Speedway Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway: 2026 guide
Details checked against official sources on October 14, 2026. Confirm dates with the organizer before you go.
Charlotte Motor Speedway bills Speedway Christmas as the Southeast’s largest drive-thru holiday light show. You drive the speedway oval, pit road and parts of the infield road course with your radio tuned to the show.
The speedway sits off I-85 and US-29 in Concord, so from the south end of Lake Norman it is an easy weeknight trip by I-485.
1. Concord, NC
Speedway Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway
A four-mile drive-through around the speedway oval, pit road and infield road course, with more than five million lights synced to music on 101.3 FM. On select nights the infield Christmas Village adds vendors, a tubing hill, an illuminated walking trail and photos with Santa.
- When
- November 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027, 6–10 PM nightly, rain or shine.
- Cost
- Sold per vehicle. 2026 prices not posted yet; in 2025 weeknight entry started at $46 per car, with Express Lane and season passes available.
Tip: Fridays and Saturdays in December are the busiest nights. The speedway suggests Thursday or Sunday. In 2025 it was closed on Christmas Eve.
Dates & details
The Christmas Village
On Village Nights (Thursday through Sunday in recent seasons) the infield opens as a Christmas Village with food and holiday vendors, photo spots, an illuminated walking trail, a 250-foot tubing hill, holiday movies on the big screen and photos with Santa. Some nights are Value Nights with the Village closed, and tubing costs extra ($15 in 2025), so check the calendar before you pick a night.
Tickets and the best night to go
Tickets are sold per vehicle rather than per person, so bring the whole car. Weeknights are cheapest, Express Lane passes skip the general line, and a season pass makes sense if you will go more than once. The 2026 prices were not posted when we last checked.
Fridays and Saturdays in December draw the longest lines. The speedway itself recommends Thursday or Sunday.
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Questions
Speedway Christmas: common questions
When does Speedway Christmas start in 2026?
Speedway Christmas opens Friday, November 20, 2026, and runs nightly through Sunday, January 3, 2027, from 6 to 10 PM, rain or shine.
How much are Charlotte Motor Speedway Christmas lights tickets?
Tickets are sold per vehicle. The 2026 prices were not posted as of mid-October; in 2025 weeknight entry started at $46 per car, with Express Lane and season passes costing more.
How long is the Speedway Christmas drive?
The route is about four miles around the oval, pit road and infield road course. On busy nights the wait to get in can take longer than the drive itself.
Is Speedway Christmas worth it?
For families it is the largest drive-through show in the region by the speedway’s own billing, and the Christmas Village adds a walk-around evening on Village Nights. Go on a weeknight to keep the wait short.
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