Experience the Magic of The Nutcracker with Cary Ballet Company This Holiday Season!

As the holiday season settles over Raleigh, the calendar fills up fast, and one tradition we put on the list every December is The Nutcracker, performed by the talented dancers of Cary Ballet Company. The Cary Ballet Nutcracker is popular enough that it plays two of Wake County’s best stages, the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater at the Martin Marietta Center in downtown Raleigh and the Cary Arts Center in downtown Cary.

Snowflakes and sweet treats, a little girl named Clara and a Nutcracker Prince, all in one afternoon. It’s one of the easiest ways to get the whole family into the holiday spirit.

When is the Cary Ballet Nutcracker in 2026?

Cary Ballet Company performs The Nutcracker on Saturday, December 5, 2026 at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater at the Martin Marietta Center in Raleigh (11am, 1:30pm and 5:30pm), then from Thursday, December 17 to Sunday, December 20 at the Cary Arts Center in Cary. The sensory-friendly Nutcracker Suite is Friday, December 18 at 11am at the Cary Arts Center. Raleigh tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and Cary tickets through Etix, as listed on Cary Ballet Company’s schedule as of October 2026.

Cary Ballet Nutcracker 2026 at a glance

• Raleigh: Saturday, December 5, A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater at the Martin Marietta Center, 2 E South St. Three shows.
• Cary: Thursday, December 17 to Sunday, December 20, Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave. Eight shows.
• Sensory-friendly show: Friday, December 18 at 11am, Cary Arts Center.
• Nutcracker Tea: Sunday, December 13 at 11:30am, presented with the Town of Cary.
• Diamond Reception: Saturday, December 5 at 4pm, opening night in Raleigh, $100 add-on.
• Tickets: $25 to $50. Ticketmaster for Raleigh, Etix for Cary.

2026 Cary Ballet Nutcracker dates, showtimes and tickets

Tickets for Cary Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker sell quickly, so book early if you have a date in mind. This year there are three performances at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater at the Martin Marietta Center and eight at the Cary Arts Center, and Cary Arts Center tickets went on sale October 9. Click a showtime below to buy tickets.

Cary Ballet Nutcracker at the Martin Marietta Center, Raleigh: Saturday, December 5, 2026

• Nutcracker Suite, 11am (one-hour narrated matinee, made for families)
• Traditional, full-length Nutcracker: 1:30pm and 5:30pm
• Diamond Reception, 4pm (opening night add-on, details below)

This is the fifth year Cary Ballet Company has brought The Nutcracker to the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater at the Martin Marietta Center. The Martin Marietta Center screens every guest and doesn’t allow bags larger than 12 x 12 x 10 inches, so leave the big tote in the car.

Cary Ballet Nutcracker at the Cary Arts Center, Cary: December 17 to 20, 2026

Nutcracker Suite (one hour, narrated)

• Thursday, December 17 at 6pm
• Friday, December 18 at 11am, the modified sensory-friendly show (sensory-friendly details)
• Saturday, December 19 at 11am

Traditional, full-length Nutcracker

• Friday, December 18 at 7pm
• Saturday, December 19 at 2pm and 7pm
• Sunday, December 20 at 1:30pm and 5:30pm

2026 is Cary Ballet Company’s 16th holiday season as the resident company at the Cary Arts Center, a title it has held since 2011.

Nutcracker Suite or full-length Nutcracker: which Cary Ballet show to book

The Nutcracker Suite is the one we’d point first-timers and little ones toward. It’s a narrated one-hour show that starts on a bare stage, so the audience watches the lights, music, props and dancers come together, and you see how dancers go from the studio to the theater. It plays at 11am at both venues, plus a Thursday evening show at the Cary Arts Center.

The traditional, full-length Nutcracker is the classic holiday ballet, with Clara traveling from her home to the Land of Sweets with her Nutcracker Prince, all set to the music everyone knows by the second bar. Book this one for older kids, date nights and anyone who already loves ballet.

