Pinehurst Christmas Festival is ‘an experience’

PINEHURST — The organizers of the Pinehurst Christmas Festival believe wholeheartedly in dreaming big when it comes to their two-day seasonal sensation. Event coordinators Miranda Elam and Kattie Ross along with lots of elves make the Pinehurst Christmas possible.

“This is our third year and we make a whole festival out of it. We wanted to focus on an experience. We have ideas to the ceiling, but we can only do so much, and we do have a lot of things packed into two days,” Elam said.

The festivities are set for Friday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 9. 

On Friday night, revelers looking to enjoy a country Christmas can stop by the Ho Ho Ho Down and enjoy Christmas music, a cake walk, gingerbread house contest, chili cook-off and survey houses bringing their competitive and artistic talents during the Christmas light contest.

One feature that Elam would like to shine a spotlight on is the Friday night scavenger hunt. 

“We have a scavenger hunt, which is really fun. Families download the app and get in their cars and find things around town and it sends a picture in real time,” Elam said. 

Participants are encouraged to download the Scavr app ahead of the hunt and teams are made up of two or more people and will explore the community and capture the holiday spirit with pictures and videos. The winning team will receive $100 cash and there will be a prize drawing among all of the participating teams.  

Saturday, the bulk of the holiday events during the day will take place at Pinehurst Elementary School, including a craft fair, cookie decorating, ornament making and letters to Santa, and a silent auction will take place.

The festivities in Pinehurst will conclude with a festive Christmas parade and a lighting ceremony following the parade. The committee began decorating the park Friday in anticipation of the procession and lighting ceremony.

“When we light up the tree, we’ll be singing carols together down at the park,” Elam said.

Hot chocolate and sledding will keep families warm as they take in student musical performances as the festival events wind down Saturday.

Elam said that the more the merrier to join in on the holiday fun as they share all the joys of the season that Pinehurst has to offer.

If you go 

Friday, Dec. 8
Where: Pinehurst Lions Club, 106 Church St., Pinehurst
5-8 p.m. Country Christmas Ho Ho Ho Down
Christmas music and cake walk
Gingerbread House Contest (Lions Club drop-off 5-8 p.m.)
Chili cook-off
Christmas Scavenger Hunt (6-7:30 p.m.)
6-8 p.m. Christmas Light Contest

Saturday, Dec. 9
Where: Pinehurst Elementary, 201 S. Third St., Pinehurst
8 a.m.-4 p.m. Craft fair (Pinehurst Elementary)
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Cookie decorating, ornament making and letters to Santa
Silent auction (Pinehurst Elementary)
5 p.m. Christmas parade
Lighting ceremony (at the park on 903 N. Division St., Pinehurst)

Learn more about the festival at  www.pinehurstchristmasfestival.com.

    Kids pose in Santa and elf cutouts at the 2022 Pinehurst Christmas Festival.

    Santa asks the Grinch what he wants for Christmas during the 2022 Pinehurst Christmas Festival.