Fenton brings holiday magic with ice skating, a tree lighting celebration, visits with Santa and more

Where can the whole family go to make the holidays merry and bright? Look no further than Cary's Fenton. The 92-acre mixed-use district aims to be a place where people can gather and make memories.

"We are bringing the values of traditional holiday celebrations at home," said Jaime Nolan, marketing communications manager for Fenton. "We wanted a traditional but also whimsical style. I've been working with the designer since last November. It's near and dear to my heart [so] everything we've put in is to make it magical."

The big holiday event that will kick off the season is Light the Square on Nov. 19, when the 40-foot Christmas tree will be illuminated. The celebration takes place from 5 - 8:30 p.m.

"We'll have the big tree lighting, carriage rides, kid’s activities, holiday entertainment including Bella Nova Strings and The Voice’s Britton Buchanan, and, of course, Santa's big entrance in a horse-drawn carriage," said Nolan. The district will be transformed into a magical holiday wonderland. And visitors will want to stay until the end, when a laser light show will put the exclamation point on the tree lighting ceremony.

The night will also include different experiential dancers and ice skaters performing. As if that was not enough, Fenton continues to add details and special touches to ensure a magical evening for every visitor.

"We have a lineup that'll be something for everyone," said Nolan. "No matter what your age is, there will be something here for you."

While the tree lighting celebration is not to be missed, Fenton has holiday themed events throughout the season.

After Santa’s big entrance, he’s planning on sticking around a while in a custom North Pole styled igloo (Fenton’s all about making people feel at home) to ensure every family, child and pet that would like a photo can get one.

Reserve your spot at FentonNC.com to avoid long waits. Check out the Santa pet nights, when you can bring your pet to get a photo with Santa - it’s the perfect Insta post or Christmas card!

Starting November 5, guests and residents of Fenton can glide and twirl the days & nights away at Fenton’s ice skating rink. Not only is skating a draw, in and of itself, but Fenton goes above and beyond, creating themed nights throughout the holiday season. Saturday Night Fever, ugly sweater night and Christmas skate are all included and each feature a DJ and a costume competition. Prize for grooviest or most festive skater? A gift card to the skater’s favorite shop at Fenton.

Nolan said she enjoys the spirit of gathering in Fenton as she walks around, observes, and participates in events.

She shares how she talked with a group of ten guests who were sitting and chatting. They joked that they had assured their husbands that they were, 'just doing research.'

"We have a lot of unique furniture for guests to just sit and enjoy time and make memories. The women stated they wanted to scope it out before they came. It's about building that relationship with the community, to gather and make memories, whether it's an experience, an event, or shopping together," Nolan said.

While pre-shopping research can make for a fun day, when the time comes to get down to business, Fenton provides access to some shoppers' favorite high-end retailers including Pottery Barn, Athleta, Lululemon, The Gatorbug, Nike Live, Vestique, Altar'd State, Sephora, Free People, Williams Sonoma, and Arhaus.

Stores will run special holiday deals and sales throughout the season, which will appear on Fenton's website. Check back often for fun, unique activations that will provide shoppers with new experiences and opportunities nearly every day.

Plus, information is always easy to find on social media. Find Fenton on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

"We always place promotions [stores are] running on our website, and our social media," said Nolan. "We do a lot of giveaways. We like to showcase fun events. People always look, especially on our Instagram, for that. We enjoy collaborating with the community on events. We currently work with an amazing designer to create memorable events that sell out in minutes."

Fenton also offers an amenity where visitors can buy a drink at any of the restaurants and stroll around with it as they're shopping or doing other activities, as long as they use that restaurant's cup.

Fenton's holiday links are continually being updated in preparation for the season, so keep an eye out for information on holiday specials at the weekly Maker’s Market and the December 21 Menorah lighting.

"We want to make sure Fentonians get together," said Nolan. "We are curating events that we hope the community enjoys. We look forward to making memories with them."