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Christmas with kids in Rocky Mount
In Rocky Mount, a historic mill water tower glows every December while a parade marches downtown for the 69th year. Together they mark the start of the season.
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The story of Christmas in Rocky Mount
How Rocky Mount celebrates
Rocky Mount's biggest Christmas tradition is its downtown parade, billed as the 69th annual in 2025, so it dates back to the late 1950s. Bands, dance and step teams, nonprofits and small businesses walk through town, and Santa and Mrs. Claus close it out. A newer tradition is the Tower Lighting at Rocky Mount Mills, which was the 8th annual in 2025. The city also adds a First Friday tree lighting and a Winter Wonderland at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences.
Christmas last year in Rocky Mount
The 2025 parade ran about two hours on a Sunday afternoon and set a record with more than 100 groups. Mayor Sandy Roberson was grand marshal, and Santa also dropped by a food truck rodeo at Station Square. At Rocky Mount Mills, the 8th annual Tower Lighting ran from 5 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 3 at 1151 Falls Road. Free admission brought Santa and Mrs. Claus, horse carriage rides, live music, kids' crafts and a Christmas Market at The Power House.
Fun facts about Christmas in Rocky Mount
The parade crosses a CSX railroad line on East Thomas Street, so floats and marching bands roll over real train tracks. The Tower Lighting is held at a mill complex, and the star of the show is its water tower, which Santa and Mrs. Claus stand beneath. Kids at the 2025 event could also visit a mobile bus and a kids' zone in the lobby. The city's holiday calendar even includes a Kwanzaa Kickoff Celebration, along with plays like A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Traditions today
- Rocky Mount Christmas Parade: A two-hour downtown parade with bands, dance teams and Santa, held on a Sunday afternoon.
- Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting: A free evening of Santa, crafts, music and a market around the lit water tower.
- First Friday tree lighting: A free evening at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences with a tree lighting.
- Winter Wonderland: A free afternoon at the Imperial Centre where Santa is expected to be on hand.
- A Charlie Brown Christmas on stage: Stage shows at the Imperial Centre, with lower ticket prices for children 12 and under.
- Kwanzaa Kickoff Celebration: A free afternoon celebration at the Imperial Centre.
A fact for kids
Rocky Mount's Christmas parade rolls right over a real railroad track. Marching bands and floats cross the CSX line on East Thomas Street.
Questions about Christmas in Rocky Mount
When did the Rocky Mount Christmas Parade start?
We could not find a founding year, but the 2025 parade was billed as the 69th annual, which points to a start in the late 1950s. It runs through downtown Rocky Mount on a Sunday afternoon. Check our Rocky Mount Christmas events guide on this page for the current date.
What is the Rocky Mount Christmas Parade like?
It is a two-hour downtown parade with high school marching bands, dance and step teams, nonprofits and small businesses. The 2025 edition set a record with more than 100 groups, and Santa and Mrs. Claus appeared too. Mayor Sandy Roberson served as grand marshal that year. Bring chairs and warm layers for little ones.
Where does the Rocky Mount parade go?
In 2025 it started on Southeast Main Street at Marigold Street, headed north to Tarboro Street, then up Northeast Main to East Thomas Street. It crossed the CSX railroad line, continued west on Thomas, and turned south on North Church Street toward the senior center. Routes can change, so check the city before you go.
Is Santa at the Rocky Mount parade?
Yes. Santa and Mrs. Claus rode in the 2025 parade, and Santa also visited a food truck rodeo at the Station Square complex off South Church Street. Santa was also expected at the city's Winter Wonderland the following week at the Imperial Centre. Santa's schedule changes each year, so see our Rocky Mount Christmas events guide on this page.
What is Winter Wonderland in Rocky Mount?
It is a free afternoon event at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, run from 1 to 5 p.m. in the year we read about, with Santa expected to be on hand. It was held the Sunday after the parade, so families can fit in both. Check the city's holiday page for this year's date.
What is the Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting?
It is a free evening celebration at Rocky Mount Mills, 1151 Falls Road, that lights the historic mill water tower. In 2025 it ran from 5 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 3 with Santa and Mrs. Claus under the water tower, horse carriage rides, live music and a Christmas market. It was billed as the 8th annual.
