"We're not able to do anything at Red Hat this Christmas, which is heartbreaking," Raleigh Convention Center executive director Kerry Painter told Visit Raleigh back in April. She said the team had considered putting the holiday ice rink on a side street, "but there's just not a good place for it." So for the first time in years, the rink won't open on the edge of the convention center district this winter. The downtown holiday calendar has gathered a few blocks east, in Moore Square, the historic park between Blount and Person streets.
That shift changes how a December evening downtown comes together. The anchor events now share one park, and the new restaurants that matter most this season are the ones within walking distance of it.
What happened at McDowell and Cabarrus
Red Hat Amphitheater had been at 500 S. McDowell St. since 2010, and 2026 was its last concert season there. ABC11 reported on October 26 that the venue had closed for good. The City of Raleigh said contractors would begin mobilizing for demolition within two weeks, and the site will become part of the expanded Raleigh Convention Center. An Omni Hotel is already under construction to serve the larger convention space. The replacement amphitheater is being built one block south.
The timeline runs well past this winter. Visit Raleigh reported that the new amphitheater is scheduled to open in 2027 and that the convention center expansion is aiming to open in 2029. For now, the southwest corner of downtown is a construction site through the holidays, and the season's public gatherings are in a park built for them.
One park, three dates from November into December
The Downtown Raleigh Alliance's 18th Annual Downtown Raleigh Tree Lighting & Holiday Market is set for Moore Square on Friday, November 20, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. It's free and includes Santa photos, a local vendor market and performances by local artists. This Is Raleigh notes that the lighting used to be held outside the Martin Marietta Center. It says the move to Moore Square made room for a wider holiday market and that the Alliance expects more than 4,000 people at the market alone.
The same park hosts the Menorah Lighting on December 6, a date the City of Raleigh's holiday calendar marks as new. The following weekend brings Moore Square Winterfaire, December 11 through 13, with local makers, food trucks, a beer garden, live music, crafts, games and Santa. It's free for all ages.
Here's the downtown calendar in order, with the Pullen Park events included because they share the same weekends:
| Date | Event | Where | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 18 | William Peace University Tree Lighting | Campus fountain, 15 E. Peace St. | 6:30 to 8 p.m. | Free |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Downtown Raleigh Tree Lighting & Holiday Market | Moore Square, 201 S. Blount St. | 5:30 to 8 p.m. | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | 82nd Raleigh Christmas Parade | Hillsborough St. to Fayetteville St., ending on Lenoir St. | 9:30 a.m. | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Pullen Park After Dark: Merry & Bright, 21+ | Pullen Park, 520 Ashe Ave. | 6:30 to 9 p.m. | $20 |
| Dec. 1 to 18 | Holiday Express | Pullen Park | Ticketed sessions | Sold out |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Frost Fest | Gipson Play Plaza | Not yet posted | Check city calendar |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Menorah Lighting | Moore Square | Not yet posted | Check city calendar |
| Dec. 11 to 13 | Moore Square Winterfaire | Moore Square | Fri. 5 to 9 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Free |
November 20 and 21 is the busiest stretch
Put the dates side by side and one weekend stands out. The tree lighting is Friday evening in Moore Square. The next morning, the 82nd Raleigh Christmas Parade starts at 9:30 on Hillsborough Street, travels to Fayetteville Street and ends on Lenoir Street. The organizer, the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, puts the run time at about two and a half hours. That Saturday night, Pullen Park hosts its adults-only After Dark: Merry & Bright evening.
That's three events in about 27 hours, and the first two sit on either side of the downtown core. One easy way to pace it:
- Friday, 5:30 p.m. Moore Square for the lighting and market, then dinner nearby in City Market or along Blount and Wilmington streets.
- Saturday, 9:30 a.m. Find a spot along the parade route. If you're near the start, Hillsborough Street is closest.
- Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Pullen Park at 520 Ashe Ave. for the 21+ evening, which runs until 9.
For families, the Pullen Park event to know about is Holiday Express. It runs December 1 through 18 and was already sold out when the City announced it on October 15. Its two sensory-friendly sessions are December 6 and 13, from 1 to 4 p.m.
The new tables near the square
Because the season's events are in Moore Square, the newest restaurants and bars within a short walk are the easiest add-on to a holiday evening.
- Kokoro Ramen & Izakaya is in City Market at 200 E. Martin St., right beside Moore Square. It was serving by the time This Is Raleigh's September restaurant roundup ran.
- Gallicchio's Market & Eatery at 702 N. Person St. soft-opened October 1 and had its full opening the week of October 8.
- Low Bar Lounge is at 201 W. Martin St., beneath Whiskey Kitchen. The Raleigh Local gave its opening date as October 15.
- High Ground Lounge opened October 1 at 320 Hillsborough St., on the street where the parade begins.
The Downtown Raleigh Alliance's new businesses list also includes these places in its Coming Soon section: Ibis Cuisine at 319 Fayetteville St., The Third House at 400 Fayetteville St., Wolfside Urban Market at 149 E. Davie St., Millie's Homemade Ice Cream at 325 Blake St., Quin at 15 N. West St., and Pizzeria di Territorio and Stoccaggio at 301 W. Cabarrus St.
Business owners near the convention center are looking past this winter. Glenn Shiver, who bought The Haymaker cocktail bar this year, told ABC11 that the convention center project "was definitely the main draw." The Haymaker is one block from the convention center. For this December, though, the closest gathering spot for most of those Fayetteville Street businesses is the square on Blount.
If skating is part of your December
Without a rink downtown, holiday skating takes a short drive. Two options are on this season's calendar.
Polar Ice Raleigh, 2601 Raleigh Blvd., runs public skating year-round, with tickets online or at the door. Admission is $10 on weekdays and $12 on weekends and holidays, or $16 with skate rental. Kids 5 and under pay $5 with rental included. Session times change by day, so check the rink's public session schedule before you go. The same operator runs rinks in Garner, Wake Forest and Cary, plus Lane Arena in Morrisville.
Skate the Square at Fenton, 21 Fenton Main St. in Cary, has an outdoor season scheduled from November 6 into early February. Admission is $18 plus tax and fees, sessions last 75 minutes, and rentals are included. A $90 season pass is available. Fenton lists $15 tickets on certain discount days, and DJ nights fall on December 3, 10 and 17. Hours are 3 to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Details are on Fenton's event page.
Later in the winter
The Downtown Raleigh Alliance says its Illuminate Art Walk is coming back for winter 2026 to 2027 with a North Carolina theme. Dates haven't been posted yet. The new amphitheater one block south of the old site is scheduled to open in 2027, after this year's cold season. This December's downtown dates are in Moore Square: the tree lighting on November 20, the Menorah Lighting on December 6, and Winterfaire from December 11 to 13.
If you're thinking about how a downtown-adjacent address would fit with evenings like these, we'd be happy to talk it through over coffee near the square. At DiProfio Homes, we enjoy helping Triangle families find a home that fits the routines they already love. Contact Us whenever you're ready.
