Winter Wander Trail of Lights
Friday, November 14th 2025 - 4:30 pm - 10:00 pm at Boar’s Head Resort
200 Ednam Dr.
Virginia’s Premier Holiday Light Show
Season Dates: Nov. 14, 2025 – Jan. 3, 2026
The beauty of light and whimsy of nature come together in perfect harmony at our Winter Wander Trail of Lights, returning for its fifth consecutive year of wintertime fun with family and friends. Experience the nature of our rolling landscape during this illuminated lakeside stroll as an extraordinary palette of colorful illuminations blanket the natural surroundings for a magical show of lights like no other.
Family Holiday Concerts
Saturday, December 6th 2025 - 7:30 pm at Old Cabell Hall
112 Old Cabell Hall
The Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia and the UVA University Singers proudly announce the return of the beloved community tradition: the Family Holiday Concerts, taking place Saturday, December 6 at 7:30pm and Sunday, December 7 at 3:30pm in Old Cabell Hall.
Read more here: https://music.virginia.edu/family-holiday-concerts-2025
Holiday Celebration Concert at the Paramount
Sunday, December 7th 2025 - 3:30 pm at Paramount Theater
215 E. Main St.
Sunday, December 7th at 3:30PM. FREE
The Charlottesville Band will close its 103rd Season with our annual Holiday Celebration Concert on Sunday, December 7 at 3:30 pm, once again at The Paramount Theater in Downtown, Charlottesville. The FREE family-oriented program will feature traditional Holiday favorites, a sing-along, guest vocalists Doug Schneider and Leslie Claire Wood, and a visit from Santa. And maybe — just maybe — the first snowfall of the season!
Once again this year the Band will be collecting canned goods, non-perishable food items, personal care products, coffee and tea for the Emergency Food Network.
Bring your entire family and celebrate the end of the year with us.
Be sure to arrive early, as this concert always fills up. We look forward to celebrating with you on December 7!
Children of Eden at CHS
Thursday, December 11th 2025 - 7:00 pm at Black Box Theater CHS
1400 Melbourne Road
Opening Dec. 11 and running through Dec. 14 at 7PM. Don’t miss our first semester MTE performance of “Children of Eden”
Get ready to be swept away by an epic, emotional journey from the genius mind of Tony Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (composer of Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell)! This rarely seen but frequently loved musical gem, Children of Eden, is coming to the black box offering a powerful, heartfelt experience that resonates with anyone who has ever been part of a family.
From the Creator of Wicked: If you loved the soaring melodies and emotional depth of Wicked, you’ll be captivated by the equally stunning and diverse score of Children of Eden. This show features some of Schwartz’s most beautiful and stirring music, including fan favorites like “The Spark of Creation” and the powerful ballad “Stranger to the Rain”.
The musical loosely retells the iconic stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah’s Ark, but transforms them into a universal tale about the complex, often challenging, dynamics between parents and children. It’s a frank, funny, and deeply moving examination of free will, personal responsibility, and the hardest part of love: letting go
PVCC 18th Annual Let There Be Light
Friday, December 12th 2025 - 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm at PVCC
501 College Drive
PVCC’s annual outdoor exhibition of light-centered artwork returns Friday, December 12, 6-9 p.m. Let There Be Light celebrates the approach of winter and the longest night of the year with illuminated artworks and performances created by local artists, students and community organizations. The family-friendly event includes activities for the kids, hot cocoa and cider and food trucks. Bring your own light whether that is a flashlight, glowsticks, light accessories or all of the above.
Learn about some of the displays and works at http://www.pvcc.edu/…/18th-annual-let-there-be-light…
Downtown Holiday Express
Saturday, December 13th 2025 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at Downtown Mall
Central Place
Saturdays, 10 AM – 2 PM ~ FREE
The Downtown Holiday Express will be available to take a ride down the mall every Saturday during the holiday season. Come enjoy the magic Downtown!
Wreaths Across America
Saturday, December 13th 2025 - 12:00 pm at Dogwood Memorial
151 McIntire Park Drive
Saturday, December 13th at the Dogwood Memorial at 12Noon for Wreaths Across America
Holiday Craft Party
Saturday, December 13th 2025 - 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm at Carver Rec Center
233 4th St NW
Saturday, December 13th at Carver Rec Center 1-3PM
Join us for a festive day of creativity and fun! Crafts, cocoa, and cozy fun for everyone! Bring the whole family for an afternoon of creativity, warm drinks, and light refreshments! Free event – No registration required.
