Have you been counting down the days until it was time to participate in your favorite Christmas activities? You’re in luck: Upstate South Carolina is ready for you! Our South Carolina holiday events are set to begin. Whether you’re looking for an incredible holiday lights display or a special, family-friendly holiday event, the Upstate has you covered. Here are some of the most popular holiday-themed activities in the Spartanburg, Greenville, and Greenwood areas.

World WONDERland

The way we experience holidays is different around the world.  This special event at the Children’s Museum of the Upstate transforms with special exhibits from Madagascar to a magical visit to the North Pole. The event has snow, holiday activities, photos with Santa, and much more. The event is usually scheduled for the second weekend in December and requires advanced time-entry tickets. Tickets start a family of two for $25. The admission includes special crafts and activities, storytime, and a digital photo with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

Cookies with Santa

Spartanburg holidays are not complete without cookies with Santa! Cookies with Santa  takes place in early November at the Spartanburg Memorial Stadium. You can take a photo with Santa, make crafts, decorate cookies, and more for an entertaining hour! Purchase your tickets online because additional tickets will not be available to purchase at the door. The event usually sells out.

This event has five different ticketing times:

• 8:30 am
• 10:00 am
• 11:30 am
• 1:00 pm
• 2:30 pm

Tickets are $20 each for a child and one adult. Additional adults must purchase a ticket to attend.

Whimsical: The Nutcracker

What better way to celebrate the holidays than with the joyous and playful Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker? The South Carolina holiday season brings this music and dance work, performed by the Spartanburg Philharmonic and Ballet Spartanburg, to the Twichell Auditorium. Carlos Agudelo, Ballet Spartanburg Artistic Director, choreographs the show with new costumes and choreography added every season. Before the show, visit the Nutcracker Market for hot chocolate, festive music, and photo opportunities.

The collaboration brings the annual family tradition of The Nutcracker to life and is a fantastic experience that will delight people of all ages. The four performances run December 13-15, 2024. Ticket prices range from $25-$45 depending on seating and age.

The Spartanburg Christmas Parade

To accompany the Spartanburg holidays, the Spartanburg Jaycees have organized and hosted the city’s annual Christmas Parade since 1985. The Christmas Parade is one of the largest nighttime parades in the Upstate area and attracts up to 20,000 spectators along a 1.5-mile route.

The holiday extravaganza is full of Christmas happiness that will bring joy to family members of all ages. The 2024 Parade is scheduled for December 10 and steps off at 6:30 pm through downtown Spartanburg. Attending the parade is free.

A Dickens of a Christmas

This unique Victorian-themed event has carolers, horse-drawn carriages, living window displays, and much more. Scheduled for early December, A Dickens of a Christmas starts at 6 pm with a tree lighting ceremony. Included is a festive holiday market. The event is free, but you’ll want cash for vendors and activities like ice skating, carriage rides, and food trucks. Festivities span three city blocks.

Festival of Trees

Since 1968, the Festival of Trees has decorated downtown Greenville. Starting in November 19 and running to December, find the beautifully decorated trees at various hotels in downtown Greenville, SC. Visit Courtyard Marriott Downtown, Embassy Suites by Hilton – Riverplace, and Hyatt Regency to see spectacularly decorated trees. Local businesses and Upstate groups decorate all trees. The event kicks off with the “Martinis and Mistletoe” gala, and all proceeds benefit the Bon Secours St. Francis Foundation. Viewing the trees is free, but there are fees for coinciding events like the Gala and the Teddy Bear Luncheon.

Greenville Poinsettia Christmas Parade

For more than 75 years, this bumping holiday procession has marked the start of Christmas in Greenville. Thousands of people visit the town each Christmas to watch the floats and participate in the festivities.

The celebration commemorates the official start of the holiday season with the arrival of Santa Claus, who always appears in the final float. Enjoy the stream of floats themed around Christmas, dancing, marching groups, and bands performing Christmas music. Look for the parade on the first weekend in December; in 2024, it was on Saturday, December 7. The floats begin to move at 6:30 p.m. Viewing along the downtown route is free.

