Live at the Lake: Your Weekend Guide for December 11-13, 2026

Harp and Crown LKN, 7 to 9:30 PM: What the Funk Open Jam

Harp and Crown LKN at 19930 W Catawba Avenue hosts its weekly What the Funk open jam on Monday evening, amps and drums provided. A rotating house band backs up local players who step on stage, and the elevated gastropub's kitchen runs through the night. It is the friendliest way to hear live music on a Monday around the lake.

Lost Worlds Brewing, 7 PM: Music Bingo

Lost Worlds Brewing at 19700-D One Norman Boulevard in Old Town Cornelius runs free Music Bingo every Tuesday at 7 PM, a low-key sing-along quiz on the brewery patio with the kitchen open through the evening. The holiday lights in Old Town make the short walk after a round well worth it.

Bin 110, 9 PM to Midnight: Karaoke Night

Bin 110 on One Norman Drive runs its weekly Karaoke Night on Wednesdays from 9 PM to midnight, hosted by Seabrooks Entertainment in the Old Town wine-and-spirits lounge. A midweek crowd favorite with no cover.

Mooresville Performing Arts Center, 7:30 PM: Peter Mayer's Stars & Promises Christmas Tour

The annual holiday tour from the singer-songwriter best known as the guitarist in Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band plays the Mooresville Performing Arts Center Wednesday at 7:30 PM. It is a warm, acoustic-style Christmas show that has become a North Carolina holiday tradition, a little over half an hour up I-77 from Cornelius.

Charles Mack Citizen Center, 7 PM: Lake Norman Philharmonic Annual Holiday Concert

The Lake Norman Philharmonic's Annual Holiday Concert takes the stage Thursday at 7 PM at the Charles Mack Citizen Center at 215 N Main Street in Mooresville. Admission is free, and it is one of the area's best-loved holiday traditions, a full orchestra playing seasonal favorites for a packed house. Arrive early for parking.

Cain Center for the Arts: White Christmas, Matinee and Evening

The Cain Center for the Arts on Catawba Avenue presents White Christmas Thursday with a matinee and an evening performance. The Irving Berlin musical is the centerpiece of the Cain Center's December calendar, a big-ensemble holiday favorite in the intimate 401-seat theater. Book ahead through cainarts.org.

BoatYard LKN, 7 to 9 PM: Music Bingo

The BoatYard Lake Norman at 18418 Statesville Road runs free, all-ages Music Bingo on most Thursday nights from 7 to 9 PM on the lakeside deck, a warm-drink sing-along before the weekend's headline tribute shows.

BoatYard LKN, 8 PM: Kids In America, an 80s Tribute

The BoatYard Lake Norman hosts Kids In America, an 80s tribute band, Friday at 8 PM on the lakeside stage. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door, and the show is 21 and up. The venue's patio heaters run through the season, so the deck stays comfortable even on a cold December night.

Cornelius Presbyterian Church: A Festive Holiday Candlelight Experience

Friday brings the Festive Holiday Candlelight Experience, a holiday string-trio concert at Cornelius Presbyterian Church, with four sittings through the afternoon and evening at 2 to 3 PM, 4 to 5 PM, 6 to 7 PM, and 8 to 9 PM. It is produced and ticketed by Lumos Experiences, so reserve your sitting ahead through the event page, and arrive a little early to be seated by candlelight.

Cain Center for the Arts, 7:30 PM: White Christmas

The holiday musical's Friday performance runs at 7:30 PM at the Cain Center. Pair the show with the Lost Worlds Brewing patio in Old Town for a full Cornelius evening.

Old Town Cornelius, evening: The Friday Rotation

Friday evening is a reliable night across Old Town: live sets at Bin 110 on One Norman Drive, acoustic evenings at Harp and Crown, and music later in the night at Rudder & Rose on West Catawba Avenue. The Lake Norman Social District lets you stroll between them with a drink in hand until 10 PM.

BoatYard LKN, 8 PM: Gump Fiction

Saturday night at the BoatYard Lake Norman brings Gump Fiction, the live tribute act that mixes an eclectic set of rock and pop covers, at 8 PM. Tickets are $10 in advance, and the show is 21 and up. It is a lively close to a full day around the lake.

Mooresville / Lake Norman area: Nutcracker Ballet & Holiday Benefit

Saturday also brings the Nutcracker Ballet & Holiday Benefit in the Mooresville and Lake Norman area, a family-friendly holiday classic with a charitable angle. Venue and showtimes are listed on the Visit Mooresville events calendar, so check there before you go, and consider it a festive alternative to an evening concert for the whole family.

Cain Center for the Arts, 7:30 PM: White Christmas

Saturday's 7:30 PM performance keeps the holiday run going through the weekend. The Cain Center's December calendar continues beyond this weekend with additional shows, a comedy night, and a holiday soiree later in the month.

Birkdale Village, daily: Birkdale on Ice

The outdoor rink at Birkdale Village (8712 Lindholm Drive, Huntersville) runs daily through January 11 with reservations required. Pair an afternoon skate with the village restaurant patios and holiday lights; it is an easy all-ages stop for a December Saturday.

Cain Center for the Arts, 3 PM: White Christmas Matinee

Sunday afternoon's 3 PM matinee of White Christmas is the family-friendly way to catch the show, and it tends to sell out earliest. Book through cainarts.org and make an afternoon of Old Town Cornelius before or after.

The Sunday Rotation, Old Town Cornelius

Sunday around the lake is for slowing down. Lost Worlds Brewing on One Norman Boulevard hosts acoustic sets on the patio, Harp and Crown keeps its kitchen and light music going, and Rudder & Rose stays live on the Cornelius waterfront in the evening. Note that the BoatYard is closed Sundays and Bin 110 rests on Sunday and Monday before its midweek karaoke returns.