Sensory-friendly Nutcracker in Cary: Friday, December 18

One of the best parts of Cary Ballet Company’s season is the sensory-friendly Nutcracker Suite on Friday, December 18 at 11am at the Cary Arts Center. It’s built for families looking for a gentler theater experience, and the changes are specific:

• House lights stay dimly lit
• Volume is reduced for the whole show
• No flashing lights
• Audience members are free to move around during the show
• A quiet room is available in the lobby

I love how Cary Ballet Company is intentional about bringing holiday joy to everyone in the Triangle community. Both venues publish accessibility details too, for the Martin Marietta Center and the Cary Arts Center. If you’re looking for more ideas for the kids this season, our guide to things to do in Raleigh with kids is a good place to start.

Sprinkle extra holiday magic with Cary Ballet’s Nutcracker VIP upgrades

Want to make your Nutcracker outing a little more special? Cary Ballet Company has three add-ons this year, and they all raise money for the nonprofit company’s 2026-2027 season.

1. Diamond Reception at the Martin Marietta Center, Saturday, December 5

The Diamond Reception is the opening night party, at 4pm in the Lounge upstairs at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater. It’s $100 on top of your show ticket and includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a chance to take photos with some of the dancers and to meet the artistic team. It sits neatly between the 1:30pm and 5:30pm shows.

2. Nutcracker Tea with the Town of Cary, Sunday, December 13

The Nutcracker Tea is at 11:30am on Sunday, December 13, presented by Cary Ballet Company and the Town of Cary. In 2025 it was a cozy morning at the Gathering House in Downtown Cary Park, with a reading from The Nutcracker, tea, hot chocolate and festive cupcakes from Market 317, plus a meet-and-greet photo with costumed Cary Ballet Company dancers. Tickets are limited and sold through Etix, and they don’t include tickets to a Nutcracker performance.

3. Nutcracker Suite VIP photo op

After the Nutcracker Suite, you can meet the Sugar Plum Fairy, her Prince and Clara in Principal’s Hall in the lobby. It’s the perfect moment to snap that holiday photo, and kids get a sweet treat and a signed flyer as a keepsake. Tickets are $10 per guest, and parents with their child don’t need a ticket. A little extra holiday magic while giving back? Yes, please.

Cary Ballet vs Carolina Ballet: which Nutcracker in Raleigh?

Raleigh has two big Nutcrackers in December. Cary Ballet Company’s Nutcracker is the community production, with local young dancers in the cast. It’s warmer and easier on the wallet, and if you know a child in it, it’s the one you’re going to anyway. Carolina Ballet’s The Nutcracker is the big professional production, with illusions by magician Rick Thomas, and it plays 20 performances at the Martin Marietta Center from December 10 to 24, 2026.

Both are in our guide to Christmas events in Raleigh and on our list of the best events in Raleigh in December.

Cary Ballet Company’s Nutcracker, a Triangle holiday tradition since 1998

Cary Ballet Company has been bringing classical and contemporary ballet to the Triangle since 1998, when its very first show was an in-studio evening of Nutcracker excerpts called Visions of Sugarplums. It has grown into one of the leading youth ballet companies in the area, known for the technical skill and artistic passion of its dancers.

The company’s mission is to share ballet through inspiring performances and community engagement that nurtures the next generation of artists. The Nutcracker grew right along with it, to seven performances at the Cary Arts Center in 2015 and to downtown Raleigh in 2022.

When the company marked 15 years as the resident ballet company at the Cary Arts Center, Associate Artistic Director Heather Iler told us:

“Having joined the Cary Ballet Company in its second year of residency at the Cary Arts Center, I have witnessed firsthand the growth and expansion of both our organizations. By creating a community for and support of the arts, CAC has facilitated so many wonderful memories and created numerous opportunities for our organization. It’s a joy to share this milestone with the community that has supported us from their very beginning”. 

2026 Nutcracker by the Cary Ballet Company

This year, the beloved holiday tradition of The Nutcracker will return to the AJ Fletcher Opera Theater at the Martin Marietta Center for the fifth year running and the Cary Arts Center for its sixteenth year, offering an unforgettable experience.

