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Ho, ho, ho! The holiday season is upon us, and New Bern is the place for a Beary Merry Christmas! If you enjoy celebrating the magic of the season, you will find it in our hometown, with music, movies, snow, shopping and gallons of hot cocoa! While there are lots of activities and events for you and your family to enjoy, here are a few of my all-time favorites.

Light Up the Park

Once your Thanksgiving meal has settled, it’s time to come on down to the annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, November 29! The block party begins at 4 p.m. on Middle Street, with a DJ, games, axe throwing, aerial circus performances, crafts, face painting and more. The tree lighting takes place at Union Point Park at 5:45 p.m., with Santa arriving soon after. The party continues with entertainment until 8:30 p.m. This is a wonderful way to kick off the holidays.

The Live Window Displays are a must-see this (and every) holiday season!

Light Up the Scene

On Friday, December 13, the windows come alive! New Bern’s Live Window Display takes place 6 – 8 p.m. Will it be a repeat for 2023’s first-place winner Twice as Nice? Bring out the entire family for an evening of window shopping while enjoying the sights of the season. Grab dinner either before or after your stroll at New Bern’s extensive restaurant offerings, including Morgan’s Tavern, Captain Ratty’s or Cypress Hall.

Light Up the Town

The splendor of the season continues throughout December. On Thursday evenings, stores will be open late, so you have extra time to find that special gift, all with festive entertainment. Visits with Santa provide the perfect opportunity to capture memories of your child’s wish list. Santa’s House is a magical place to see where the “Red One” lives this time of year. Definitely do not miss the chance for a carriage ride to enjoy the twinkling, colorful lights!

The holiday season is truly enchanting in New Bern. Be sure to enjoy all these delights (and more) that we have to light up your life! For more information, check out Visit New Bern.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, the holiday season is in full swing in New Bern. We have so many events and activities to enjoy in our magical downtown. Here are a few highlights:

A Holiday Dance

When you hear that mesmerizing music, you know it must be the holidays! I am so excited to see my favorite tradition, The Nutcracker Ballet, at the Athens Theatre. With marching toy soldiers, sugar plum fairy, mouse meanie and a nutcracker brought to life, what more could a girl ask for? Performances run on December 8, 9 and 10, and tickets are only $20. For more details, click here.

A Holiday Event

If you enjoy visiting Tryon Palace throughout the year, you must experience it during this season! Candlelight, held on two Saturdays, December 9 and 16, is resplendent with spectacular décor. Tickets include tours of the Governor’s Palace, Stanly House and Dixon House, plus lots of holiday festivities and activities on the historic site grounds. Tours run from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on both nights, with tickets going quickly. In addition to the tour, you will enjoy special activities, fife and drum performers, and of course the black powder fireworks! Get your tickets here.

Be sure to take time to see all the shop displays, including The Pepsi Store, during the holidays!

A Holiday Shopping Spree

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, however the best shopping still awaits! Every Thursday up through December 21, the downtown shops are open late until 8 p.m. to find that perfect gift. In addition to the shopping, be sure to stop by Santa’s House and the “ice” skating rink at Union Point Park. For a complete list of Beary Merry Christmas events, click here.

Downtown New Bern is a wonderful place to be all year long. During the holiday season, it becomes a winter wonderland of magic for the entire family.

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Which shop will garner top honors in 2022 for Best Live Window Display?

The holiday season is upon us! The Community Christmas Tree is lit, and Beary Merry Christmas is underway in Downtown New Bern. We are celebrating 10 magical years of this month-long hometown event. Here are three activities to bring you comfort and joy in December.

Beary Merry Rides

During the holidays, our town takes on a whole new look with decorations and lights throughout. We think the best way to experience this splendor is a horse-drawn wagon or carriage ride. While the wagon allows for a larger group, the carriage is ideal for small families or couples. Either way, you will see the beautiful sights of our spectacular town in a whole new way. Wagon rides are $12 per person; carriages are $75 per ride. Tickets for upcoming weekend tours may be found here.

