The Nutcracker in Raleigh 2026: Carolina Ballet dates, times

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Dates and times come from Carolina Ballet and the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.

Carolina Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” runs Thursday, Dec. 10, to Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026, at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St. Tickets are on sale now. The ballet uses Zalman Raffael’s choreography, and Tchaikovsky’s score is played live.

Before you go

• Box office: Martin Marietta Center, 919-996-8700, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays
• Online tickets: Ticketmaster, through the venue’s show page
• Doors: open 60 minutes before each show
• Parking: decks along Wilmington Street; the lots in front of the building have closed

Every performance

From Carolina Ballet’s show page and the venue’s event page:

There are no shows on Mondays, Dec. 14 and 21, and weekday 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 18, 22 and 23.

Tickets and prices. Both the ballet and the venue sell through Ticketmaster and say only to pick a date to see what is left; neither posts a price range on the show page.

Youth and community Nutcrackers

Two other companies dance the ballet at the same complex, in the smaller Fletcher Opera Theater, according to the Martin Marietta Center:

• Carolina Youth Ballet, 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, and noon and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 (event page).
• Cary Ballet Company, 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5 (event page).

Parking and getting there

The Martin Marietta Center asks guests to park in the decks along Wilmington Street and to arrive early. The two surface lots in front of the building have closed permanently for the construction of the new Omni Raleigh Hotel. A drop-off lane on Lichtin Plaza is for active drop-off and pick-up only; enter from South Street on the west side of the building, with right turns only in and out. Ride-share drop-off is on Wilmington Street, a short walk away. Details: the venue’s directions and parking page and our downtown parking guide.

Check our road closures page before you drive in.

What this means for you

• Twenty shows over two weeks, including three weekday matinees.
• Allow time to park: the closest lots are gone, so plan on a deck on Wilmington Street.
• Younger dancers? The youth Nutcrackers on Nov. 13-14 and Dec. 5 are earlier in the season.

More for the season: holiday lights and Christmas events, Pullen Park Holiday Express and the arts and exhibitions page.

Frequently asked questions

When is Carolina Ballet’s Nutcracker in 2026?

Thursday, Dec. 10, through Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026, at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, 2 E. South St. There are 20 performances, with evening shows at 7 p.m. and matinees at 1, 2 or 5 p.m.; the last is at noon on Christmas Eve.

Are Nutcracker tickets on sale?

Yes. The Martin Marietta Center lists the run as on sale now through Ticketmaster, and the box office sells in person 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays. Neither Carolina Ballet nor the venue posts a price range on the show page.

Does Carolina Ballet’s Nutcracker have a live orchestra?

Yes. Carolina Ballet says Tchaikovsky’s score is performed live. The choreography is by Zalman Raffael.

Are there other Nutcrackers in Raleigh?

Carolina Youth Ballet dances The Nutcracker at Fletcher Opera Theater on Nov. 13-14, and Cary Ballet Company performs it there three times on Saturday, Dec. 5, according to the Martin Marietta Center.

Where do I park for the Nutcracker?

The two lots in front of the Martin Marietta Center have closed for good because of the Omni hotel construction. The venue asks guests to use the parking decks along Wilmington Street and has a drop-off lane on Lichtin Plaza, reached from South Street with right turns only.