Holiday Fair & Kringle Village at the Greenville Convention Center

Over 375 crafts and vendors offer holiday gifts and decor at this annual event. The holiday fair is one of the largest in the region and spans three days. Besides the handmade crafts, the Kringle Village has a beauty pageant, a European Bier garden, snowball fights, and roving performers. Buy special passes to the Enchanted Tea Party and the VIP gala. The 2024 fair runs December 5-7. Admission starts at $10 for adults.

Yuletide Unicorn Festival with Santa

Celebrate the holidays at The Unicorn Farm’s Annual Yuletide Unicorn Festival, where you can meet and ride upon magical unicorns! Make a wish on a unicorn, visit Santa Claus, and have some Christmas fun.

The Unicorn Express Kiddie Train offers free rides. The holiday lights and movie begin after 5 pm. Roast enormous marshmallows over the fire, and generally make some fun memories with your kids. The $14 per person entrance fee covers the bounce house, bounce slide, petting zoo, and Santa visits. Children under the age of two are free. The Yuletide Unicorn Festival takes place at Hidden Pasture Farm.

Christmas “Inn” Fountain Inn

The charming town of Fountain Inn runs a series of holiday-themed events. The Merry Market at Commerce Park sells holiday-themed wares from local craftsmen and vendors this year on December 7. The official Rudolph Run and Tree Lighting usually occur on the first December weekend. Enjoy the Main Street Christmas Parade, happening December 4 in 2024. The lighted parade starts at 5:30 pm. The “Christmas Inn Our Town” Festival runs December 5-19 from 6-9 pm nightly. The Santa Workshop, Petting Zoo, and Live Music on the weekends are free. Carriage rides and the Polar Express require advanced ticket purchases.

Upstate Holiday Light Show

Want some dazzle in your life? Love a good holiday light display? It doesn’t get any better in Upstate SC holiday events than the District Park’s light snow. Over 32 million lights arranged in holiday-themed images and stories delight fans. Listen to holiday music as you drive through or park and admire the dancing light show. The lights are paired with a Winter Wonderland petting zoo. Admission is sold based on vehicle, with $35 the going rate in 2024 for a standard car, truck, minivan, and SUV.

Uptown Holiday Lights

The Christmas decorations in Uptown Greenwood start in mid-November and stay up till after New Year’s Day. You can admire the lights by vehicle or park downtown to walk around Main Street and Maxwell Avenue. Capture amazing photos of the lights with your family.

Of particular note, the classic, brilliant white lights that drape over the trees on Main Street and Maxwell Avenue illuminate the beautiful sky. Also, Santa Claus, toy soldiers, and other festive decorations can be found throughout Uptown.

Be sure to make the short drive from Uptown Greenwood to the light display at Connie Maxwell Children’s home; it’s well worth the trip. Best of all, the lights display is free! Admiring the light displays is a local family holiday tradition.

Uptown Christmas Parade

Celebrate the best South Carolina holiday events in Uptown Greenwood. Kicking off with the theme “A Coastal Christmas,” the Uptown Christmas parade has floats, dancers, sweets, and of course, Santa Claus.

Greenwood encourages you to jingle and mingle with their community of businesses, churches, and schools before and after the parade. The event is scheduled for December 8, 2024 and begins at 2:30 pm. For more information, check out the Uptown Greenwood Christmas Parade FAQs page.

North Pole Express

Join the elves and Santa as they revel and rejoice in the holiday season at the Railroad Historical Center. The students of a local theater group perform a North Pole Express play while dancing elves offer cocoa and cookies. Children meet Santa at the event and will create ornaments and take home a gift bag from Santa. Tickets are $25 for children and $10 for adults. Book early as it regularly sells out.

Upstate Holidays SC Events

The holiday spirit is alive and well in Upstate South Carolina. Check out these events to create new traditions by getting together with friends and relatives. Holiday happening include special shows that seek to capture that holiday magic; check with the local performance venues for what show is happening this year. From stunning light shows to festivals and parties, South Carolina holiday events are guaranteed to create lifetime memories.

Updated September 2024