Celebrate the holidays with family-friendly options in the city of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Enjoy a mix of events from the city of Rocky Mount, Rocky Mount Parks and Rec, Imperial Centre, and Rocky Mount Mills.
Christmas Parade
The fun begins on Sunday, December 1, 2019, starting at 3pm, with the free 64th-annual Rocky Mount Christmas Parade. Downtown Rocky Mount will be full of floats, marching bands, Santa Claus, and more during the event. (Note that those wishing to be part of the parade must enter by the deadline of November 15, 2019.)
Tree Lighting
The Lighting of the Imperial Centre Christmas Tree is a free event taking place on Friday, December 6, 2019, at 6pm. This ceremony will run in conjunction with First Friday at Imperial Centre including carriage rides and a visit from Santa Claus.
Tower Lighting
Lighting of the Tower at Rocky Mount Mills, 1151 Falls Road, Rocky Mount, NC, is scheduled for Saturday, December 7, 2019, 5:30-7pm. Head to the Mills and enjoy this celebratory night.
Holiday Artisan and Farmers Market
Saturdays, December 7, 14, and 21, 2019 @ 8am-3pm
The Farmers Market vendors are joined by holiday vendors for four Saturdays in a row, starting November 30. Held at the Nash County Farmer’s Market in the Historic Rocky Mount Mills District, 1006 Peachtree Street, Rocky Mount, NC. Updates may be posted here.
Winter Wonderland (sledding too!)
An annual Winter Wonderland celebration continues the fun on Sunday, December 8, 2019, 1-5pm at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, 270 Gay Street, Rocky Mount, NC. The free event will feature music, a sledding hill, arts and crafts activities, carriage rides, and a visit from Santa Claus.
Black Nativity Play
Gospel Song Play coming to Imperial Centre (source)
Theater will be an exciting component of the season as Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity: A Gospel Song Play, will be performed during two weekends at the Imperial Centre, 270 Gay Street, Rocky Mount, NC. Black Nativity will feature an all-local cast and tell the Christmas story in dialogue, narrative, pantomime, gospel song, and folk spiritual forms. The play will be directed by Imperial Centre Artistic and Managing Director Brooke Edwards and co-produced by Word Tabernacle Church. Showtimes/performance schedule:
- Friday, December 6, 2019 @ 7:30pm
- Saturday, December 7, 2019 @ 7:30pm
- Sunday, December 8, 2019 @ 2pm
- Friday, December 13, 2019 @ 7:30pm
- Saturday, December 14, 2019 @ 7:30pm
- Sunday, December 15, 2019 @ 2pm
General admission tickets are $11, $9 for seniors and students, and $7 for children 12 and under.
Resources
For more information about Rocky Mount city happenings:
- City of Rocky Mount website www.rockymountnc.gov
— Facebook www.facebook.com/citybeat
— Twitter twitter.com/cityofrockymtnc - Downtown Rocky Mount website downtownrockymount.com
- Imperial Centre website imperialcentre.org
— Facebook www.facebook.com/ImperialCentreAandS
Source: Jessie Nunery, City of Rocky Mount
