Weekend best bets: Hip Hop Nutcracker and holiday markets
Lots of holiday fun coming up this weekend!
Holiday markets
2019 Christmas Carousel Holiday Gift Market (North Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh) - For over 32 years the Christmas Carousel Holiday Gift Market has provided the Triangle one of the largest collections of Arts, Crafts & Holiday Gifts ever assembled in one location.
A City Market Christmas (City Market, 214 E Martin St, Raleigh) - City Market kicks off the holiday season with this event featuring hot chocolate, mulled wine and live music on Sunday.
Holiday Pop-Up Market at Transfer Co. (Transfer Co. Food Hall , 500 East Davie Street, Raleigh) - Join Triangle Pop-Up for their curated selection of 50 local artists & makers, live jazz, photo booth and other holiday surprise on Saturday night.
Small Business Saturday Holiday Market (House of Hops, 6909 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh) - Help support local businesses at this holiday market at House of Hops on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh on Saturday.
Holiday Party & Shopping Extravaganza at Compass Rose Brewery (Compass Rose Brewery, 3201 Northside Drive, Raleigh) - Enjoy local beer, live music and lots of vendors at this brewery on Saturday afternoon.
Handcrafted Durm (Durty Bull Brewing Company, 206 Broadway St Ste 104, Durham) - Get some holiday shopping started at Durty Bull Brewing on Saturday afternoon. There will be vendors, live music and a food truck.
The Holiday Market (Quail Corners Shopping Center, 5003 Falls of Neuse Rd., Raleigh) - Get your holiday shopping started on Saturday at this local market featuring 25 vendors, holiday music, Santa, a food truck and more!
After Thanksgiving Beer Tasting (Taylor's Wine Shop, 10005 Six Forks Road, Raleigh) - After Thanksgiving, Football & Black Friday come relax & enjoy a free beer tasting with 8 different beers!
Oyster roast and Holiday Market (Motorco Music Hall, 723 Rigsbee Ave., Durham) - Enjoy an oyster roast and holiday market at Motorco on Sunday afternoon.
Performances and more fun
The Hip Hop Nutcracker (Durham Performing Arts Center, 123 Vivian St., Durham) - A holiday mash-up for the whole family, this show features Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets and learning the lessons of the holiday season. See it Saturday at DPAC.
An Evening With David Sedaris (Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, 2 E. South St., Raleigh) - An Evening with David Sedaris will feature all new stories and observations, along with an audience Q & A and book signing. See him at in Raleigh on Sunday.
Fantasia: The Sketchbook Tour (PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh) - Fantasia presents "The Sketchbook Tour" with Robin Thicke, Tank, and the Bonfyre at PNC Arena on Sunday.
A Magical Cirque Christmas (Durham Performing Arts Center, 123 Vivian St., Durham) - The producers of Broadway's smash hit "The Illusionists" have brought together the world's greatest entertainers for this new holiday production. See it at DPAC on Sunday.
A Snow White Christmas (Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, 2 E. South St., Raleigh) - This witty retelling of the classic fairy-tale features Michael Campion of Netflix's Fuller House. See the show at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium through Dec. 8.
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts - A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater, 2 East South Street, Raleigh) - The original television classic comes to life in Raleigh. The show runs Black Friday through Dec. 24.
IL Divo (Durham Performing Arts Center, 123 Vivian St., Durham) - The group will perform songs from The Christmas Collection at the DPAC on Friday.
A Motown Christmas (Carolina Theatre of Durham, 309 W. Morgan St., Durham) - This show stars The Motown Experience, a world class vocal group comprised of past and present members of Motown's most legendary groups including The Temptations, The Miracles, The Capitols and more. See them on stage at Carolina Theatre of Durham on Sunday.
Cirque de Noel (Meymandi Concert Hall at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 East South Street, Raleigh) - The circus meets the symphony during this show at Meymandi Concert Hall on Friday and Saturday. Stunning aerial feats flying high above the orchestra, mind-boggling contortions and jaw-dropping juggling acts - all choreographed to holiday music performed by the North Carolina Symphony.
20th Annual A Dickens Holiday (Downtown Fayetteville, 314 Hay Street, Fayetteville) - Historic Downtown Fayetteville will be transformed into a unique holiday shopping experience on Friday during this 20th annual event. There will be carriage rides, Father Christmas and a visit from Ebenezer Scrooge.
Finally Friday: Gremlins (N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh) - Come kick off the Christmas season with this crazy, funny and terror-ific adventure at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences on Friday night.
