Come "home" for the holidays and become a Hillsborough local for a month of events that create the Hometown Holidays celebration. Ongoing family-friendly events offer you a chance to slow down the pace during a hectic season and make special memories.
Just 10 minutes away from Durham, Chapel Hill, and Mebane, Hillsborough offers a historic background with a variety of unique shops and restaurants, live music, local artisans on exhibit, and outdoor activities. This year's celebration includes a Small Town Family Holiday and Tree Lighting on Small Business Saturday, the Holiday Parade, Homes for the Holidays gingerbread house displays at area businesses, the Solstice Celebration Lantern Walk and more!
Kick off the Hometown Holidays Festival in downtown for Shop Small Saturday on November 30, 2024! Then, write a letter to Santa and drop it off at the Visitors Center on East King Street or the various locations around Hillsborough! Turn back time and explore what Christmas would have been like in the 1800s with a tour of the Burwell School. Purchase a kit from the Hillsborough Arts Council’s Gift Shop to make your own lantern for the Solstice Lantern Walk, then come back to town to place it! Festive photo backdrops will be available at the Visitors Center, the Holiday tree and Orange County Historical Museum. And don't forget to check out the gingerbread home displays in storefront windows of area businesses.
Looking for more Hometown Holiday Festival Fun? Be sure to check out the events below:
- Gingerbread House Displays and Competition
This downtown walking tour of confectionary creations runs from December 8, 2024-January 1, 2025. - Holiday Tree Lighting
Attend in-person as elected officials and partners 'flip the switch' on our Holiday Tree! Saturday, November 30, 2024 as part of a Small Town Family Holiday. - Solstice Lantern Walk Weekend
Lantern walkers from years gone by are invited to display their lanterns in local business windows or in nearby homes for passersby to enjoy! Link to join. Lantern kits will be available through Hillsborough Art's Council, please visit their Facebook page for more information. - 2024 Holiday Parade
The parade will be Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 4:00 p.m on N. Churton St. and end on Margaret Lane and Cameron St.
We invite you to explore Hillsborough and its many wonders as you come “home” for the holidays. A complete list of festival events can be found at visithillsboroughnc.com. Happy Holidays!
