Every holiday parade and tree lighting near Raleigh, by date and town, so you can plan the season in one look.
The season opens on Saturday, November 21, 2026, with the Raleigh Christmas Parade downtown at 9:30am, the same day as the North Hills tree lighting. Most towns light their trees the first week of December (Clayton and Fuquay-Varina Dec 3; Apex, Morrisville, Knightdale and Carrboro Dec 4; Downtown Cary Park Dec 5), and the parades follow: Carrboro and Chapel Hill on Dec 5, then Durham, Cary, Knightdale and Clayton on Saturday, Dec 12.
The full list below comes from each town's own calendar and updates daily. Parade routes, times and rain dates change, so check the town's page the week of.
Written and verified by Nina, a Triangle mom of 15 years · Updated October 8, 2026
The big dates, from the organizers' calendars. Every event, with times and links, is in the live list below.
Downtown Raleigh · Saturday, Nov 21, 9:30am
The Triangle's big parade opens the season the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Downtown fills up early, so plan parking and a spot on the route well before 9:30, and bring something to sit on.
Best for: The big-parade morning
Dec 3 to Dec 7 · most Triangle downtowns
Clayton and Fuquay-Varina on Dec 3; Apex, Morrisville, Knightdale and Carrboro on Dec 4; Downtown Cary Park on Dec 5; Rolesville on Dec 7. Most are short evening events with music and often Santa, which makes them easy with little kids.
Best for: A short evening out, little kids
Dec 5 to Dec 12
The Carrboro-Chapel Hill Community Holiday Parade on Dec 5, Hillsborough's Light Up the Night and Fuquay-Varina's parade on Dec 6, then Durham, Cary, Knightdale and Clayton all on Saturday, Dec 12.
Best for: Small-town parades, picking the one nearest you
Pulled live from the towns' and organizers' calendars, updated daily.
Hillsborough Street to Fayetteville Street, Downtown Raleigh · Raleigh
140 W. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill to Carrboro Town Hall, Carrboro · Chapel Hill
Churton Street, Downtown Hillsborough · Hillsborough
