Troutman's Holiday Calendar Comes With a Donation List

Troutman's holiday season runs from Friday, November 13, through Sunday, December 13, and nearly every event on it asks for something to carry in. The Christmas Parade asks entrants for a new, unwrapped toy instead of an entry fee. The Thanksgiving 5K asks runners for nonperishable food. The December 5K asks for a new toy or a personal-care item for My Sister's House. The largest weekend of the season raises money for a food program, two schools and a high school team.

Most of that giving goes through one organization. The Troutman Ruritan Club is a 501(c)(3) charity, and it is behind three of the season's anchors: the Christmas Community Weekend, the new Gobbler Run on Thanksgiving morning, and the cookies and hot chocolate at the Town's Lighting of the Town. If you know what each event collects and when, the whole month is easier to plan, starting with a deadline on Saturday, October 31.

The Weekend at South Iredell High Funds Four Causes at Once

The Troutman Ruritan Club's Christmas Community Weekend opens the season at South Iredell High School across two days.

Friday, November 13, is "Come Let Us Adore Him," a community gospel celebration in the SIHS Performing Arts Center from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are sold through an Eventbrite link on the club's site.

Saturday, November 14, the event moves to the SIHS gym for the Festival of Trees & Christmas Market from 2 to 7 p.m. The club lists 32 curated vendors, Santa's Workshop, photos with Santa, and food and drink for sale.

The trees are the fundraiser. Thirty themed Christmas trees, each loaded with gifts, are raffle prizes, and the club says tickets are available early from Ruritan members or through the contact listed on its website. Waiting until you are standing in the gym may mean fewer tickets to choose from than the people who bought in October.

According to the club, proceeds from both nights go to four places:

• Food For Days, an organization in Mooresville
• Third Creek Middle School in Statesville
• South Iredell High School scholarships
• The SIHS Girls Basketball Team

So the weekend raises money for nearby schools, a food program and a team from the building that hosts it. Buying a raffle ticket is how you take part in that.

Thanksgiving Morning Is New This Year

The Ruritan Club is adding a date to the calendar. The first annual Troutman Gobbler Run 5K starts at 8 a.m. on Thursday, November 26, at Troutman ESC Park, 338 North Avenue.

On its website, the club describes the race this way:

"This new community tradition invites runners and walkers of all ages to kick off their holiday with a healthy, festive 5K through Troutman."

Registration is through RunSignup and costs $35, plus a $3.10 online sign-up fee. Same-day online registration stays open until just before the start. Runners have to register by Saturday, October 31, to be guaranteed a T-shirt. Registrants also get swag bags, and medals go to the top three men and women in each age category.

The race also collects food. The club asks participants to bring nonperishable food to a collection area at the race, which will stock the community Blessing Box at Troutman Town Hall.

Sources describe the cash beneficiaries differently. The Ruritan site says event proceeds go back into Troutman to cover school technology fees for students who cannot afford them. The RunSignup page lists that cause alongside scholarships, family assistance, domestic-violence support and elder assistance. In August, Iredell Free News also listed Christmas gifts for underprivileged children and for residents of a women's shelter.

The start is at 8 a.m., which leaves time to finish the race and get home before the turkey needs much attention.

December Moves to Town Hall, and the Donations Follow

After Thanksgiving, the Town of Troutman takes over most of the calendar, and the requests keep coming. Each December event has its own ask, so this table lays out the whole season with what to bring:

The Lighting of the Town on Tuesday, December 1, will have local performances and visits from Santa and Ms. Claus. The Ruritan Club is providing cookies and hot chocolate, which keeps the club involved after its own events are over.

The Christmas Parade steps off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 5. It follows Old Murdock Road to Eastway Drive and ends at Troutman Baptist Church. Groups entering a float or walking unit pay with a Toys for Tots donation, not an entry fee.

The Drive Thru Live Nativity runs three evenings, December 10 through 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Iredell County Fairgrounds. For details, the Town's notice links to Troutman Baptist Church and to a Facebook page for the Nativity. Because it is a drive-through, it fits weeknights when a full outing is hard to manage.

The season ends with the Jingle Run on Sunday, December 13, at 3 p.m., starting from Town Hall. The Town asks participants to donate a new toy or personal-care item to My Sister's House. On RunSignup, the race costs $30. Online registration closes at 2:50 p.m. on race day, and registering by November 24 guarantees your T-shirt size.

The two 5Ks bracket the season. The Gobbler Run collects food on November 26, the Jingle Run collects toys and personal-care items on December 13, and nearly everything in between asks for something too.

A Shopping List That Covers the Season

Because each event collects something different, one stop before Thanksgiving covers everything. Here is what to have on hand in the order you will need it:

1. By October 31: Gobbler Run registration, if you want a guaranteed T-shirt.
2. Before November 14: Festival of Trees raffle tickets from a Ruritan member.
3. November 26: Nonperishable food for the Blessing Box.
4. By November 24: Jingle Run registration, for a guaranteed shirt size.
5. December 5: A new, unwrapped toy, if your group is entering the parade.
6. December 13: A new toy or personal-care item for My Sister's House.

Where Wagner Street Fits Between Events

Wagner Street Bistro sits at 149 Wagner Street, and its schedule lines up with two of the Town's December dates. Its online ordering page lists hours of 11 a.m. to 7:45 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. So it is open the evening of the Tuesday Lighting of the Town and opens right at 11 a.m. as the Saturday parade gets underway.

Iredell Free News covered the bistro's ribbon cutting in March 2026. It reported that owners Shane and Shaunna Dooley cook a New York Italian menu from scratch every day and bring in crusty breads from New Jersey each week. Cannoli are made in-house. The paper reported the restaurant opened in December, and the dining room is decorated with historical Troutman photographs, a good fit for a parade morning. The Dooleys post daily specials on Facebook and Instagram, according to the same report.

The same article covered Troutman Provisions Company at 145 Wagner Street. It described the shop as selling local meat, produce, bakery items and gifts, and it is owned by Patrick and Sara Bannon, who also own Bottles and Taps at the Old Pharmacy across the street. The shop posts new arrivals on Facebook, so check there for current hours before planning a stop.

I have lived in this part of Lake Norman since 2008, and the stretch from the Festival of Trees to the Jingle Run is a good look at how Troutman takes care of its own. If you are new to town, or are thinking about what this community is like before a move, Rachel Mangiapane is glad to talk through Troutman and its neighbors over coffee, or even in line for hot chocolate on December 1. Let's Connect.