Holiday Event Descriptions
Now in its fourteenth year, The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill will once again celebrate the Christmas season with enchanting decorations inspired by the traditional holiday song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. A vision of seasonal wonder will be displayed throughout the Inn including magnificently decorated trees, beautifully appointed holiday décor, and events to keep you and your little one's entertained. Also, see newly commissioned artist, potter Betsy Blythe Vaden's Three French Hens, showcasing the third day of Christmas.
Our Twelve Days of Christmas events have concluded. However, there is still time to view all the beautiful decorations displayed throughout The Carolina Inn. Join us anytime now through January 6th.
View our Holiday Brochure.
Celebrate the holidays at Carolina Crossroads Restaurant with exceptional cuisine made by Executive Chef Jimmy Reale and his culinary team. Don't wait to reserve your table. Call 919.918.2735 or email crossroads@carolinainn.com for more information.
Christmas Eve Dinner
December 24th, 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Christmas Day Brunch
December 25th, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
We invite you to celebrate the holidays with us. Join Executive Chef Jimmy Reale and his culinary team for a sumptuous feast and finery of a traditional Christmas Day brunch. Don't wait to reserve your table.
$49.95 Adult 13 and Up
$44.95 Senior (60+)
$19.95 Children 7-12
Complimentary for Children 6 and Under
New Year's Eve Dinner
December 31st, 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Ring Inn the New Year
Celebrate the New Year in North Carolina at The Carolina Inn! This spectacular New Years Eve room offer includes a well-appointed room, late checkout, valet parking, four-course dinner, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and a welcome amenity.
Rates starting at $359.
Secure Your New Year's Eve Plans Today!
Romantic Resolution
Start the New Year off right by surprising your sweetheart with a romantic getaway at The Carolina Inn. The Romantic Resolution package includes a well-appointed room, late checkout, valet parking, chocolate covered strawberries, champagne and a welcome amenity.
Rates starting at $209.
Secure Your New Year's Eve Plans Today!
The following events have concluded.
Afternoon Tea
November 25th - January 1st, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., Wednesday - Sunday, except Christmas Day. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
Enjoy our festive holiday decorations and music while the Inn's staff serves award-winning teas in vintage china cups and saucers, along with an array of savory tea sandwiches and delightful sweets. Reservations must be made at least 24 hour in advance by calling 919.918.2735 or by email at crossroads@carolinainn.com.
$34 Royal Tea
$25 Classic Tea
$21 Little Prince & Princess Tea (Age 8-12)
$17 Little Prince & Princess Tea (Age 4-7)
Prices listed are per person. Service charge and tax added separately. SOLD OUT
Community Open House
December 3rd, Noon - 4 p.m. Reservations Not Required.
Come and join the celebration as we kick off a month of holiday festivities and Christmas Events. Take in the sights and sounds of the season as you tour our new unique interpretation of the verses of the traditional holiday carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Enjoy lots of Carolina Inn goodies as well as the talents of our local Chapel Hill and Raleigh craft and food artisans. There is fun for the entire family!
Complimentary
1st Annual CakeWalk. Proceeds to benefit TABLE, Inc.*
December 3rd, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
Donate a cake or just come to support a worthy cause. You won't want to miss the fun during this festive interpretation of musical chairs. Go home with goodies and prizes from local pastry artisans. Available to all ages. Community support never tasted so good!
$10 Per Person
SOLD OUT
Horse Drawn Carriage Rides
December 3rd & 10th, carriage ride runs every 30 minutes noon until 4 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
Nothing says Christmas like the sound of bells on a horse drawn carriage. Enjoy the sites of Chapel Hill, North Carolina as you take a leisurely ride through the campus of UNC Chapel Hill. Hot Chocolate and goodies provided.
