CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of the Charlotte area's biggest holiday traditions begins this week as Charlotte Motor Speedway flips the switch on its annual Speedway Christmas extravaganza on Friday, Nov. 22.
This year's Speedway Christmas is bigger than ever with 5 million lights sparkling over 4 miles on Charlotte Motor Speedway property. And 2024 marks the 15th year that Charlotte Motor Speedway has hosted its annual Christmas lights show that will take guests on a journey over the track's oval, pit road and road course layouts. Charlotte Motor Speedway also shows movies on the 16,000-square-foot SpeedwayTV screen. This year's offerings include "The Grinch," "White Christmas" and "Polar Express." Click here for dates and times.
In addition to the 4-mile lights show, the infield Christmas village features photos with Santa, food vendors, fire pits for s'mores and a 360-degree camera in victory lane. New to Speedway Christmas in 2024 is an even larger lighted tree pathway that gives guests a different perspective on the epic lights show.
Speedway Christmas will operate nearly every night, rain or shine, from Nov. 22 through Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. The only day it's closed is Christmas Eve. The Christmas Village is open from Thursday through Sunday. The show begins at 6 p.m. nightly and runs until 10 p.m. If you are on Speedway property by 10 p.m., you will be allowed to drive through the show. If you're on an adjacent street in line, you will not get to enter the show, so guests are encouraged to arrive early.
NOTE: Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights and there could be extended wait times. Guests are asked to consider alternate nights to avoid these waits and to arrive early. And trust us, the waits can be extremely long.
Speedway Christmas ticket information
- Monday-Wednesday: $35 per vehicle (up to 15 passengers)
- Thursday-Sunday: $45 per vehicle (up to 15 passengers)
- Express lane: $75
Advance tickets are not required, however, they must be purchased for a specific day. If you're unsure of what day you'll attend, Charlotte Motor Speedway recommends purchasing a pass when you arrive. It is recommended that you download digital tickets prior to arriving at the track.
Guests who purchase express lane tickets should enter the speedway near Entrance P off of Morehead Road and follow the signs.
Speedway Christmas traffic tips
Speed past the line
The best, and only, way to skip the line is an express pass. For $75, you get to drive in a special line that skips the general-purpose lanes. There is a maximum of 15 people allowed per vehicle in the express lanes, but it can be well worth it.
Arrive early
Have you ever heard the old saying "if you're on time, you're late?" That definitely applies to Speedway Christmas. The show runs from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. each night, but if you try to arrive right at 6 p.m. or a little after, you're probably going to wait in a long line unless you opt for an express pass.
With sunset starting around 5:15 p.m., getting to the track a little early and waiting in line for the gates to open isn't a bad idea. The closer you are to the front, the fewer cars you'll wait behind seeing the lights and accessing the Christmas Village.
Skip weekends
The weekends are the most popular days for people to go, with kids being out of school and many parents off work. But that means more traffic and long lines that can zap the fun out of the holiday spectacle.
Charlotte Motor Speedway recommends families consider Sunday through Thursday nights for quicker entry.
Tubing hill
Charlotte Motor Speedway's tubing hill will open on Thursday, Nov. 22. The tubing hill is an additional feature and not included with Speedway Christmas tickets. Anyone with a Speedway Christmas ticket can get unlimited rides for $20. Kids 12 and under are $15.