Boulevard of Lights

Master Calendar of Holiday Events and Punch Card Program Kick Off the Holiday Season in Cabarrus County, N.C.

(November 16, 2011) – Cabarrus, NC – Twelve hotels will light up Bruton Smith Boulevard next week, welcoming holiday guests to celebrate the season in Cabarrus County!

Perimeter lighting totaling almost 3 miles in length will adorn the hotel rooftops for the holiday season. Light pole decorations will extend from the intersection of Derita Road and Concord Mills Boulevard to the intersection of Bruton Smith Boulevard and Highway 29 in front of Charlotte Motor Speedway, creating a festive Christmas corridor.

“Carolina Christmas and the Boulevard of Lights is truly a unique and exciting holiday event for our area. We always decorate the interior of the Embassy Suites for the holidays and this year we are extending decorations to the exterior of the building to tie in with theme. In addition to the building being outlined in lights we are ‘washing’ the entire building with red and green lighting. We will also have “action lighting” on the building walls that will give the effect of it snowing in lights,” said Terry Crawford, general manager of the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort and Spa. “We are excited about being a part of the celebration. This is going to be a great holiday tradition for our out-of-town guests and the local community.”

A dedicated website, www.carolinachristmasnc.com, was launched for visitors and local residents to discover the many ways to celebrate the holidays, including Carolina Christmas hotel packages and a comprehensive calendar of Christmas events throughout the county. Even longtime residents may find a new event that becomes a favorite tradition for years to come. The calendar features a variety of events from local parades and tree lightings to seasonal tours and theatre performances.

Also new for 2011 is the holiday punch card program. For a chance to win a $500 Simon American Express Gift Card, guests are invited to visit any four of the seven participating holiday partners between November 23 and December 16 and get the corresponding ornament on the Christmas tree punched. The participants are the Cabarrus County CVB, Concord Mills, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sam Bass Gallery, Reed Gold Mine, Punchy’s Diner and Cabarrus Creamery.

“The hustle of the holiday season finds many looking for ideas of different places to go, sights to see and restaurants to eat,” said Rachel Jordan of Punchy’s Diner. “I hope that by being a part of the punch card program, some people that may not have tried Punchy’s Diner will have the incentive to give us a try. And that hopefully they will become one of our great customers for future visits.”

Pick up points are Concord Mills Guest Services, the Bureau Visitors Center and Carolina Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“The Boulevard of Lights, the holiday punch card program and www.carolinachristmasnc.com contribute to our mission to drive visitation to Cabarrus County to generate the maximum impact through hotel stays and visitor spending,” said Donna Carpenter, president and chief executive officer of the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This kind of partnership between the CVB, attractions and hotels across the destination is critical as we work to continually grow and sustain a dynamic travel industry.”

For more information, visit www.carolinachristmasnc.com!

As a destination marketing organization, the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau is dedicated to promoting Cabarrus County as a visitor destination and enhancing the complete visitor experience. We also represent and support the interests of the local tourism industry and promote public awareness of the importance of tourism. Visit our website at www.visitcabarrus.com for more information.