Summary
Visitors to North Carolina may not want to miss local holiday traditions such as a walk around the Uptown Charlotte area, where larger-than-life Christmas decorations, lights, and ornaments add a festive vibe throughout December. The Leonard Bearstein Symphony Orchestra, or Bearstein Bears as locals know it, has been entertaining holiday revelers at Founders Hall from the last week of November through the end of December each year since the late 1990s.
The Symphony Orchestra Holiday Performance
The beloved animatronic bears perform Christmas classics during 45-minute sets that repeat hourly on most days, although they do take a break on Christmas Day. A stunning landscape filled with lighted Christmas trees, a gift-filled sleigh, and snow surrounds the 17-bear ensemble. This ensemble includes three vocalists, two cellists, several violinists, a bassist, a saxophone player, percussionists, a drummer, and a trumpet player. The life-size robotic bears, dressed in tuxedos and cocktail gowns, follow the lead of Maestro Leonard Bearstein, who addresses the audience at the beginning of each set.
In Honor of Leonard Bernstein
The name Leonard Bearstein cleverly plays on the identity of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra’s legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein. Many other bear puns enhance the humor in the show, so be attentive or you might miss a few amusing moments.
Visitors can expect to hear charming classics such as “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Jingle Bells,” “Feliz Navidad,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” and more. However, the bears don’t take requests, so you won’t have the opportunity to ask for your favorite tune spontaneously. Regardless of whether you’re Uptown for a show, passing through Founders Hall on your lunch break, or enjoying a special Christmas visit, it’s worthwhile to take the time to drop in and hear these bears perform.
Even if the bears aren’t performing when you arrive, it remains a delightful spot for family photos. Additionally, you can obtain a complete concert recording on a CD available at retail locations throughout Founders Hall.
Location
Founders Hall is hard to miss, located in the prominent 60-story building in the heart of Charlotte’s city center at 100 N. Tryon St. (at the corner of Trade Street). Conveniently situated in an area dotted with hotels and restaurants, it is within walking distance of the Spectrum Center, home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, and shares the block with the Blumenthal Performing Center. Founders Hall is home to various retailers, businesses, and restaurants, meaning that catching a performance of the Bears isn’t necessarily a standalone trip.
Dates and Hours
The Bearstein Bears perform from late November through late December, seven days a week. Occasionally, a regularly-scheduled performance may be canceled due to a special event in the hall. Signs typically notify patrons when there is no show slated for a certain timeframe. Notably, the bears do not perform on Christmas Day, when Founders Hall closes to the public.