Beary Merry Sights

On Friday, December 9, the downtown shops and restaurants are all live on stage, or shall we say, in window? The Live Window Display takes place 6 – 8 p.m. Bring out the entire family for an evening of window shopping while enjoying a cup or two of hot cocoa. Surf, Wind and Fire took top honors last year, and we are sure they will be trying for a repeat! Grab dinner either before or after your stroll at New Bern’s extensive restaurant offerings, including The Chelsea, Poppy’s Bites and Barrels or Captain Ratty’s.

Beary Merry Shopping

Want to get in some shopping, support local businesses and enjoy the sights and sounds of the holidays? You are in luck, as every Thursday up through December 22, you can do all of this and more. Downtown shops offer extended hours until 8 p.m. Plus, you can delight in the magic of snow, ice skating, live music and Santa! Of course, stopping by Bear City Fudge or Cow Café will be a must!

This year’s Beary Merry Christmas is set to be the biggest and brightest yet. It would be absolutely unbearable to miss it!

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The Beary Merry Christmas tree was officially lit up on November 27, kicking off the 2020 holiday season. Photo courtesy of Open Aperture Photography for Beary Merry Christmas.

New Bern is a spectacular place to live or to visit any season of the year. Yet, the town takes on a extra-specialness during the holiday season. A month-long extravaganza, aptly titled Beary Merry Christmas (Bern means “bear”), showcases dozens of events and activities. While the pandemic caused a little rethinking of some things, New Bern is known for having the show go on! One of Beary Merry Christmas’ highlights is the downtown parade, scheduled for December 5. Due to COVID-19 protocol, it is not known if the parade will occur as of this blog writing. Here are three other enjoyable activities I look forward to each December:

Horsing Around

I have walked and driven all around the downtown area throughout the year. Why is it that Downtown New Bern takes on a special look and feeling when riding in a horse-drawn carriage? Whether you are on a romantic ride for two or a family outing, this carriage ride is sure to make you and your heart warm and fuzzy.

Window Wonderland

This Friday, December 4, the downtown shops and restaurants all come alive, literally, for the Live Window Display, 6 – 8 p.m. The entire family will love “window shopping,” perhaps with a cup of hot chocolate in hand. The competition is pretty fierce, with each establishment trying to outdo each year and each other!

Under the Mistletoe

If you really want to get a taste of the holiday season, head on over to the Mistletoe Market, held every weekend at the corner of Front and Craven Streets. Food, beverages, live entertainment and lots of vendors will be on-hand to bring you holiday cheer. The market is also a great way to find a unique gift or two. And, there is lots of mistletoe!

Beary Merry Christmas is yet another reason why New Bern is a truly magical place, all year-round!

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Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow in New Bern at Bear Plaza!

The holiday season is in full force, and there is no place I would rather be than New Bern. While there is a host of activities and events throughout the last week of December, two stick out for me.

Hop on Board the Polar Express!

On Sunday, December 23, I made plans for the inner kid in me. I will be joining friends on the Polar Express for an hour of caroling and bright lights through downtown on the New Bern Trolley. There is even going to be a “special snowfall” that evening in Bear Plaza. Now I realize I may be deemed a bit too old for this fun, yet isn’t that what this magical time of the year is all about? Santa, elves, singing, lights, smiles, laughter… this is going to be fun!

Ring in the New Year in (Block) Style

The following Monday is New Year’s Eve. While I have yet to ring in a year in New Bern, I decided this was the year to do something “new.” And, what a great way to start a new tradition! The city is hosting the First Annual (or so I hope) New Year’s Eve Block Party. The event takes place in front of City Hall at the intersection of Pollock and Craven Streets, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The block party will include family-friendly activities and lots more. Naturally, all this fun requires nourishment, so there will be plenty of choices from several food trucks. Of course, no party would be complete without music!

When the clock strikes 12, it will be a party to remember in New Bern.

Adam Pitts, known for his ability to play a variety of musical instruments, will take the stage first. Then, Love Tribe takes over, playing the best party and popular hits. This block party will likely become a full-blown dance party before the night is over.

The coolest part about the New Bern Block Party? There will not be just a ball dropped. Instead, at the stroke of midnight, all eyes will be on the lighted “bear drop” to ring in the New Year!

You must admit these two events sound like a ton of fun, for kids from one to 92, as the song goes. I know they will bring joy to this kid!

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