At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 27, the Christmas Parade will start its loop through downtown Fayetteville. By 6 p.m. the crowd will have moved into City Center Park at 210 Stonewall Avenue West for live music, cookie decorating, face painting, food trucks and the moment the park lights come on. Six days earlier and a short drive away, the Town at Trilith will have held its own Light Up night, and its holiday pop-up bar and studio tour will keep running through December 31.
Fayetteville's two holiday centers keep different schedules. Downtown, the City of Fayetteville and Main Street Fayetteville run a handful of one-night events, nearly all in the same park. Trilith starts its season with one big evening and then keeps several attractions running every day for weeks. If you know which nights belong to downtown, Trilith fills the rest of your calendar.
Downtown Holds Four Dates, Three of Them in One Park
City Center Park hosts every one-night event the city puts on this season, and Small Business Saturday spreads across the downtown shops. The schedule is short and spread out:
- Friday, November 20, 5:30 p.m. Movies in the Park shows Elf at City Center Park.
- Friday, November 27, 5:30 to 8 p.m. The Christmas Parade, then Light Up City Center Park from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, November 28. Small Business Saturday across Downtown Fayetteville. It's an open invitation to shop the local stores, with no set event schedule.
- Saturday, December 12, 4 to 8 p.m. The Miracle on Main Street Market returns to City Center Park with a Winter Wonderland theme.
The parade is built so you can watch it without leaving the park. The city's event page says the 2026 parade "will follow the same route as last year" and adds that "you can see the whole spectacular show right from the park." The Citizen's guide to last year's parade described that route. It started at the Fayette County High School lot, went south on Tiger Trail, east on Stonewall Avenue, then south on City Center Parkway around City Hall and the park. From there it continued east on Stonewall, north on Jack Dettmering Way around the courthouse and west on Lanier Avenue, then went back up Tiger Trail to the high school. The loop passes the park twice, which explains the city's tip.
Last year's notice also listed parking at Lafayette Educational Center, the Fayette County Government Complex, the public library, First United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church and the Justice Center, with road closures starting at 5:30 p.m. Those were the 2025 arrangements. Check the current route map at downtownfayetteville.org before you head out.
The Market Is Downtown's Biggest Night
The December 12 market has the longest lineup of any downtown event this season. Main Street Fayetteville's event page lists:
- A visit from Santa
- Cookie decorating
- A Letters to Santa station
- A holiday DJ
- A vendor market decorated in the Winter Wonderland theme
- Food trucks and dessert trucks
- Free s'mores from the City of Fayetteville Fire Department, while supplies last
It starts at 4 p.m. on a Saturday, so it's an evening event that suits families. The city's calendar lists the same date, place and hours.
The Shop Windows Run All Season
The holiday window contest is downtown's one long-running event. Main Street businesses and organizations decorate their storefronts from November 27 through December 21, and the public votes for a People's Choice winner. Betty's Fine Collectibles won last year. Businesses have until November 13 to register, so the list of entries is still being set this week.
The windows go up the night of the parade, and Small Business Saturday follows the next day. That makes November 27 and 28 the busiest stretch downtown all season. You can watch the parade and lights on Friday, then come back Saturday to see the windows and shop the stores behind them.
The New Alley Behind Courthouse Square Gets Its First Holiday Season
This is the first holiday season with the rebuilt alley behind the Courthouse Square businesses. Phase One of the city's alleyway project opened July 2, 2026. It added a two-way alley, parking, sidewalks, accessible parking spaces, string lights and a new plaza. The Citizen reported that the new lot has about as many spaces as the old one. The new layout keeps cars and pedestrians apart, which the old shared alley didn't.
Those back entrances matter for holiday shopping. Olde Courthouse Tavern faces Highway 85/Glynn Street across from the old Fayetteville Courthouse. The Citizen reported that about 75% of its customers have traditionally come in through the back, near the alley and parking. The tavern also hosts live music and community events. Downtown Development Director Lori Funderwhite told The Citizen that the city and its Main Street program want the plaza to become a community gathering space and are encouraging nearby businesses to hold events there.
The alley isn't finished yet. As of The Citizen's September 21 report, Phase Two had not started. That phase covers the strip right behind the businesses, between their back doors and the new alley. The city plans to bury the overhead power lines and resurface the old asphalt there. Its renderings show a more pedestrian-friendly space that could eventually have outdoor seating. This season you'll find the new parking and plaza in place, with the last stretch behind the shops still to come.
Trilith Lights Up on November 21 and Keeps Its Attractions Open Through New Year's Eve
Trilith's season starts the night after Elf plays downtown. Light Up Trilith runs from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, at the Town at Trilith, with food trucks, live music and family activities. Santa's Workshop is also open 4 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 per child through Eventeny and cover bounce houses, a snow tube slide, an obstacle course, a make-and-take ornament, a snow area, a meet-and-greet with Minnie and Mickey, glitter tattoos, hair tinsel and a train ride. Trilith is also teaming up with Bloom Fosters, a local nonprofit that supports children in foster care, on a drive for toys, shoes and pajamas for youth and teens. You can drop off donations at the Bloom tent in front of Honeysuckle Gelato.
Downtown's parade, movie and market each end the same night they start. Light Up Trilith opens attractions that keep running:
| Trilith attraction | Where | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| Miracle at Trilith Guesthouse, a Christmas pop-up bar | Oliver's Twist | Nov. 21 to Dec. 31 |
| Art's Christmas Tree Farm | Plaza at Trilith Guesthouse | Nov. 21 to Dec. 19, daily 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Holiday Movie Studio Tour | Trilith Studios, via Trilith Foundation | Nov. 21 to Dec. 31 |
The pop-up at Oliver's Twist brings elaborate holiday decor, playful glassware and festive cocktails. The Guesthouse website has the hours. At the tree farm, families can walk the rows and pick out a tree to take home. On the studio tour, visitors see the decorated soundstages, learn how filmmakers make snow for movies and might run into Santa.
The tree farm's last day is December 19, two days before the downtown windows come down. Plan your tree pickup with that in mind.
How the Two Calendars Line Up
Trilith LIVE has its own lineup on top of the holiday attractions.
| Date | Downtown Fayetteville | Town at Trilith |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 13 | Bird Bash at Trilith LIVE | |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | The Nutcracker Tea at Trilith LIVE | |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Elf, Movies in the Park | Camp Southern Ground Presents Unsung Hero with Emily Ann Roberts |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Light Up Trilith, 4 to 8 p.m.; Eddie B at Trilith LIVE | |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Christmas Parade and Light Up City Center Park | Holiday attractions open |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday | Holiday attractions open |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Miracle on Main Street Market, 4 to 8 p.m. | Holiday attractions open |
| Thu., Dec. 17 | Window displays still up | Shining Light Gala & Concert |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | Window displays still up | One Joyous Night with Hezekiah Walker; last day of Art's Christmas Tree Farm |
November 20 is the one night both places have something big going on, with Elf downtown and Emily Ann Roberts at Trilith LIVE. After that, downtown has the parade weekend and December 12. Trilith has its opening night, the shows on the 17th and 19th, and the attractions that run every day in between, with the Oliver's Twist pop-up and the holiday studio tour lasting through December 31.
The Joe Carbone Team is based in Fayetteville, and we'll be marking these dates on our own calendars. If you want a suggestion for where to park on parade night, which windows are worth a vote or which Trilith evening fits your family best, The Joe Carbone Team is glad to help. Get in touch, and happy holidays from all of us.
