South Carolina events › Christmas in South Carolina › Christmas Lights in South Carolina 2026
South Carolina’s 2026 holiday light season runs from mid-November into January. We list 32 checked light shows, tree lightings and candlelit nights in 23 towns across 5 regions, from Charleston’s Holiday Festival of Lights to Riverbanks Zoo’s Wild Lights and Brookgreen’s Nights of a Thousand Candles. Where an organizer publishes no price, the table says “See event site”.
At A Glance
| Events listed | 32 |
|---|---|
| Towns | 23 |
| Regions | 5 of 5 |
| Dates | Nov 11, 2026 to Mar 19, 2027 |
| Free to attend | 5 |
Upstate (5)
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson County Tree Lighting with Olivia Pellerin ice skating performance | Fri, Dec 4 (Tree lighting 6:00 PM; skating performance 7:30 PM) | Anderson · Upstate | Free |
| Greer Christmas Tree Lighting | Fri, Dec 4 (5 PM – 8 PM) | Greer · Upstate | See event site |
| Night of Lights and city Christmas tree lighting (Greenville) | Fri, Dec 4 (5:30-7:30pm; official tree lighting 6-6:15pm) | Greenville · Upstate | Free event |
| Easley Christmas Parade of Lights | Sat, Dec 12 (6:00 PM) | Easley · Upstate | See event site |
| Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights | Fri, Mar 19 (8:00pm) | Greenville · Upstate | From $49.50 |
Midlands (7)
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Very Berry Christmas (Community Christmas Tree Lighting, North Pole Nights) | Nov 20-Dec 18 | Newberry · Midlands | See event site |
| Fireflies Holiday Lights (Segra Park) | Nov 20-Jan 3, 2027 | Columbia · Midlands | General admission per person: November nights $10, December and January nights $12; more prices on the event page |
| Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Our guide | Nov 20-Jan 10, 2027 (Select nights 5-9pm; Santa visits through Dec 23) | Columbia · Midlands | See event site |
| 38th Annual Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting (Aiken) | Thu, Dec 3 (6:00 PM to 7:30 PM) | Aiken · Midlands | Free |
| ChristmasVille in Old Town Rock Hill | Dec 3-6 | Rock Hill · Midlands | See event site |
| Fort Mill Christmas Village and Tree Lighting | Thu, Dec 3 (5:00 PM to 8:00 PM; tree lighting at 6:00 PM) | Fort Mill · Midlands | See event site |
| Snowball Festival (craft fair, tree lighting, carnival, Christmas parade) | Dec 3-6 | Lexington · Midlands | See event site |
Lowcountry (9)
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday Festival of Lights Fun Run & Walk | Wed, Nov 11 (6:45-8:45 PM) | Charleston · Lowcountry | $38 per standard vehicle (max 15 people) |
| Holiday Festival of Lights Our guide | Nov 13-Dec 31 (Nightly 5:30-10pm) | Charleston · Lowcountry | Per VEHICLE (up to 15 people), online/gate: GREEN night $15/$25 (24 nights: Nov 13-20, 22-25, 29-30; more prices on the event page |
| Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade | Sat, Nov 14 (Line-up 5:00 PM; step-off 5:45 PM) | Hilton Head Island · Lowcountry | See event site |
| Harbour Town Lights and Christmas Tree Lighting (Sea Pines) | Nov 27-Jan 1, 2027 (All day; tree lighting 7:30 PM on Nov 27) | Hilton Head Island · Lowcountry | See event site |
| Port Royal Christmas Tree Lighting | Wed, Dec 2 (6:00 PM) | Port Royal · Lowcountry | See event site |
| Bluffton Christmas Tree Lighting, Santa's Workshop and Movie | Fri, Dec 4 (5:30 PM) | Bluffton · Lowcountry | See event site |
| North Charleston Christmas Tree Lighting | Fri, Dec 4 (6:00-7:00 PM) | North Charleston · Lowcountry | See event site |
| Christmas on the Square (decorated trees) | Dec 5-19 (All day) | Summerville · Lowcountry | See event site |
| Isle of Palms Holiday Street Festival and Tree Lighting | Sat, Dec 5 (2:00 PM to 7:00 PM; tree lighting at 5:30 PM) | Isle of Palms · Lowcountry | See event site |
Pee Dee (2)
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nights of a Thousand Candles at Brookgreen Gardens Our guide | Nov 27-Jan 3, 2027 | Murrells Inlet · Pee Dee | Non-members $40 adult, $20 child 4-12; members $35 adult, $15 child 4-12 |
| Fantasy of Lights and Santa's Village at Swan Lake Iris Gardens | Dec 1-31 | Sumter · Pee Dee | Free |
Grand Strand (9)
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tree Lighting Fireworks Extravaganza at Broadway at the Beach | Sat, Nov 14 (8pm) | Myrtle Beach · Grand Strand | See event site |
| Dashing Through The Glow (2-mile family walk/run) | Nov 20-21 | North Myrtle Beach · Grand Strand | See event site |
