Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Hickory, NC for 2026, and here is what he found: 3 family events, 1 of them free. They are Hickory Ballet Presents The Nutcracker (November 14), Elf Film Screening at Carolina Theater (December 5) and Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating Party (December 5). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our North Carolina Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Hickory
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Hickory
- 1 free event, including Elf Film Screening at Carolina Theater
- Also on the list: 2 Christmas shows, 1 story time and 1 craft workshop
- Season: November 14 (Hickory Ballet Presents The Nutcracker) to December 5 (Elf Film Screening at Carolina Theater)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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- 1 Story time
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Free Christmas events for kids in Hickory
Holiday showFree
Elf Film Screening at Carolina Theater
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 2 to 3:30 pm
- Where: Carolina Theater Hickory, 222 1st Ave NW, Hickory, NC 28601 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free, no tickets required
- Ages: Children and families, teens and adults (film is rated PG)
Expand to see the parent tip
Hickory Public Library takes its holiday movie out of the library and into the Carolina Theater for a big screen showing of Elf, the 2003 comedy with Will Ferrell. The film is rated PG and runs 97 minutes.
The screening is on Saturday, December 5, 2026, with the library listing it from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm at 222 1st Ave NW. Seats are free and no tickets are needed, but they are given out only until the theater is full.
Parent tip: Seating is first come, first served and stops when the house is full, so arrive well before 2:00 pm if you need several seats together. The film's 97 minutes run a little past the listed end time, so plan pickups for closer to 3:45 pm.
- Host
- Hickory Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Carolina Theater Hickory, 222 1st Ave NW, Hickory, NC 28601 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Hickory events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Hickory daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Hickory.
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Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Hickory events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Hickory.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Hickory before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Shows
- 1 Crafts
- 1 Story time
- 1 Zoos and museums
- 1 Free
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Hickory
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday story time
Hickory Ballet Presents The Nutcracker
- When: Saturday, November 14, 2026, 11 am to noon
- Where: Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, Meeting Room, 375 3rd St NE, Hickory, NC 28601 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Children and families
Expand to see the parent tip
Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts visits the library for a story time built around The Nutcracker. Children hear Clara's story, see real-life dolls from the ballet, and then get up to dance along as one of the characters themselves.
The program runs on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm in the Meeting Room at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, 375 3rd St NE. The library lists it for children and families and its page does not mention a price or registration.
Parent tip: The hour ends with the children dancing, so dress little ones in something they can twirl in and expect them on their feet for the last part. It falls in mid November, well ahead of most holiday events, so put it on the calendar early.
- Host
- Hickory Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, Meeting Room, 375 3rd St NE, Hickory, NC 28601 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Hickory events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Hickory daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Hickory.
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Holiday crafts
Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating Party
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 10:30 am to noon
- Where: Hickory Museum of Art, Education Department (2nd Floor), 243 3rd Ave NE, Hickory, NC 28601 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $40, or $35 for museum members
- Ages: Whole family
Expand to see the parent tip
This is the 12th year Hickory Museum of Art has held its gingerbread house party. Each guest decorates a gingerbread house of their own with candies and icing in the museum's second floor Education Department, and takes the finished house home.
The party is on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. Registration is through the museum's ticket page, where tickets are listed at $40 and $35 for members. The museum invites the whole family.
Parent tip: The museum says outright that a little mess is part of it, so send kids in clothes that can take icing. Bring a box or tray for the car, because the house goes home with you at noon.
- Host
- Hickory Museum of Art (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Hickory Museum of Art, Education Department (2nd Floor), 243 3rd Ave NE, Hickory, NC 28601 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Hickory events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Hickory daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Hickory.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our North Carolina Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Hickory Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Hickory Ballet Presents The Nutcracker in Hickory on November 14; the last runs to December 5. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Hickory Ballet Presents The NutcrackerHickory · Nov 14
- Elf Film Screening at Carolina TheaterHickory · Dec 5
- Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating PartyHickory · Dec 5
Looking further afield? Our North Carolina Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Newton, Granite Falls, Cramerton and Charlotte. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Hickory
Hickory takes its name from the Hickory Tavern, a log building put up in the 1790s under a hickory tree, and a monument shaped like an old fireplace still marks the spot. Today the Catawba County city spends the weeks before Christmas at its library, its art museum and a movie theater, with a Nutcracker story time, a gingerbread house party and a free showing of Elf.
How Hickory celebrates
Christmas for families in Hickory in 2026 runs through the public library, the art museum and a movie theater. Hickory Public Library opens the season on November 14, when Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts brings a Nutcracker story time to Patrick Beaver Memorial Library on 3rd Street NE. On December 5 the library's calendar lists a free showing of Elf at the Carolina Theater on 1st Avenue NW. That same morning Hickory Museum of Art holds its 12th Annual Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating Party in its second floor Education Department. The museum, which shares the SALT Block with the Catawba Science Center, says it looks forward to the party every year.
Fun facts about Christmas in Hickory
The first train ran near Hickory Tavern in 1859, and the settlement was incorporated as a town under that name in 1870 before shortening it to Hickory three years later and becoming a city in 1889. Electric lights were installed in 1888. In 1913 Hickory became the first municipality in North Carolina to hire a city manager. The 2020 census counted 43,490 residents, and the Hickory Museum of Art, established in 1944, is the second oldest art museum in the state.
