SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Li’l Friday is a weekly roundup of events in art, music, theater, comedy, pop-up markets and more.
Now that the holiday season is here, expect plenty of events centered on the Christmastime, Hanukkah and other holiday celebrations. Kicking off Thanksgiving weekend is the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla, Poplar Grove’s annual lights and displays, as well as a cabaret-style holiday revue with Brian Whitted, “Very Merry Downtown Christmas.”
All events featured below were scheduled as of Thursday; however, it’s wise to check in ahead of attending any one. Inclement weather, changes in schedules and unforeseen circumstances may shift for organizers at the last minute.
Thursday, Nov. 27
Cape Fear Habitat Turkey Trot
Wrightsville Beach Park Loop, 321 Causeway Drive • Donate here
The annual Cape Fear Habitat Turkey Trot takes place at Wrightsville Beach, welcoming runners and walkers to its 1-mile or 5K run or walk.
The course wraps around the Loop at Wrightsville Beach, welcoming participants donning costumes and turkey wear throughout Harbor Island on Thanksgiving morning. It’s also stroller friendly for families — though pets are not allowed.
The event is a fundraiser for the Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity, which builds affordable homes for people in New Hanover, Brunswick, Duplin and Pender counties.
The run, which is sold out this year, has become a holiday tradition. Spectators are welcome to cheer on the participants and donate to the cause here.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
Thanksgiving Dinner — Plenty of places are open and serving Thanksgiving dinner this holiday season. Check PCD’s coverage here.
Friday, Nov. 28
Merry and Bright
Poplar Grove Plantation, 10200 N.C. Highway 17 • Admission: $10/$100 season pass for 4
Historic Poplar Grove Plantation is hosting their annual holiday festivities beginning Friday, Nov. 28 and taking place through Dec. 21.
The grounds will be decorated with a Christmas lights display and a number of events and activities will also take place, including live music in the Holiday Hootenanny Tent.
Admission to the grounds includes: photo opportunities for the family, a USO letter-writing station, vintage carnival games, Santa’s mailbox, Grinch’s junk shop, Bumble’s snowball party, campfires to roast marshmallows, Christmas movies, food trucks, and concessions. Visits with Santa in the gazebo are until 8:30 p.m. The Manor House is also open, decorated in traditional Victorian holiday decor, with the lower level also showcasing classic scenes from the film “A Christmas Story.”
Also new this year — in anticipation of America’s 250th celebration — is the Spirit of ’76 Tavern raising funds for the stables.
The event runs 5-p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. Tickets can be purchased here or at the gate; they’re half-priced for kids on Sunday, though Santa isn’t on site on those days.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
City of Wilmington Tree Lighting – At the foot of Market Street, where Water Street intersects and views of the Cape Fear River and Cape Fear Memorial Bridge are vast, the City of Wilmington will light its Christmas tree on the boardwalk. From Downtown Business Alliance and Cool Wilmington, the event begins at 5 p.m. and will include live entertainment, vendors and a visit from Santa.
Chloe Radcliffe — Dead Crow Comedy Room is hosting Midwest comedian and actor Chloe Radcliffe, who has performed at the 2024 New York Comedy Festival and 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A cyclist, Radcliffe launched this year “In Tandem,” taking other comedians on tandem bike rides together while she interviews them. She also has been seen on Comedy Central, Don’t Tell Comedy, and After Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson and was a staff writer for “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” She has been called “birthmark girl” and in one bit addresses it: “People of color are so much more normal about addressing my birthmark. Maybe it’s because they can sense how people touch my birthmark without asking. … But white people are like … ‘What birthmark? I don’t see a birthmark. In college I dated a birthmark — but don’t tell my husband.’” Tickets to her show are $22 to $34.
Carolina Beach Lighting at the Lake — The tree at Carolina Beach Lake Park is illuminating with other displays as part of the month-long holiday celebration, Island of Lights Festival. Located at the intersection of Atlanta Avenue and Lake Park Boulevard in Carolina Beach, the official ceremony will also feature Santa. It’s free and open to the public and starts at 6:30 p.m. See all Island of Lights upcoming events here.
A Very Merry Christmas — The jingle-jangle return of Opera House Theater Company’s holiday-style cabaret show with Broadway veteran Brian Whitted will be hosted at Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St., this weekend. Whitted, who sings and plays piano, brings in varied guest performers to engage in a variety of holiday tunes, backed by a full band, performing everything from swinging jazz to the crooning classics. The show will take place in Thalian’s Red Box on Nov. 28, 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the show are $50, available here.
The People’s Village — At 621 Greenfield St. for three days — Nov. 28, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Nov. 29, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Nov. 30, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — a free community market is taking place to help people struggling this holiday season. There will be non-perishable foods, personal care items, cleaning supplies, pet food, winter clothing, haircuts, and pay-it-forward prepared meals to be given to the community. The goal is to connect people of Wilmington with neighbors affected by economic instability. Since October, organizers have hosted drives at various businesses to gather coats, food and more. These will be given out at the event, however, donations will also be accepted during the three days. The People’s Village is entirely donation-based and volunteer-run with the goal to “turn empathy into impact.”
