parade from 7 to 8 p.m.
What free Christmas events are there in Stanly County?
The parades, the Locust tree lighting, An Albemarle Downtown Christmas, Christmas on the Square in Norwood, the Uwharrie Brewing Christmas Market, the Whoville Christmas Festival, the Reindeer Bell Hunt and Letters to Santa are all free to attend. Look for the yellow Free tag on the calendar above.
Where can I see Santa in Stanly County?
Santa visits Courthouse Square Park during An Albemarle Downtown Christmas (Dec. 4), rides in the town parades, appears at the Angel Tree Lighting (Dec. 7), Locust’s Breakfast with Santa and The Art Place’s Polar Pals party (both starting Dec. 12).