Cary Ballet Company always finds fresh ways to delight us, and this year is no exception. Cary Ballet Company strives to provide an atmosphere where all performances and facilities are accessible to all of the ballet’s patrons.

One of the highlights of this season’s Nutcracker is the Sensory-Friendly Performance on Friday, December 18 at 11 AM at the Cary Arts Center. This special show is tailored for families seeking a gentler theater experience, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the holiday magic. I love how they are intentional in bringing Holiday joy to all members of the Triangle community.

At each venue there will also be a Nutcracker Suite version at 11am, which is an excellent introduction for kids of all ages. This narrated one-hour show begins with a bare stage, allowing the audience to watch how the stage is set with lights, music, props, and dancers — how dancers go from the studio to the theater.

About Cary Ballet Company

Cary Ballet Company has spent more than 25 years building a reputation for dance in the Triangle, presenting classical ballets alongside contemporary premieres. Recent seasons have included Alice in Wonderland, Balanchine’s Who Cares? staged by Jenifer Ringer, and Peter Pan, which we wrote about in our look at Cary Ballet Company’s Spring Works. The company also runs outreach aimed at underserved students and residents in the community.

A fun fact about Cary Ballet Company’s dancers

There are over 130 youth dancers, and 17 of them moved to Cary, NC to train with Cary Ballet Conservatory and perform with the nonprofit company. Those dancers come from nine different states, and one from South America.

Cary Ballet alumni dance across the country, with companies from San Antonio Ballet and Richmond Ballet to Miami City Ballet, and internationally with Stuttgart Ballet in Germany and at schools like The Royal Ballet in London. Plenty of alumni went on to college and now work in medicine, accounting, law and arts administration.

About Mariaelena Ruiz, Artistic Director

Mariaelena Ruiz has led Cary Ballet Company as artistic director since 2015. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, she was trained and coached by Nina Novak, prima ballerina of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and at 14 became the youngest member of Ballet Nacional de Caracas. She later earned a full scholarship to the School of American Ballet and danced with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet from 2000 to 2006.

On the competition stage she won the Best Couple award and third place in the senior division at the Varna International Ballet Competition, and a prize at the Prix Volinine in Paris. She has trained young dancers at The Rock School for Dance Education and at Cary Ballet Conservatory, where she created the Professional Training Program, and she was named Outstanding Teacher at the 2019 Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York.

Under Mariaelena’s direction, Cary Ballet Company’s full-length Nutcracker has sold out and become a holiday tradition, and its annual Spring Works pairs the company with sought-after choreographers on original pieces.

Heather Iler, Associate Artistic Director

Heather Iler is the backbone of Cary Ballet Company for planning, rehearsals, casting and so much more. She trained at Toledo Ballet, the School of American Ballet and The School of Classical Ballet, and danced with Miami City Ballet after Edward Villella invited her to join. (She also holds a master’s degree in biology, a fun detail for any science-minded dancers in your house.)

Heather joined the Cary Ballet Conservatory faculty in 2011, led the Aspiring Dancer Program and helped build the Professional Training Program. She was appointed associate artistic director of Cary Ballet Company in 2014, and since then the company has expanded its repertoire with classics like Coppélia and Swan Lake and new programs like Plié All Day, always with an eye on making ballet open to students of every background and skill level.

Make a day of the Nutcracker in downtown Cary or Raleigh

The Cary Arts Center is a short walk from Downtown Cary Park, so it’s easy to turn a matinee into a full day. Our list of restaurants in downtown Cary covers lunch before the Suite or dinner after the evening show, and the NC Chinese Lantern Festival at Koka Booth Amphitheatre runs nightly in Cary through January 10, 2027 (closed Christmas Day).

In Raleigh, the December 5 shows land on a big holiday market weekend, so pair your Nutcracker with a stop from our Christmas markets in Raleigh guide or a drink at one of the festive Christmas pop-up bars in Raleigh.

More Raleigh holiday guides

• Christmas events in Raleigh
• Best events in Raleigh in December
• Christmas light displays in Raleigh
• Where to see Santa in Raleigh and the Triangle
• The best theatres in Raleigh