Every home town has its annual traditions. Where I grew up, we had Santa Claus visiting the neighborhoods on the county fire trucks on Thanksgiving night. Across the country there are fond memories of taking part in tree lightings, Independence Day parades and barbecues. Cabarrus County of course is no different when it comes to these traditional type of traditions. It’s the non-traditional type of traditions coming up this holiday season that make Cabarrus County special.
The first non-traditional tradition that comes to mind holds a place near and dear to my heart…the annual opening of Concord Mills at midnight on the day after Thanksgiving. If you haven’t shopped among the crowd to the sound of holiday music at an hour most are usually snoring through their turkey induced sleep, you are missing out. The 200 plus stores housed in the 1.4 million square foot mall take on a celebratory mood usually found at most Independence Day parades. Combine that with a sale and it’s a tradition you’ll want to start!
The shopping traditions don’t end when the sun comes up on Black Friday. (The day after Thanksgiving for those non-shoppers.) At 8 am on Friday another 16 year old non-traditional tradition begins – the annual souvenir and ticket blowout at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. It’s not just the bargains (T-shirts for as little as $3 a piece and other souvenirs can be found for just $1!), it’s the gift with purchase that can’t be beat. Any race fan who spends $50 or more and has the stomach for it, can take their own personal vehicle for three laps around the 1.5 mile speedway. (Concord Mills by comparison is a one-mile oval, though I doubt taking your personal vehicle for a lap around the mall would go over very well with the mall manager.)
If you are a fan of Cabarrus County’s Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, or Tony Stewart, you’ll want to shop their souvenir trailers during the LMS Souvenir Blowout. More than two dozen drivers’ will have their trailers there full of holiday gifts at great prices.
Speaking of Lowe’s Motor Speedway another non-traditional tradition is the annual running of the Coca-Cola 600. Every Memorial Day weekend the roar of the NASCAR engines come to life at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Next year this tradition celebrates a very important mile stone – its 50th birthday. NASCAR fans will have the opportunity to witness history on the Sunday before Memorial Day 2009 when the cars take the track.
I’m thinking of starting my own tradition the day after Thanksgiving this year. If you haven’t visited the new Embassy Suites on Bruton Smith Boulevard, this beautiful hotel is the home of Spa Botanica. I think a few spa treatments would make a nice tradition. While my husband is revving the engine of our SVU and preparing to take the checkered flag from his three laps around Lowe’s Motor Speedway, his $50 receipt in his pocket, I may be making the very difficult decision of French pedicure first or hot stone massage.
