Christmas at The Acorn Returns for 2026 with New Tree Lighting Ceremony, Carriage Rides, Festival of Trees, Holiday Market and a Full Lineup of Family Shows

The Acorn, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts venue in Littleton, NC, is kicking off the holidays in a big way this year with an expanded Christmas at The Acorn season featuring a brand-new tree lighting ceremony, a community Festival of Trees, a holiday market with more than 30 vendors, festive family activities, and a full slate of holiday concerts.

New Tree Lighting Ceremony
The Acorn will officially open the holiday season with its first-ever Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, November 20. Children from Littleton Academy will perform, guests can warm up with hot cocoa, and carriage rides through Littleton.  The evening will culminate in the lighting of the giant Christmas tree in front of The Acorn.  Organizers hope the new event will grow into an annual holiday tradition for the community.

Festival of Trees
Running from November 20 through December 18, the Festival of Trees will showcase uniquely decorated trees created by area churches, businesses, and nonprofit organizations, each themed and on display throughout The Acorn. The display gives visitors a chance to see the creativity and community spirit of local organizations while enjoying everything else the Christmas season at The Acorn has to offer. Visitors can vote for their favorites, and the top three trees will receive prizes.

Holiday Market
On Saturday, November 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Acorn will host a Holiday Market featuring more than 30 vendors, food trucks, and plenty of holiday shopping opportunities for gifts, décor, and treats.

Holiday Calendar
The Acorn's Christmas season lineup includes:

• Michelle Malone and The Hot Toddies — December 1

• Good Shot Judy: A Crooner's Christmas — December 3

• Christmas with Elvis starring Matt Lewis — December 5

• Holiday Cookie Decorating Class with Jenny Cakes on the Lake — December 8

• Christmas with The Embers — December 10

• Cookies with Santa & Polar Express Movie Experience — December 13, 2–4 p.m. (Cookies with Santa) followed by the Polar Express Movie Experience at 4 p.m.

Cookies with Santa includes a special story time and photos with Santa, reindeer food stations, crafts, and the chance for children to write letters to Santa and place in the special North Pole mailbox.

Share the Joy Campaign
The Acorn is also bringing back its popular Share the Joy campaign, which invites area nonprofits to sell tickets to any Acorn event this holiday season and earn $5 for their organization for every ticket sold.

"Share the Joy was such a success last year, and we wanted to bring it back again this season because it's a simple way for us to help support the nonprofits doing great work in our community," said Elizabeth Branham, Executive Director of The Acorn. "It's a win for everyone — our neighbors get to enjoy a night out at The Acorn, and local nonprofits earn some extra support along the way."

Nonprofits and organizations interested in participating can call The Acorn box office at 252-586-3124 to join the program.

"Christmas at The Acorn is about bringing people together, so we built a lineup with something for every age," said Branham. "We can't wait to welcome families from across the region to celebrate the season with us."