$10 Per Person
SOLD OUT
Gingerbread House Village Display
December 3rd - December 19th
Relish the festive display of the 9th Annual Gingerbread House Competition entries. Contestants from Chapel Hill, Raleigh and surrounding areas will showcase their creativity and imagination with their edible masterpieces this holiday season. Please be mindful and do not touch the houses on display. Competition is open to amateur and professional bakers alike, with separate categories for youth and adults. Registration form is due Friday, November 18th. Due to space limitation, limited entries will be accepted. Gingerbread houses will be judged by the public and our Pastry Chef Suzanne Menius. The winner will be announced on Monday, December 19th at 4:00 p.m., immediately following our gingerbread making class and posted on our website.
Adult Winners
First Place ~ Christina Perry
Second Place ~ Ann Bailey
Youth Winners
First Place ~ Austin/Stanley Family Gingerbread House Team
Second Place ~ Patrick Noonan
Breakfast with Santa
December 24th
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Reservations Required. Reserved Seating.
Santa is coming to The Carolina Inn. A festive Carolina Inn breakfast will undoubtedly usher in the Christmas magic for young and old alike. Magicians and face painters will be on hand to entertain everyone. Each child is welcome to sit on Santa's lap and share their Christmas wish list. Every child will leave with a holiday treat.
$25 Adults 13 and Up
$20 Children 4-12
Complimentary for Children 3 and Under
SOLD OUT
Brunch with Santa
December 24th
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Reservations Required. Reserved Seating.
Santa is coming to The Carolina Inn. A festive Carolina Inn Christmas brunch will undoubtedly usher in the Christmas magic for young and old alike. Magicians and face painters will be on hand to entertain everyone. Each child is welcome to sit on Santa's lap and share their Christmas wish list. Every child will leave with a holiday treat.
$30 Adults 13 and Up
$25 Children 4-12
Complimentary for Children 3 and Under
SOLD OUT
"If These Walls Could Talk"
The Carolina Inn is one of North Carolina's historic treasures, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Within its charming brick walls are stories of the history of UNC, Chapel Hill, and North Carolina dating back to the 1700s. Join the Inn's historian, Dr. Kenneth Zogry, for an entertaining and enlightening "behind the scenes" tour, and discover the fascinating people and events that have shaped the hotel, the University, and the state. Explore the Inn's unique architecture as well as its collections of historical furnishings and art, and learn why UNC President Emeritus William Friday calls it "The University's Living Room."
Breakfast and Walking Tour of The Carolina Inn
December 6th, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
$20 Per Person
SOLD OUT
Lunch and Walking Tour of The Carolina Inn
December 21st, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
$25 Per Person
SOLD OUT
Real Men Wear Kilts - Scottish Highland Dinner
December 7th, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
Join us for a Scottish Highland Dinner in Chapel Hill featuring bagpipes, highland dancing and holiday tales from Donald Ross. Enjoy a true Scottish feast featuring Executive Chef Jimmy Reale's award-winning cuisine.
$52 Per Person
Price does not include alcoholic beverages. A cash bar will be open throughout the evening.
SOLD OUT
PlayMakers Dinner and Theatre Package
Need a break from the holiday bustle-something without the family and the fa-la-la? We've created a VIP evening of theatre and fine dining just for you.
December 7th-10th & 14th-17th, Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
5:30 p.m. - Dinner at The Carolina Inn. Enjoy a delicious three-course dinner prepared by award-winning chef Jimmy Reale.
7:30 p.m. - Tickets to Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Transportation provided to and from the Inn to Playmakers' Paul Green Theatre.
Nothing says "the holidays" like a dysfunctional family slugfest, and PlayMakers has got two of the all-time consummate contenders in a knock-down, drag-out love story from the savagely wicked pen of an American master. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play, and so sizzling that the Pulitzer Prize committee chose "Virginia Woolf' to receive its award for drama, then back-tracked and didn't give an award that year! Join George and Martha (played by PlayMakers favorites Ray Dooley and Julie Fishell) for an alcohol-soaked holiday soirée with fun and games and one dazzlingly nasty fight to the finish.