Let It Glow! Winter Wonderland — A downtown brewery will be turning its brewspace from fall’s pumpkin patch to a holiday wonderland. Taking place Friday, Nov. 28, noon to 11 p.m., at Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St., is the holiday kickoff. A light display comes to life at sundown and there will be a toasty Marshmallow IPA release, with free s’mores kits available for roasting and a snowflake-cutting contest. Plus, there will be jazz music played by Millie and Motion Made Jazz from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with Kimchi Taco food truck serving up bites from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Wrightsville Beach Tree Lighting — The night before Wrightsville Beach packs out with crowds flocking to the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla, the town will light its Christmas tree at Wrightsville Beach Town Hall. The event takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Ole jolly Saint Nick will be available for the kids to deliver their Christmas wish lists, plus his elves may be around. Christmas music also will play.
Saturday, Nov. 29
North Carolina Holiday Flotilla
Wrightsville Beach Park and Banks Channel • Free
The 42nd annual Holiday Flotilla at Wrightsville Beach will get underway Saturday morning at the town complex with a festival in the park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will feature more than 100 arts and crafts vendors, an antique car show and awards ceremony, a play area for children with many large inflatables, festival food and more.
The flotilla — a lighted boat parade — will follow beginning at 6 p.m. Hundreds of lights and displays decorate vessels that travel down the Intracoastal Waterway to Motts Channel and then Banks Channel to the Coast Guard Station. Directly after the boat parade, a firework display will take place, which can be seen from a variety of locations over the Intracoastal Waterway.
The event is free for all spectators, but prepare for high volumes of traffic and arrive early for parking. Learn more here.
On Sunday at 10 a.m. the awards ceremony of the best decorated boats takes place at Lumina Holiday Inn Resort.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
Christmas Train and Light Spectacular —The Wilmington Railroad Museum transforms into a winter wonderland, with more than 45,000 lights in the museum, as well as musical animations and twilight model train displays. Santa will be hanging out, with treats also available, like apple cider and other goodies. The festivities will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Nov. 28-30, Dec. 13-14 and 20-22. Tickets are $5 and available at the door only.
Christmas Extravaganza — Leland Brewing Company (215 Ale Ave.) is also getting into the holiday spirit with a Christmas celebration on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Kids are welcome to enjoy the petting zoo on site, as well as pictures with Santa, the Grinch and a visit to Santa’s workshop. There will also be food and vendors set up for unique holiday gifts and bites to eat.
Sunday, Nov. 30
Holiday Lights River Cruise
Wilmington Water Tours, 212 South Water St. • Tickets: $15-$28
Downtown has decked the halls with lights twinkling on most trees, lamposts and along the Riverwalk downtown.
To enjoy them from the water, Wilmington Water Tours has launched a Holiday Lights River Cruise on the Cape Fear River from Nov. 28 through Dec. 30. Local musicians also perform holiday tunes and a full bar will be open serving festive cocktails and tasty sweet treats.
Tickets are $28 for adults and $15 for kids 4 to 12 (free for 3 and under) to board the 49-passenger motor catamaran. Boarding is 15 minutes prior to two departure times: 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Book the cruise here.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
Holiday Fashion Soirée & Show — If you’re needing some ideas on how to sparkle this holiday season, then a fashion show and soiree at Leland’s the Barn at Rock Creek can help. Taking place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., the event is a fundraiser for the Brunswick County Angel Tree, which provides holiday gifts to underserved families. There will be holiday cocktails and fashion ideas for every age, all put forth by local designers.
Holiday Train Expo — For a quarter century, the Cape Fear Model Railroad Society has been setting up a holiday display locally to awe spectators of the magic of model trains. Set up in the Dillards wing of Independence Mall will be a wonderland for the holidays, featuring 12 layouts and more than 30 trains, dressed for the season. The expo is open beginning Black Friday, Nov. 28, noon to 5 p.m. The event continues Nov. 29-30, Dec. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21. Admission is $9 for adults, $7 for children ages 3-12, and free for 3 and under, at Independence Mall, 3500 Oleander Drive.
Hampstead Merry Makers Market — Another holiday market underway this season will take place at Hampstead’s LBC Shop from noon to 4 p.m. There will be eats from WilmyWoodie, craft drinks poured by LBC Bottle Shop, a curated lineup of local makers and artists selling unique, locally-made gifts, live music and holiday vibes and general cheer to kick off the season. LBC is located at 15670 US-17, Hampstead; read more about it from PCD here.
Lake Linda’s Christmas Lights – Having appeared in “The Great Christmas Light Fight” in season eight (episode six), Lake Linda’s Christmas Lights has become a southeastern North Carolina tradition for many every holiday season. Located in Hampstead, the Register family strings thousands of lights on their farm property and around the lake, featuring holiday displays and decorations, secular and religious alike. The community is welcome to walk through, and upon arrival, tune into 89.5 FM to watch the lights dance to some of their favorite Christmas songs! The CHRISTmas Shoppe is open for concessions and gifts and Santa also makes appearances. It’s free to attend, though Lake Linda’s, an 501(c)3 nonprofit, also accepts donations for Toys for Tots and Autism Support and Programs.The lights go live at 5:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving night and welcome families through New Year; lights shutter nightly at 10 p.m. Lake Linda’s is located at 218 Old House Road; learn more here.
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