We track 7 displays in Concord — the 2nd-densest city for lights in North Carolina. 6 of them are free to visit.
When to go
Displays here switch on around sunset. In Concord that means about 5:10 PM in early December and 5:11 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 5:40 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Concord typically drop to around 31°F.
Date
Sunset
Fully dark
Dec 1
5:10 PM
5:38 PM
Dec 15
5:11 PM
5:40 PM
Dec 25
5:16 PM
5:44 PM
The Concord lights loop — 7 stops
We ordered every display in Concord into the shortest sensible driving loop: roughly 43.9 miles and 133 minutes of driving, before you count time spent parked and looking. Start wherever is closest to you and follow it round.
Driving estimate assumes a 25 mph average on residential streets plus four minutes stopped per display. Straight-line distances with a road-network allowance — treat it as a planning figure, not a satnav route.
Charlotte Motor Speedway · Concord, North Carolina
November 21, 2025 - January 4, 2026 (closed Christmas Eve) · 6 to 10 p.m., rain or shine
$46.41 standard per vehicle; $57.93 with christmas villagedrive-thru4-mile course through the speedwaymillions of lights and 800+ displaysmusic synchronized via FM radioChristmas Village with Santa, s'mores and shoppingdrive-in moviesup to 15 people per vehicle
One of America's largest holiday light shows, Speedway Christmas sends vehicles on a four-mile course around the Charlotte Motor Speedway oval, pit road, and infield past millions of lights synchronized to FM radio. An infield Christmas Village adds Santa visits, s'mores, shopping, and drive-in movies on select nights.
1641 Shadow Creek Street NW, Concord, NC 28027 (Moss Creek neighborhood) · Concord, North Carolina
Starting November 30, 2025 · typically dusk – 10 PM
Freeresidentialmusic-synchronizedtune to 91.5 FMfamily hands out candy canes on occasion
A music-synchronized show in Concord's Moss Creek neighborhood, broadcast on 91.5 FM. Family members occasionally come out to hand candy canes to visitors.
typically late Nov – early Jan (check before visiting) · 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Freeresidential10,000 LED pixels synchronized to musicsong selection via websitetune to FM 90.1donations for Carolina Christmas Angels
A Concord show built from 10,000 LED pixels synchronized to music on FM 90.1, where visitors can even pick songs through the display's website. Donations collected on site support Carolina Christmas Angels.
800 block of Union Street South to 200 block of Union Street North, downtown Concord · Concord, North Carolina
typically late Nov – early Jan (check before visiting) · typically dusk – 10 PM
Freeneighborhoodhistoric homes decorated with lightswalkable route
Downtown Concord's historic Union Street corridor makes a walkable holiday route, with the grand old homes between the 800 block south and 200 block north dressed in lights.