5-Stars - The Ballantyne Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular Outshines Them All!
First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude and a resounding shout-out to Greg Nivens, Al & Cheree Garr, Lisa Shackelford, Shayna Kluge, and the entire team who brought the Ballantyne Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular to life. The countless man-hours spent installing over a million lights, coordinating vendors, greeting guests with warmth, and meticulously placing every enchanting detail truly shone through. Your collective passion and hard work created a magical, immersive holiday atmosphere that my family and friends will remember for years to come.
As someone born and raised in South Charlotte, I’ve attended numerous holiday light shows across the city (Uptown, Huntersville, Lake Norman, etc.). Yet, this year’s Ballantyne Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular rose head and shoulders above the rest. The 40% increase in show features and imaginative new scenes were immediately evident. Wandering along the half-mile walking trail lined with over one million lights felt like strolling through a winter fairy tale, and the Alpine Avalanche Snow Tube Slide delighted both kids and adults alike. The bustling Holiday Village, complete with charming boutique vendors and diverse food trucks, made the event feel like a festive community gathering.
Accessibility was clearly a priority this year. The improved pathways ensured that strollers, scooters, and wheelchairs could glide easily through the displays, ensuring no one missed out on the fun. The stable wooden walkways and well-planned rest spots allowed us to enjoy the lights at a leisurely pace, taking in every sparkling detail while sipping hot cocoa.
Parking was a breeze—simply park near Cabo Fish Taco, take the elevator to the main floor, and you’re there. This convenient setup, combined with ample space to stroll, explore, and mingle, added to the overall sense of ease and enjoyment. In comparison to other cramped, hard-to-navigate venues, this event delivered on both spectacle and convenience.
Conclusion For my family and me, the Ballantyne Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular has become a cherished annual tradition. To Greg, Al, Lisa, Shayna, and the entire team: thank you for pouring your hearts, creativity, and dedication into this event. You’ve created a winter wonderland that outshines the competition and leaves us excited to return year after year. Five stars aren’t nearly enough to capture the magic you’ve...
Read moreDon't waste your money. Tried to attend this event. Unfortunately it was further than I initially thought. I reached out to eat.drink.play and NClights via social media and email multiple times without a response on how to get a refund or reschedule the event. There is no actual person to assist with ticketing issues and no phone number to contact anyone. There are plenty of free experiences and better ones closer to Charolette. This has been the most...
Read moreWorst experience ever as a vendor! Fellow vendors please stay away from this event. Everything was horrible from the beginning. It’s not a worthy investment and to top it off items were stolen and no one has answers, no one is helpful! We had until the 31st to pick up items and items were taken out of our tent before then, a lot of inventory was missing and of course no one knows anything!...
Read more