Traditions today
- Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating Party: Hickory Museum of Art holds its gingerbread house party for the 12th time on December 5, 2026, and says it looks forward to the event every year.
- The Nutcracker at the library: Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts tells the Nutcracker story at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library on November 14 and invites children to join the dancing.
- A holiday movie at the Carolina Theater: Hickory Public Library hosts a free showing of Elf at the Carolina Theater on 1st Avenue NW on December 5, with no tickets required.
- The SALT Block: The Hickory Museum of Art is housed at the SALT Block alongside the Catawba Science Center, the Hickory Choral Society, the United Arts Council and the Western Piedmont Symphony.
A fact for kids
Hickory's minor league baseball team is called the Crawdads. And the whole city is named after a log tavern that once stood under a hickory tree.
Questions about Christmas in Hickory
How did Hickory, North Carolina get its name?
The name comes from the Hickory Tavern, a log structure built in the 1790s beneath a hickory tree. A monument put up by the Hickory Tavern chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, shaped like an old fireplace and carrying a plaque, marks the place where the tavern stood.
When was Hickory founded?
Henry Link bought the first lot in the area in 1858 for $45. The community was incorporated as the town of Hickory Tavern in 1870, and three years later its name was officially changed to Hickory. In 1889 it became the City of Hickory.
When did the railroad reach Hickory?
The first train operated near Hickory Tavern in 1859, more than a decade before the town was incorporated. Later, two intersecting railroads, together with early trades such as wagon making and the forests close by, helped the furniture industry take root in the area.
What is Hickory known for making?
Furniture is the best known product. Hickory White, formerly Hickory Manufacturing Company, was built in 1902 and has operated on its original site ever since. The area also makes fiber optic cable, and the Wikipedia article says forty percent of the world's supply is made around Hickory.
How big is Hickory?
The 2020 census counted 43,490 people in Hickory. The city sits mainly in Catawba County in western North Carolina, about 60 miles northwest of Charlotte, and reaches west into Burke and Caldwell counties. It is the largest city in the Hickory, Lenoir and Morganton metropolitan area.
What happens at Christmas in Hickory for kids?
For 2026 the confirmed family events are a Nutcracker story time with Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts on November 14, the 12th Annual Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating Party on December 5, and a free showing of the film Elf at the Carolina Theater on the afternoon of December 5.
Where do Hickory's Christmas events for kids take place?
The Nutcracker story time is in the Meeting Room at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, 375 3rd St NE. The gingerbread party is in the second floor Education Department at Hickory Museum of Art. The Elf screening is at the Carolina Theater Hickory, 222 1st Ave NW.
Who organizes Christmas events for kids in Hickory?
Hickory Public Library hosts two of them: the Nutcracker story time, presented with Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts, and the Elf screening held at the Carolina Theater. Hickory Museum of Art runs the gingerbread house decorating party and takes registrations through its own ticket page.
Which Hickory Christmas events are free?
The Elf screening on December 5, 2026 is free, with no tickets required and seats offered until the theater is full. The gingerbread party at Hickory Museum of Art is ticketed at $40, or $35 for members. The Nutcracker story time page does not list a price.
What is the Hickory Museum of Art?
It is the second oldest art museum in North Carolina, established in 1944 by founding director Paul Whitener. The museum is housed at the SALT Block and builds its exhibitions and education programs on a permanent collection of American art from the 19th through 21st centuries.
Sources
- Hickory, North Carolina, Wikipedia
- Hickory Ballet Presents The Nutcracker, Hickory Public Library
- 12th Annual Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating, Hickory Museum of Art
- Elf: Free Film Screening at Carolina Theater, Hickory Public Library
Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every North Carolina city.
Hickory Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Hickory to start with?
Start with the Nutcracker story time from Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library on November 14, 2026, which suits younger children. Then look at December 5, when the Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating Party at Hickory Museum of Art and the Elf screening at the Carolina Theater fall on the same day.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Hickory?
Yes. Hickory Public Library's showing of Elf at the Carolina Theater on December 5, 2026 is free and needs no tickets, with seats available until the theater fills. The library's Nutcracker story time on November 14 lists no price or registration on its page either.
Where can kids meet Santa in Hickory?
None of the Hickory events gathered here for 2026 lists a Santa visit. What is confirmed so far is a Nutcracker story time on November 14, a gingerbread house party on December 5 and a showing of Elf on December 5. Check the organizers' calendars for later additions.
Are there holiday shows or movies for families in Hickory?
Two events come close to a show. On November 14, 2026, Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts tells the Nutcracker story at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library and invites children to dance. On December 5 at 2:00 pm, the Carolina Theater screens Elf, a PG film that runs 97 minutes.
Which Hickory Christmas events need tickets or sign-up?
The Jingle Bell Gingerbread House Decorating Party at Hickory Museum of Art on December 5, 2026 requires registration through the museum's ticket page, where tickets are $40 or $35 for members. The Elf screening needs no tickets, and the Nutcracker story time page mentions no sign-up.
Can we do two Hickory holiday events in one day?
Yes, on Saturday, December 5, 2026. The gingerbread house party at Hickory Museum of Art runs from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm, and the free Elf screening at the Carolina Theater on 1st Avenue NW starts at 2:00 pm. That leaves about two hours for lunch and for dropping the gingerbread house at home.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Hickory?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s North Carolina Christmas train rides guide. This Hickory guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.