The guest room is made up. The fridge is full. And somewhere around the second cup of coffee on day two, someone asks the question every host braces for: so, what is there to do around here?

In Mooresville, the honest answer is more than you'll have time for. Here's our guide to the holiday stretch, built for the days when the house is full and everyone needs a little air.

Before they arrive: Stock up like a Local

Josh's Farmers Market has been part of Mooresville since 1990, and it recently moved from its roadside roots into a permanent home at 142 Joe Knox Avenue. Seasonal produce now shares the space with baked goods, meats, seafood and cheeses, which makes it one stop for most of a holiday table.

The weekend before Thanksgiving: Art on Main

Arts on Main fills downtown the weekend of November 20. Mooresville Arts opens its holiday exhibits with a ticketed First Look reception on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at 103 West Center Avenue.

Then the Mooresville Fine Arts Festival takes over the Charles Mack Citizen Center: Saturday, November 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, November 22, from noon to 4 p.m. It's free, with up to 70 juried artists showing pottery, painting, photography, jewelry and woodwork. Consider it a head start on the gift list.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving: The Parade

The 82nd annual Mooresville Christmas Parade comes down Main Street on Tuesday, November 24. First responders lead off at 3 p.m., and the rest of the procession follows around 3:30, with floats, marching bands, the Grinch and Santa. It's free.

Two tips from the locals: Come early, because some people set out chairs along the route the night before. Pick a side: organizers invite Grinch fans to wear green and Santa fans to wear red.

The day after: Shop Small

Skip the mall. Plaid Friday on November 27 starts with a downtown Sip & Shop from 10 a.m. to noon, and Small Business Saturday on November 28 runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with participating shops offering seasonal specials and open houses.

Make a walk of it. D.E. Turner Hardware has stood in the same spot for more than a century, and the North Carolina Auto Racing Walk of Fame is set right into the Main Street sidewalk, one plaque per legend.

When everyone needs to get out of the house

• Mazeppa Park has six miles of mountain bike trail, for the guest who needs to work off the pie.
• Team Penske has an elevated fan walk that looks into its working race shop. Check visitor hours before you go.
• Mooresville Arts, in the historic depot, and the Mooresville Museum make an easy afternoon downtown.

The reservation worth making

Deepwell opened in a historic building at 185 North Main Street. It's a modern steakhouse with New Orleans influences from Joe and Katy Kindred and chef Craig Deihl, and the right answer when someone says "let's not cook tonight."

If your guests stay into December

• Fridays, Dec 4 and Dec 18, 6–8 p.m.: Mistletoe Sip & Shop. Downtown shops stay open late, with a strolling barbershop quartet.
• Thursday, Dec 10, 7 p.m.: the Lake Norman Philharmonic's annual holiday concert.
• Friday, Dec 11, 4:30–9:30 p.m.: A Classic Christmas. Downtown brings out ice skating, horse-drawn wagon rides, a carousel, train rides and carolers.
• Friday and Saturday, Dec 18–19: the LKN Holiday MEGA Market, free and indoors at the Charles Mack Citizen Center.
• Monday, Dec 21: the Lake Norman Big Band at Wobbly Butt Brewery at New Victory Lanes. Dinner at 6, music at 7.

Plans change, so check the Visit Mooresville events calendar before you head out.

Coming home to it

The best part of a good day out is the drive home. At ABODE at Reid's Cove, home is near Lake Norman and close to I-77, in three- and four-bedroom townhomes with room for a full table and a guest who stays one more night.

If next year is your year to host, we'd love to show you around. Book a tour at ABODE at Reid's Cove, and check the community's holiday office hours before you visit.