Displays here switch on around sunset. In Belmont that means about 5:12 PM in early December and 5:13 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 5:41 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Belmont typically drop to around 32°F.
Residential displays have no facilities of their own — no parking, no toilets, nowhere to warm up — so it is worth knowing what is around. Within about three miles of the Belmont cluster, OpenStreetMap maps 0 public car parks and 3 public toilets. Only 2 cafés or takeaways nearby, so bring a flask if you want one.
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, 6500 South New Hope Road · Belmont, North Carolina
November 28 - December 27, 2025 (select dates) · 5 to 10 p.m.
$18-$28 depending on day and ageattractiongarden light displaystopiary sing-alongPiedmont Prairie light displayholiday train ridesfood truckss'mores fire pitsSanta on Fridays and SaturdaysOrchid Tree with 300+ live orchidsspeakeasy with holiday cocktails
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden strings its grounds with elegant light displays including a topiary sing-along and an illuminated Piedmont Prairie, with an Orchid Tree of more than 300 live orchids inside the Great Hall. Extras include trackless train rides on select Saturdays, food trucks, fire pits for marshmallow roasting, and a holiday cocktail speakeasy.
2 other displays within 5 miles
✓ Last confirmed for the 2025 season