| The Great Christmas Light Show (drive-through) Our guide | Nov 23-Dec 30 | North Myrtle Beach · Grand Strand | Per vehicle, gate only: $25 standard vehicle on Village nights; more prices on the event page |
| Wonderland of Lights on the MarshWalk | Nov 27-Dec 31 (Starts at 5:00 PM) | Murrells Inlet · Grand Strand | See event site |
| North Myrtle Beach Christmas Tree Lighting | Tue, Dec 1 (6pm) | North Myrtle Beach · Grand Strand | Free event for all |
| City of Conway Christmas Tree Lighting | Thu, Dec 3 (6:00 PM to 6:30 PM) | Conway · Grand Strand | See event site |
| Surfside Beach Annual Christmas Tree Lighting | Thu, Dec 3 (4:00 PM – 8:00 PM) | Surfside Beach · Grand Strand | See event site |
| Surfside Beach Christmas Tour of Homes | Sun, Dec 6 (4:00 PM – 7:00 PM) | Surfside Beach · Grand Strand | See event site |
| Trolley of Christmas Lights (Surfside Beach) | Thu, Dec 17 (5:30 PM – 9:00 PM) | Surfside Beach · Grand Strand | See event site |
What We Could Not Confirm
We looked for these and could not confirm a 2026 date on an official page, so they are not listed. We re-check every week.
- Governor’s Carolighting (Columbia), and tree lightings in Florence, Easley, Camden, Charleston, Spartanburg, Anderson, Greenwood, Sumter, Orangeburg, Beaufort, Hilton Head, Lancaster, Hartsville, Summerville and Mount Pleasant: no 2026 date on an official page yet.
- Roper Mountain Holiday Lights (Greenville): the organizer says the event ended in 2017.
- Pickens tree lighting: the city page shows two different dates (November 17 and November 27), so it is not listed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Christmas light shows run the longest?
Charleston County Parks’ Holiday Festival of Lights runs nightly from November 13 to December 31, 2026, priced per vehicle by crowd level (our guide). Riverbanks Zoo’s Wild Lights runs on select nights into January, and Brookgreen Gardens’ Nights of a Thousand Candles opens on listed nights from November 27 to January 3.
Are there free Christmas light events?
Yes, mostly town tree lightings, such as Aiken’s on December 3. The Price column says Free only where the organizer says so.
Do I need tickets in advance?
Many drive-through and zoo light shows sell timed or dated tickets online, and some nights sell out. Check the event page before you go.
Keep Planning
- Christmas in South Carolina
- Christmas markets
- Holiday train rides
- Thanksgiving in South Carolina
- New Year’s Eve in South Carolina
- November, December and January events, week by week
- This weekend and today in South Carolina
- Regions: Upstate, Midlands, Lowcountry, Pee Dee and Grand Strand
Sources
- Holiday Festival of Lights Fun Run & Walk
- Holiday Festival of Lights
- Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade
- Tree Lighting Fireworks Extravaganza at Broadway at the Beach
- A Very Berry Christmas (Community Christmas Tree Lighting, North Pole Nights)
- Dashing Through The Glow (2-mile family walk/run)
- Fireflies Holiday Lights (Segra Park)
- Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
- The Great Christmas Light Show (drive-through)
- Harbour Town Lights and Christmas Tree Lighting (Sea Pines)
- Nights of a Thousand Candles at Brookgreen Gardens
- Wonderland of Lights on the MarshWalk
- Fantasy of Lights and Santa's Village at Swan Lake Iris Gardens
- North Myrtle Beach Christmas Tree Lighting
- Port Royal Christmas Tree Lighting
- 38th Annual Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting (Aiken)
- ChristmasVille in Old Town Rock Hill
- City of Conway Christmas Tree Lighting
- Fort Mill Christmas Village and Tree Lighting
- Snowball Festival (craft fair, tree lighting, carnival, Christmas parade)
- Surfside Beach Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
- Anderson County Tree Lighting with Olivia Pellerin ice skating performance
- Bluffton Christmas Tree Lighting, Santa's Workshop and Movie
- Greer Christmas Tree Lighting
- Night of Lights and city Christmas tree lighting (Greenville)
- North Charleston Christmas Tree Lighting
- Christmas on the Square (decorated trees)
- Isle of Palms Holiday Street Festival and Tree Lighting
- Easley Christmas Parade of Lights
- Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights
Every event above was read on the organizer’s or venue’s own page and checked between 2026-10-17 and 2026-10-25. Plans change, so confirm on the linked page before you go. See our editorial standards and corrections.
Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Christmas Lights in South Carolina 2026”, itssouthcarolina.com/christmas-lights-south-carolina/ (updated ). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.