On December 5th at 5:30 pm, the switch flips for the holiday season in Greensboro, and downtown is gearing up for one of the biggest nights of the year. The Festival of Lights returns this week, and if you have ever wandered Elm Street with a peppermint treat in one hand and a hot cocoa in the other, you already know the vibe. It is lively. It is packed. It is the moment the city officially steps into the season.
The festival owes its legacy to Betty Cone, known to some as “Queen of the Holiday” in Greensboro. She led it for more than thirty years and set the standard for what a community celebration should feel like. Though she passed the torch of the festival in 2016 to Downtown Greensboro, Inc. (DGI), her work continues to shape the night. “The community owes her a huge debt”, says Zack Matheny, President of Downtown Greensboro Inc. “DGI simply kept her playbook and asked what could be added without messing with a good thing.”
This year, the trees throughout downtown are lit once again. A brand-new Santa’s Workshop pops up just off Elm this year, complete with plenty of imaginative fun for kids. And music. So much music. With support from a Festival Grant from The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, DGI is welcoming more than twenty-three groups, each with a distinct cultural tradition and holiday style. It is a free, family friendly celebration that showcases local talent and fills downtown, providing an economic boost for downtown businesses.
Matheny calls this his favorite event of the year. “When the North Carolina A&T University Gospel Choir starts to sing and the whole crowd stands shoulder-to-shoulder singing holiday music, it feels like the world is back to normal in that moment.”
From 5:30-9 PM, expect all your favorite traditions, including the community tree lighting in Center City Park, the big sing along, performers up and down Elm, three stages of music, special guests, and plenty of treats from local businesses. The Holiday Parade rolls out the next morning for anyone who wants to keep up the festive cheer.
You can almost smell the peppermint and see flickering holiday lights on the horizon. Downtown is ready. Will we see you there?
