Charlotte's stadium tree lighting is Tuesday, Nov. 17, free with a mobile ticket; the Thanksgiving Eve Parade steps off 5:30 p.m. Nov. 25 on Tryon Street.
Last checked Nov. 2, 2026. This page is updated each year. Parade facts come from the Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade; tree lighting facts from the Carolina Panthers.
Updated Nov. 2: the Panthers and Charlotte FC have set the 2026 Tree Lighting for Tuesday, Nov. 17, at Bank of America Stadium.
Charlotte’s big holiday parade is the Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade, produced by Charlotte Center City Partners on Tryon Street in Uptown. Its organizers say the parade dates to the 1940s. The best-known Uptown tree lighting is the one the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC hold each November at Bank of America Stadium, this year on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Who to call
- Parade questions: Thanksgiving Eve Parade contact page
- Uptown parking and events: Charlotte Center City Partners, 704-332-2227
- Street closures: CharMeck 311, 704-336-7600, or the city street closure map
The 2026 Thanksgiving Eve Parade
| Date | Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026 |
| Step-off | 5:30 p.m. |
| Ends | About 8 p.m. |
| Route | Tryon Street, from 9th Street to Good Samaritan Way |
| Cost | Free; reserved VIP seats are sold |
| Weather | Rain or shine |
| On TV | Live on WCCB, 6 to 8 p.m. |
From the parade’s information page and FAQ:
- Where to watch: bring your own chair and line Tryon Street. The information page says spectators can line Tryon from 9th Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
- Get there early: organizers suggest arriving around 4 p.m. for a spot at the front of the sidewalk. There is no designated accessible seating along the route.
- Getting there: Uptown has about 50,000 parking spaces on streets and in private decks and lots, many at market rates that night. Organizers also point to the LYNX Blue Line, the CityLYNX Gold Line and Charlotte B-cycle. See Uptown’s getting-here page.
- Dogs: organizers ask that you leave them home because of the crowds and noise.
- Food: Tryon Street vendors sell food and hot and cold drinks; outside vendors are not allowed.
Joining the parade
Organizers call it the 79th annual Thanksgiving parade in Charlotte. Marching bands and specialty units apply on the parade website from February through Aug. 31, so 2026 entries have closed. Volunteers, including balloon handlers and costume walkers, can still sign up on the volunteer page, which has no deadline. In the VIP seating section, children 2 and under do not need a ticket if they sit on a guardian’s lap.
The tree lighting at Bank of America Stadium
The Panthers and Charlotte FC hold the 2026 Tree Lighting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at Bank of America Stadium, 800 S. Mint St., according to the team’s tree lighting page:
| Tuesday, Nov. 17 | |
|---|---|
| 5:30 p.m. | Gates open |
| 6:30 p.m. | Tree lighting ceremony |
| 7 p.m. | Tree lighting; concourse festival opens |
| 9 p.m. | Event ends |
- Entry is free, but every guest needs a mobile ticket from Ticketmaster, linked from the team’s page.
- Check in at the Mint Street security screening near Lot 1, by the Residence Inn.
- The stadium has no event parking of its own for the night; the team points to the independent lots and decks nearby. See our getting around page for parking.
The 2025 event, the 12th annual, was on Nov. 18, according to panthers.com. The 2025 tree was a 50-foot Norway spruce from Newland, North Carolina. The concourse festival had letter writing, hot chocolate, winter crafts and visits with Santa. Entry was free but needed a mobile ticket, and guests checked in at the Mint Street security screening near Lot 1, by the Residence Inn at 410 S. Mint St.
What this means for you
- Mark Wednesday, Nov. 25: the parade is the night before Thanksgiving, not Thanksgiving morning.
- Tryon Street is the parade route; check the city’s closure map and our road construction and closures page before you drive Uptown that evening, and our getting around page for parking and the LYNX lines.
- Claim free tree lighting tickets on the Panthers’ page before Nov. 17; nobody gets in without one.
More holiday plans: things to do this month and our trash pickup holiday schedule for Thanksgiving week.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Charlotte holiday parade in 2026?
The Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade steps off at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026, on Tryon Street in Uptown. It runs rain or shine and airs live on WCCB from 6 p.m.
Where is the Charlotte Thanksgiving parade route?
The parade runs along Tryon Street from 9th Street to Good Samaritan Way. Organizers say spectators can line Tryon from 9th Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Do you need tickets for the Charlotte Thanksgiving parade?
No. The parade is free; bring your own chair. Reserved VIP seats are sold separately.
When is the Charlotte tree lighting?
The Panthers and Charlotte FC hold their 2026 Tree Lighting at Bank of America Stadium on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., the ceremony starts at 6:30 p.m. and the concourse festival runs 7 to 9 p.m. Entry is free with a mobile ticket from Ticketmaster.
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