$75 Per Person
SOLD OUT
Holiday Entertaining with Executive Chef Jimmy Reale
December 10th, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
For those who like to entertain join Executive Chef of Carolina Crossroads Restaurant as he shares his culinary secrets for the perfect Christmas event. Discover how surprisingly simple ingredients can become a masterpiece for your next get together. You will have the opportunity to prepare these savory creations onsite with step-by-step instructions from the chef and recipes to take home with you. Chef Reale will also provide the mixology for the perfect Christmas cocktail as well as exquisite wine selections which will be available for your tasting enjoyment. We invite all enthusiasts to come eat, drink, and be merry at The Carolina Inn.
$45 Per Person
SOLD OUT
Suzuki Academy of North Carolina
December 11th, 2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Reservations Not Required.
Enjoy a holiday performance by academy students ranging in ages from 5 to 10 years old. Holiday classics will be performed by this talented string ensemble.
Complimentary
Teddy Bear Tea
December 22nd, 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
Adults will enjoy a traditional afternoon tea while children will nibble on peanut butter-and-jelly and ham- and-cheese sandwiches followed by teddy bear treats. Hot chocolate and marshmallows complete the perfect Teddy Bear Tea. Children can also look forward to a visit from Mr. Ted E. Bear and special story time with Mrs. Claus. Bring your favorite stuffed bear and delight in this Christmas treasure.
$35 Adults 13 and Up
$25 Children 4 to 12
Complimentary for Children 3 and Under
SOLD OUT
Lords A-Leaping Luncheon with Jones Angell
December 15th, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
Angell serves up his views on the upcoming Carolina Basketball season while The Carolina Inn serves up a festive lunch buffet. Go Heels!
$32 Per Person
SOLD OUT
Nine Ladies Tapping
December 16th, 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Reservations Not Required.
Join us for a lively presentation by Footnotes Tap Ensemble, a professional tap company based in Durham.
Complimentary
Children's Etiquette Luncheon
December 23rd, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
A five-course dining tutorial, taught by certified etiquette and protocol professional, Cecilia Budd Grimes. Children 8-12 will learn dining do's and don'ts. Each child will receive a certificate and The Little Book of Etiquette at the graduation ceremony following lunch. Sunday dress code applies; jackets for boys, ties not required.
$38 Per Child
SOLD OUT
Make Your Own Gingerbread House
December 23rd, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Limited Seating. Reservations Required.
Just in time for Christmas, The Carolina Inn is hosting a children's Gingerbread House Making Class. Join us for a cozy afternoon that begins with Storyteller Claire Ramsey and her tales of Christmas magic. Each child will then be able to assemble and decorate their very own Gingerbread House complete with an apron, chef's hat and all the holiday sweets and goodies that their imaginations can hold. At the end of class, each child will take home a completed Gingerbread House and accessories. Join us as we announce the winners of our 9th annual Gingerbread House contest.
$45 Per Child
SOLD OUT
Celebrate the holidays at Carolina Crossroads Restaurant with exceptional cuisine made by Executive Chef Jimmy Reale and his culinary team. Don't wait to reserve your table. Call 919.918.2735 or email crossroads@carolinainn.com for more information.
Christmas Eve Dinner
December 24th, 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Christmas Day Brunch
December 25th, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
We invite you to celebrate the holidays with us. Join Executive Chef Jimmy Reale and his culinary team for a sumptuous feast and finery of a traditional Christmas Day brunch. Don't wait to reserve your table.
$49.95 Adult 13 and Up
$44.95 Senior (60+)
$19.95 Children 7-12
Complimentary for Children 6 and Under
New Year's Eve Dinner
December 31st, 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Ring Inn the New Year
Celebrate the New Year in North Carolina at The Carolina Inn! This spectacular New Years Eve room offer includes a well-appointed room, late checkout, valet parking, four-course dinner, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and a welcome amenity.
Rates starting at $359.
Secure Your New Year's Eve Plans Today!
Romantic Resolution
Start the New Year off right by surprising your sweetheart with a romantic getaway at The Carolina Inn. The Romantic Resolution package includes a well-appointed room, late checkout, valet parking, chocolate covered strawberries, champagne and a welcome amenity.
Rates starting at $209.
Secure Your New Year's Eve Plans Today!