**Please note: Parks & Recreation is not seeking any vendors for this event. Any posts soliciting for vendors is not coming from Charlottesville Parks & Recreation.
MB Tours Presents: Jim Brickman: The Gift of Christmas
Wednesday, December 17th 2025 - 7:30 am - 10:00 am at The Paramount
215 East Main Street
Jim Brickman: The Gift of Christmas celebrates the gift of family, the gift of friends, the gift of peace, and the gift of love, wrapped up in sweet sounds of the season only he and his piano can provide.
Join Jim Brickman and friends this Christmas season for an unforgettable concert experience filled with music, laughter, & heartwarming stories.
Audiences can expect a captivating blend of timeless holiday classics, along with Brickman’s biggest hits like “The Gift,” “Love of my Life,” “Destiny,” “Valentine,” and joyfully unexpected surprises.
Escape with Jim Brickman to a magical atmosphere that brings friends and family together to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas
Dab for Good Charity Bingo
Wednesday, December 17th 2025 - 5:30 pm at Random Row Brewery
608 Preston Ave
Wednesday, December 17th at Random Row Brewery 5:30PM
Charity Bingo at Random Row has raised over $50,000 for local non-profits in the Charlottesville community.
Prizes to be won with every bingo! Bingo book sales start at 4:30 pm and we’ll start dabbin’ at 6:00pm. $5 gets you a packet with 10 rounds of Bingo, additional packets can be purchased to increase your odds.
This month’s first BINGO supports People Places. On any given day, there are nearly 428,000 children in foster care in the United States and over 5,000 of these children reside in Virginia. These children live in your community and are in desperate need of safe, stable, and nurturing foster homes. People Places can help you make a difference in their lives!
To learn more about People Places, check out their website at www.peopleplaces.org
Our Billy Pie pizzas will be available for purchase. Come out early and grab a seat, drink great beer for a great cause, and test your luck for some fun prizes from local businesses. Parking fills up quickly and there is extra free street parking on Harris Street behind Bodo’s.
Carols & Cookies in Belmont
Friday, December 19th 2025 - 6:00 pm at Belmont Park
1305 Belmont Park
Friday, December 19th in Belmont Park at 6PM
All Belmont Residents are welcome to Carols & Cookies in the Park! Come join in the fun as we sing traditional Christmas tunes and enjoy each other’s company.
The Belmont Civic Association will provide the warm drinks!
Optional: Bring cookies to share with your neighbors!
Downtown Holiday Express
Saturday, December 20th 2025 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at Downtown Mall
Central Place
Saturdays, 10 AM – 2 PM ~ FREE
The Downtown Holiday Express will be available to take a ride down the mall every Saturday during the holiday season. Come enjoy the magic Downtown!
SPCA Pawliday Workshop
Monday, December 22nd 2025 - 8:30 am - 2:00 pm at CASPCA
3355 Berkmar Dr
Need a little kid-free time to wrap gifts or finish your holiday shopping? We’ve got you covered!
Join us at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA for our first-ever SPCA Pawliday Workshop, a fun-filled morning for kids to celebrate the season and complete some shopping of their own.
Campers will enjoy festive activities like ornament making, crafting toys for dogs and cats, watching a cozy holiday movie, and shopping for gifts for their family (both human and furry!).
During camp, the CASPCA Rummage Store will set up a special pop-up shop right at the shelter, filled with unique treasures for parents, siblings, pets, and more. Campers can bring extra spending money to shop for gifts, then head to our gift-wrapping station to wrap their finds before heading home, ready to surprise their loved ones!
Dates:
Monday, December 22
Tuesday, December 23
Ages: 5 – 10 years old
Time: 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: CASPCA Shelter, 3355 Berkmar Drive, Charlottesville
Cost: $75 per camper, bring additional money to shop for holiday gifts.
Food: Snacks provided but campers should bring their own lunch.
Space is limited to 15 campers per day, so register soon!
Registration deadline: December 15.
Register here: https://caspcaappointments.as.me/?appointmentType=85576339
Don’t miss this chance to give your kids some holiday-themed fun while tackling your holiday to-do list!