How long has the Tower Lighting been going?
The 2025 event was advertised as the 8th annual Tower Lighting at Rocky Mount Mills, so the tradition is relatively young compared with the city's parade. That puts its start around 2018. It has grown into a full evening with crafts, music, a market and visits with Santa.
What can kids do at the Tower Lighting?
In 2025 children could visit Santa and Mrs. Claus beneath the water tower, make holiday crafts with Dynamik Learning, explore the Braswell Memorial Mobile Bus and play in a kids' zone in the main lobby run by the Buck Leonard Association. There were also horse carriage rides to try.
Why is a water tower part of Christmas in Rocky Mount?
The Rocky Mount Mills water tower is the centerpiece of the yearly Tower Lighting at the old mill complex on Falls Road. Lighting it turns an everyday landmark into a holiday symbol, and Santa and Mrs. Claus stand beneath it to greet families. The event was billed as the 8th annual in 2025 and was free to attend.
Can I see a Christmas play for kids in Rocky Mount?
The city's holiday page has listed A Charlie Brown Christmas stage shows at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, with ticket prices lower for children 12 and under. The page did not show a year, so check dates before planning. Our Rocky Mount Christmas events guide on this page lists confirmed 2026 shows.
What is First Friday in December in Rocky Mount?
First Friday is a monthly evening at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, and the December edition has included a free tree lighting. The city's holiday page listed it from 6 to 9 p.m. The page did not show a year, so confirm the date before you go.
Does Rocky Mount celebrate Kwanzaa too?
Yes. The city's holiday page has listed a free Kwanzaa Kickoff Celebration at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences, held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 16 in the year shown. It sits beside Christmas events on the city's calendar.
Is there a Christmas parade date I can count on each year?
Not exactly. The page we read listed Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. in one year, while the 2025 parade was on a Sunday afternoon. Dates move with the calendar, so do not rely on past years. Our Rocky Mount Christmas events guide on this page carries this year's confirmed date.
How do I explain the parade to a toddler?
Tell your child that bands, dancers and neighbors walk down Main Street to welcome Santa. Mention that there are more than 100 groups, so there is always something new coming. Pick a spot early, bring snacks and let them wave at the floats. Santa and Mrs. Claus come at the end.
Are the Rocky Mount holiday events free?
Many are. The city's page listed the parade, First Friday tree lighting and Winter Wonderland as free, and the 2025 Tower Lighting was free and open to the public. Plays like A Charlie Brown Christmas sold tickets. Prices can change, so check each host's page for this year.
What is the Christmas Market at The Power House?
The Power House is a venue at Rocky Mount Mills. In 2025 a Christmas Market ran there from 4 to 8 p.m. alongside the Tower Lighting. Kids can enjoy the nearby crafts and Santa while adults browse. Check the Mills' page for this year's schedule.
Is there live music at the Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting?
Yes. In 2025 the Tower Lighting included live music from Chandler James, along with Santa and Mrs. Claus under the water tower, horse carriage rides and a Christmas Market at The Power House. The event ran from 5 to 8 p.m. at 1151 Falls Road and was free to attend, so families could stay for as long as little ones were happy.
Where can kids see Christmas lights in Rocky Mount?
The lit water tower at Rocky Mount Mills is one of the town's best-known holiday sights, and the downtown tree lighting at the Imperial Centre is another. Our Rocky Mount Christmas events guide on this page lists dates we confirmed for 2026. Dress warmly, since the tower lighting is held outdoors in the evening.
Does the Rocky Mount Christmas Parade really cross train tracks?
Yes. The parade route crosses a CSX railroad line on East Thomas Street, so floats and marching bands roll right over real train tracks. That makes a fun detail to share with kids who love trains. The route can change from year to year, so check the city's page before you go.
Where can I find this year's Rocky Mount Christmas events?
Our Rocky Mount Christmas events guide on this page lists kid-friendly holiday events a host has confirmed with 2026 dates. For the latest, also check the City of Rocky Mount holiday page and the Rocky Mount Mills events page. The list grows as hosts post their calendars.
Sources
- Rocky Mount Mills Tower Lighting, Rocky Mount Mills
- Parade brings out throngs of festive holiday revelers, Rocky Mount Telegram
- Holiday happenings, City of Rocky Mount