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1. North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, Cary (Through January 13th): a showcase of Chinese culture—nightly performances featuring martial arts, traditional dance, acrobatics, drum performances & more.
2. Piper Lights: (Through january 3rd) a family-run light display that's been in action for 30 years now in Wake Forest, at 5725 Fixit Shop Rd.
3. Cinderella, presented by Raleigh Little Theatre (Through December 16th): Based on the fairy tale by Charles Perrault, this musical is a true holiday sugarplum for the entire family.
4. A Christmas Carol, presented by Theatre In The Park (December 5-9th):
celebrating its 44th year this holiday
season, has wowed more than a million guests throughout the years.
Hello December
Top Nine Things to do in Raleigh
5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical (Now - December 23): the characters you know and love come to life in this Broadway Series South production.
6. State Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony (December 6th): the lighting of the tree at the North Carolina State Capitol building is a sign for many that the holiday season is officially here.
7.The Nutcracker, presented by Carolina Ballet (December 14 -23):
this holiday classic is a can't-miss tradition for locals, visitors, families and friends.
8. First Night Raleigh (December 31st): Raleigh's biggest New Year celebration fills the city's center with crowds and activities: entertainment, tons of live music, vendors and an epic grand finale that sees a giant copper acorn drop from the sky as the clock strikes midnight.
9. The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes: back in action and off to a hot start this season, will play an important seven home games at PNC Arena this month. They'll take on the Maple Leafs (12/11), Capitals (12/14), Coyotes (12/16), Red Wings (12/20), Penguins (12/22), Bruins (12/23) and Flyers (12/31).