GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Each December, the quiet small town of McAdenville in Gaston County comes alive in spectacular fashion for the holidays. Almost overnight, the town transforms into “Christmas Town USA,” which has been consistently ranked in the top 5 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Public Holiday Lights Display.
Christmas Town USA shines nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. from Dec. 2-26. Visitors can see hundreds of trees covered in lights and homes and yards decorated for the holidays along the 1.3-mile route.
The official start on Dec. 2 begins with the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. at 102 Main Street in downtown McAdenville.
The annual Yule Log Ceremony and Parade are set for Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m. at 100 Main Street.
There is no charge to view the lights, and you can tour the town by car or on foot.
In addition, McAdenville’s newest pocket park will transform into North Pole Park where visitors will find a photo wall, crafts, food trucks, live music, and other festivities.
VIDEO BELOW: Traffic Team 9: Best routes to use for McAdenville Christmas Lights
Know before you go:
If possible, plan to visit Monday through Thursday. Traffic increases greatly from Friday through Sunday.
There is only one route through Christmas Town, so some entrances to McAdenville will be closed to the public during display hours. Designated entrances are accessible from Interstate 85, U.S. Highway 29-74 and North Carolina Highway 7.
If you’re coming from I-85 N, take exit 22 and enter Main Street on Highway 7 from Lowell. If you’re coming from I-85 S, take exit 26 and enter Wesleyan Drive from Highway 74. Traffic cannot enter Christmas Town from Hickory Grove Road so don’t let your GPS take you that way. Click here for directions and recommended routes.
If you choose to walk through the tour, there are several free parking areas in town. Public parking is available off Poplar Street, Elm Street, McAdenville Elementary School (275 Wesleyan Drive), and the Hickory Grove Road side of the Dynamo 31 building.
For more information, click here.
(VIDEO: Christmas Town, USA, through the years)
©2021 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
