As winter approaches, and fall ends, new holidays come into play, welcoming chilly weather and cultural traditions. While many may believe Christmas to be the main holiday of the winter months, the Triangle and North Carolina observe other celebrations pertaining to events like Hanukkah, Las Posadas, and the Chinese Lantern Festival.
Hanukkah
According to History, Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew. The eight day Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates with lighting the menorah, exchanging of gifts, and traditional foods like potato pancakes known as latkes and jam-filled donuts, or sufganiyot. Here in the Triangle, there continues to be a multitude of different community events that families can attend along with just celebrating at home.
AFHS students and staff looking to celebrate the Jewish holiday closer to home should see the Chanukah Outdoor Concert and Menorah Lighting, hosted by Chabad of Cary Jewish Center at the Apex Nature Park on Sunday, November 28. This holiday wonderland will be held outdoors with holiday crafts and games for children of all ages. Later in the day, the Menorah will be lit along with a concert by Israeli singer Yoel Sharabi.
The next day, the Chabad Young Professionals of Raleigh hosts the annual menorah lighting outside the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts. The mayor of Raleigh, Mary-Ann Baldwin, will be there to help light up the night. The event also promises to provide warm drinks, fresh latkes, and traditional donuts for everyone.
Las Posadas
The Apex United Methodist Church, which started Las Posadas celebrations in 2008, offers events on any of the nine nights of the holiday and includes all members of the Apex community.
Families with their children assemble each night for nine nights to anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ. The Church has held “Community Posadas” where the town celebrates a night together including a potluck format for food involving traditional dishes like tamales and ponche. Caroling through Downtown Apex continues to be observed, and fun events like pinatas filled with treats and lines of candle holding people can be anticipated.
Chinese Lantern Festival
For a less conventional holiday celebration, head to the Koka Booth Amphitheatre of Cary, where the Chinese Lantern Festival will be held. The event runs seven weeks from November 19, 2021 to January 9, 2022. There continue to be a variety of different experiences, one being The Twilight Ticket Experience, happening during the “Golden Hour”, 90 minutes prior to opening. This ticket allows early entry and reduced crowds to witness the lanterns come to life in the night sky. The festival brings more than 20 larger-than-life lanterns made up of thousands of LED lights. Beyond beautiful lanterns, the festival showcases Chinese culture, with nightly performances of martial arts, traditional dance, acrobatics, and more.
Christmas Celebrations
On December 3, 2021, the Apex Town Council hosted the Tree Lighting Ceremony in Downtown Apex. The event begins at dusk with a countdown and caroling. The Apex Christmas Parade happens the next day on the 4th, starting at 4 pm, and remains a crowd favorite. Hosted by the Apex Rotary Club, many bring chairs to watch the parade, which heads down Salem Street and ends at Upchurch Street. Food and festive decorations will be present.
For more creative entertainment, look to the Nutcracker, performed by Carolina Ballet on Dec. 17-24. A holiday classic and a family tradition for many, this ballet displays one-of-a-kind illusions created by magician Rick Thomas, making dancers levitate and disappear before onlooker’s eyes. Closer by, Infinity Ballet also holds their Dances of the Nutcracker performance at the Halle Cultural Arts Center in Downtown Apex from December 3-5.
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