When is Island of Lights at Carolina Beach in 2026?

Island of Lights runs from the Lighting at the Lake on Friday, November 27, 2026, to the New Year's Eve Countdown on December 31. The Christmas Parade is December 4, the Flotilla December 5 and the Tour of Homes December 12.

When is Boardwalk on Ice open?

Boardwalk on Ice, the outdoor skating rink on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, runs from November 27, 2026, to January 3, 2027.

Where is the best place to watch the Carolina Beach Christmas Flotilla?

The flotilla runs down the Intracoastal Waterway from Snow's Cut to the Carolina Beach boat basin, so anywhere along that stretch works, including the docks and restaurants around the basin.

Is parking free at Carolina Beach during the holidays?

Yes. Paid parking in Carolina Beach runs from March 1 to October 31, so parking is free from November through February.

Can I bring my dog to the beach in winter?

Yes. From October 1 to March 31, leashed dogs are allowed on Carolina Beach's sand at any hour. They aren't allowed on the wooden boardwalk or in the Boardwalk Business District at any time of year.

Blog

Events & SeasonsOctober 30, 2026· 5 min read

Holidays at Carolina Beach: Island of Lights, Boardwalk on Ice and More

The I love CB sign on the lawn by the Carolina Beach Boardwalk

Most beach towns go quiet after Labor Day. Carolina Beach puts up the lights. From the day after Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve, Pleasure Island runs a full holiday season called Island of Lights, the boardwalk turns into an outdoor skating rink, and the island fills with markets, movie nights and boat parades.

It's one of the best times of year to rent a beach house here: parking is free, the beach is yours, dogs can run the sand all day, and you can watch a lighted flotilla from the dock after dinner. This guide has every 2026 date, plus tips for planning a holiday stay.

Island of Lights 2026 at a glance

Lighting at the Lake: Friday, November 27, 5 PM
Carolina Beach Christmas Parade: Friday, December 4, 7 PM
Christmas Flotilla: Saturday, December 5, 5 PM
Tour of Homes: Saturday, December 12, 5:30 to 8:30 PM
New Year's Eve Countdown and Drone Display: Thursday, December 31, 8 PM to midnight
Boardwalk on Ice: November 27 to January 3

Island of Lights is Pleasure Island's community holiday celebration, with events in both Carolina Beach and Kure Beach. Details for each are below.

Lighting at the Lake

The season starts the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 27, at 5 PM, at Carolina Beach Lake Park. As the sun goes down, the lights come on around the lake and the island's holiday season officially begins.

Lake Park is in the middle of town, a few blocks from the boardwalk, with a playground and a lawn by the water. Arrive a little early: Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest weekend of the season.

Carolina Beach Lake Park with its splash pad and lakeside homes — Carolina Beach Lake Park, where Island of Lights begins each year.

Carolina Beach Christmas Parade

The Christmas Parade rolls down Lake Park Boulevard on Friday, December 4, at 7 PM. Because it's a night parade, the floats are lit up; bring a chair and a blanket and find a spot along the boulevard. If you're staying near Lake Park Boulevard, you can walk.

Christmas Flotilla

The next evening, Saturday, December 5, at 5 PM, the Island of Lights Christmas Flotilla parades lighted boats down the Intracoastal Waterway, from Snow's Cut to the Carolina Beach boat basin. Good viewing spots are anywhere along the waterway on that route, including the docks and restaurants around the basin.

Make a day of it: the Carolina Beach Holiday Market runs that morning, 9 AM to 3 PM, at Lake Park.

Aerial view of the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway onto Pleasure Island — The bridge over Snow's Cut, where the flotilla starts its run down the waterway.

Tour of Homes

On Saturday, December 12, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM, decorated homes in Carolina Beach and Kure Beach open their doors for the Island of Lights Tour of Homes. It's a chance to see inside some of the island's beach houses at their most festive. Check the organizer's details for tickets and the list of homes.

Boardwalk on Ice

From November 27 to January 3, Boardwalk on Ice brings an outdoor skating rink to the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, a block from the ocean. Skating under the lights with the sound of the surf is about as Carolina Beach as the holidays get, and it's open through Christmas and New Year's weeks, so it works for any holiday stay.

Warm up afterward along the boardwalk. Hurricane Alley's has two levels of ocean views, and the Fat Pelican, a few blocks away, is a legendary dive with a walk-in cooler of more than 350 beers.

New Year's Eve on the boardwalk

Island of Lights ends with the New Year's Eve Countdown and Drone Display on Thursday, December 31, from 8 PM to midnight on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk. Bars and restaurants along the boardwalk host their own parties, and the Carolina Beach Pier has an early-bird celebration during the day for families who won't make it to midnight.

Palms along the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, with the Ferris wheel beyond — The Carolina Beach Boardwalk, home to Boardwalk on Ice and the New Year's Eve countdown.

More holiday events on the island

Holiday movie nights on the beach: Sunday evenings in November at the Carolina Beach Pier, with holiday classics on the sand.
Kure Beach Holiday Market: Saturdays, November 21 and 28, 9 AM to 3 PM, at Kure Beach Ocean Front Park, next to the pier.
Christmas Palm Tree Lighting: Sunday, December 6, 6 PM, at the Carolina Beach Pier.
Santa sightings: from breakfast with Santa to Santa by the Sea at Lake Park, there's something most December weekends. The full list is on What's Up CB.

Nearby in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach

Staying on Pleasure Island puts you about half an hour from two more of the area's big holiday traditions.

North Carolina Holiday Flotilla: Thanksgiving weekend (November 27 to 29, 2026) at Wrightsville Beach, with a lighted boat parade on Banks Channel, a festival in the park and fireworks. The 2025 parade was its 42nd.
Enchanted Airlie: November 27 and 28, then December 1 to 21, at Airlie Gardens, a half-mile walk through gardens covered in lights. Entry is by timed ticket and dates sell out, so buy early and only through the official link on Airlie's site.

For more winter ideas, see our Wilmington winter guide.

Planning a holiday stay

Book Thanksgiving early. The lake lighting, Boardwalk on Ice, the Kure Beach market, the Wrightsville flotilla and Enchanted Airlie all start that weekend. It's the busiest few days of the off-season.
Pick the right weekend. If you want the parade and the flotilla together, come December 4 to 6. For a quiet stay with the lights still up, mid-December weekdays are lovely.
Parking is free. Carolina Beach's paid parking runs March 1 to October 31, so holiday visitors park free all season.
Pack layers. Days can be mild, but evenings by the water get cold. The ocean averaged about 62°F in November and 54°F in December at NOAA's Wrightsville Beach station: perfect for beach walks, bracing for swims.
Bring the dog. From October 1 to March 31, leashed dogs can be on Carolina Beach's sand at any hour. See our guide to dogs on the beach.
Plan breakfast. Kate's Pancake House and The Southerly Biscuit & Pie are local favorites for a slow holiday morning.

Where to stay

A house near Lake Park or the boardwalk lets you walk to the lighting, the parade and Boardwalk on Ice, and a place on the waterway side gives you a front-row seat for the flotilla. Browse Carolina Beach vacation rentals for your dates, and see what else is on in our Carolina Beach Local Guide, which lists upcoming events for every stay.

Event dates are from What's Up CB and the organizers. Plans can change, so confirm with the organizer before you go.