3 things happening in NC this week: Thanksgiving parades and Christmas comes early

It’s 3 things happening in NC this week. This week, North Carolina’s largest Thanksgiving parade gives way to Christmas celebrations on the coast and a rivalry football game.

It’s been in the air for a while, but this week the holiday season is officially upon us. Thursday is Thanksgiving, but before then comes one of the largest and longest-running parades in North Carolina: the 79th annual Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade.

The week ends with another event that carries a storied history: the 115th meeting of the UNC and NC State football teams, a rivalry game that has been played uninterrupted since 1953. 

It’s unclear exactly how long the Swanboro Christmas Flotilla has been held, but the festive event, scheduled for this Friday night, goes back at least to 1986, so it’s safe to say all of the happenings highlighted in this week’s column are time-honored traditions at this point.  

However you choose to spend Thanksgiving week, take some time to ponder your own time-honored traditions with family, friends and loved ones. That’s what the holidays are all about, after all. 

Check out previous editions of “3 things happening in NC” here. 

The 79th annual Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade in Charlotte 

Wednesday, Nov. 26, 5:30-8 p.m.; Uptown Charlotte

(Photo via Novant Health Thanksgiving Parade)

Uptown Charlotte comes alive each Thanksgiving Eve, bringing marching bands, vibrant floats, giant balloons, live performances, and holiday spirit to Tryon Street. This year’s holiday kickoff is expected to draw 50,000 spectators.

The parade will include more than 85 unique units including 16 marching bands, eight larger-than-life cold air balloons, 12 festive floats, and 46 specialty groups including five dynamic dance groups. Also be sure to look for the four Segwalloons — an innovative and unique Thanksgiving Eve Parade tradition that involves oversize balloon characters gliding down Tryon Street atop concealed segways.

There will also be six musical acts, with the lineup featuring local, regional, and national artists: Dani Kerr, Lisa Trinity, Rob Cole, Josh King, Jack Burns, and Maggie Baugh.

Executive producer Robert Krumbine has also promised new surprises this year, keeping a few magical elements under wraps until the night of the parade, so you won’t want to miss what he’s got up his sleeve.

Swansboro Christmas Flotilla in Swansboro

Friday, Nov. 28, 5-8 p.m.; Downtown Swansboro

The White Oak River comes alive each year as dozens of boats adorned in extravagant Christmas lights parade along the waterfront in downtown Swansboro, ringing in the holiday season for this “Friendly City by the Sea.”

Following the parade, Santa will arrive by boat to Pugliese Pavilion and greet the children there while families are welcome to enjoy the treats, warm cider, and hot cocoa served up by local vendors as musicians perform live, festive tunes. Stick around for Shop Small Saturday in historic downtown on Saturday, where you’ll find a slew of local shops with one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts. 

Swansboro isn’t the only coastal town marking the start of the holiday season this weekend. While WinterLights has already begun at the Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo, Friday marks the official beginning of OBXmas in the Outer Banks. In Wilmington, the annual Holidays on Water festivities begin on Saturday with a Christmas tree lighting and continue Sunday with a holiday flotilla.  

University of North Carolina v. NC State University in Raleigh

Saturday, Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m.; Carter-Finley Stadium, 4600 Trinity Road, Raleigh

Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh plays host this year to the Thanksgiving weekend matchup of UNC and NC State football. (CC BY 3.0)

These two rivals face off each year to end the season on Thanksgiving weekend. While UNC has the upper hand over 114 games against each other, leading the series 68 to 40 (6 ties), the fact that it’s an odd-numbered year means NC State gets to host this one and the crowd at Carter-Finley Stadium is guaranteed to be loud and rowdy. 

State hasn’t had the best year, entering the game at 6-5, but an upset win over Florida State this past weekend means they’ll be coming in with some momentum. UNC, on the other hand, has had an extremely disappointing season after hiring coaching legend Bill Belichick, entering Saturday’s game with a 4-7 record. 

While neither of these teams will be looking for a spot in the College Football Playoff, the rivalry alone is enough to ensure that they will both be going full tilt, with all the intensity to be expected of two teams continuing a decades long competition.