HILLSBOROUGH -- With luminarias creating a shimmering marker for participating businesses, the town will spirit in its festive holiday season from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday with Ladies' Night Out in downtown.
Local dignitaries will have a special "feathery" gift for the first 300 ladies who show up, as well as a menu of events and specials for the evening. Each purchase you made at participating businesses enters the buyer with one chance to win fabulous prizes from local businesses as well as the grand prize, a "UNC basketball package" donated by the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau.
The holiday celebration continues with the Hillsborough Gingerbread Contest judging at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at The Burwell School Historic Site at 319 N. Churton St. There will be up to 30 decorated gingerbread houses. The display will continue through Dec. 6.
The Hillsborough Holiday Parade is at 3 p.m. Dec. 5 on Churton Street in downtown. The town tree lighting follows on the lawn of the Old Orange County Courthouse at the corner of Churton and King streets. For more information, call the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce at (919) 732-8156.
The 31st Annual Christmas Craft Show is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec 5 and 6. This craft show features handmade items by regional crafters, including baskets, jewelry, holiday wreaths, candles, original art, stained glass, paintings and much more at the Big Barn Convention Center in Daniel Boone Village, sponsored by the Daniel Boone Merchants Association.
The 23rd annual Historic Hillsborough Candlelight Tour is from noon to 7 p.m. Dec. 6. The tour features eight private homes, plus historic sites, churches and public buildings. All will be decorated for the holiday season, including the historic "Over the River" home. Stops will feature live music and some will have refreshments.
New this year is a reading by Author Lee Smith. Also, plans are in the works for a wine tasting and open house at the Chamber office. A horse-drawn carriage from noon to 5 p.m. is $5 per person. For candlelight tour tickets, visit the Web site or call the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce at (919) 732-8156.
Other events include A Christmas Carol on Dec. 17 and 18 performed by Allan Gurganus and Michael Malone, Nutcracker on Ice at the Triangle Sportsplex on Dec. 19 and the annual Jim Watson Christmas concert on Dec. 20. For other events, visit the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough web calendar at http://www.historichillsborough.org/calendar/.
