Christmas in Charleston 

The Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park is known for its three-mile driving tour, decorated with two million dazzling lights. Visitors can also walk the enchanted trail, wander through festival shops, make s’mores and sip on hot chocolate, and explore Santa's village.

The eighth annual Cougar Night Lights will capture the magic of the holidays with dazzling light displays set to classic holiday tunes and popular contemporary songs. A total of 46,490 lights will illuminate Cistern Yard during this month-long program.

The holiday tradition is better than ever, as miles of bands, floats, marchers, and performers parade through downtown Charleston. 

Enjoy musical interludes leading up to Mayor Tecklenburg lighting up the tree in Marion Square as part of Illumination Charleston.

Hotel Bennett's annual Tree Lighting Celebration returns on Thursday, December 7 on the Gabrielle Plaza. Prepare to immerse yourself in an evening beneath the twinkling stars, filled with enchanting music, delightful festive giveaways, and heartwarming surprises from none other than Santa himself.

The Charleston Holiday Parade of Boats is held yearly in Charleston Harbor.  Participants must register and decorate their boat from stem to stern while spectators view the parade from either Mt. Pleasant or Charleston along the harbor. 

The event will feature floats, marching bands, and an Arts & Crafts Show at the Community Center. It’s the perfect place to get a unique gift you won’t find anywhere else. After the parade, head down to Folly River Park to receive goodies from Santa.

Brilliantly lit floats and community groups will march up West Coleman Boulevard as the Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade sets sail to the delight of thousands of spectators. The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with a fireworks show, immediately followed by the start of the parade. 

Aquarium Aglow is a one-of-a-kind holiday experience. This immersive holiday light spectacular brings forth the joy and magic of the season, with tens of thousands of lights displayed throughout the Aquarium. Enjoy food, beverages and live entertainment. 

A beloved tradition that started at the hotel in the 1990s is back.Throughout the festive season, 16 Christmas trees will be on display throughout the hotel's 2nd floor corridor, each creatively decorated by a different local business or organization.

Experience the JOY this holiday season with a new family tradition - Holy City Christmas at Holy City Brewing! Enjoy an immersive walk through Santa's workshop, interact with festive characters such as elves, Mrs. Claus, and Santa himself!

Kick off the festive season with us on Friday, November 24th as we welcome Santa to the Village Green! In addition to photos at Santa’s Surf Shack, guests can enjoy our Holiday market (on Saturday only), live music, strolling carolers, and interactive performers each day.

Skate The Stadium is a custom-built synthetic ice rink at Credit One Stadium. Visitors are invited to come celebrate the season with skating, cozy firepits, concessions and special holiday events.

Enjoy demonstrations, tours of historic houses, a market featuring the Southern Living Tastemakers, inspired vignettes at the historic Aiken-Rhett House, engaging talks from some of the brightest stars in the design world, and fabulous nighttime gatherings. 

Arts & Craft Vendors, local restaurants, food vendors, children's activities, live entertainment and Santa from 2 pm - 7 pm.

Experience the beauty of the holidays at the 30th Annual Christmas Made in the South, a fine arts & crafts festival, December 1-3 at The Exchange Park/Fairgrounds, Ladson, SC!

Wine Under the Oaks is a casual and elegant affair that welcomes patrons to sample fine wines and delicious gourmet foods from Lowcountry chefs. Featuring live music, specialty gifts, a fine selection of wines, and edible delicacies.

The Deck the Hall Oyster Roast is the highlight of Charleston’s Christmas season – a Lowcountry tradition and a premiere holiday event. The oyster roast includes oysters with all the fixings, chili, beer, wine and live music on the most beautiful historic landscape in Charleston.

The Reindeer Run is a family-oriented, pet-friendly 5k run/walk located downtown Charleston. The costume contest is a crowd favorite and we are bringing it back again!  So don’t forget to dress up in your festive best and compete for prizes and bragging rights!

Shop Local this Holiday Season at the Annual Charleston Holiday Market in Marion Square on Saturdays & Sundays, 9am-2pm for the first three weekends in December. Enjoy a bounty of fresh local produce & homegrown creativity with additional vendors and decorations!

Beginning December 5th, and lasting throughout the month, Hutson Alley will deck the halls with lights, ornaments, trees, and all the sparkle befitting the most wonderful time of the year. The fun kicks off in the evenings at 5pm with vendors selling all kinds of holiday treats and gifts Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights through the 21st.

This pop-up market will feature Rewined’s full collection of candles and holiday fragrances, along with a selection of local gourmet vendors including Deluxe Special, Eat Milled, Garden & Gun FieldShop, Plot to Pot, Spicewalla, and Surcee Box.

The annual Holiday Market & Craft Show combines all the goodies from our traditional food market such as locally grown fresh produce, baked goods, hot food and homemade preserves with handcrafted gifts created by local artisans.

Find a gift for everyone on your nice list at this festive pop-up experience featuring some of our favorite local vendors! Then bring your own wish list to The Library for hot chocolate with Santa and treats from Charleston Sugar Studio from 10am until noon.

Jingle on down to Old Park Circle on Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm to shop 250+ vendors across Holy City Brewing, Firefly Distillery and The Station Park Circle. The event is free, family-friendly and open to the public to attend.

Join an expert guide and native Charlestonian Laura Wichmann Hipp on a festive behind-the-scenes Christmas tour of private homes and gardens. The tour ends with High Tea. Monday - Friday, 9 - 1:30, reservations required.

You are invited to don your festive attire for a Merry Christmas stroll where history meets hospitality in its finest array of Dickens' past. Relive Colonial Charleston's influence on how we celebrate the season today and learn the stories behind the displays as we stop for a holiday tasting along the way.

Annually, the Garden Club of Charleston uses this impressive house as a backdrop for their creative holiday arrangements, using plant material that would have been available in the Lowcountry during the first quarter of the 19th century. This year, the GCC has chosen the theme A Lowcountry Christmas.

Enjoy a special evening at the historic Edmondston-Alston House. Take a self guided tour of the festively decorated house by candlelight, and hear the Charleston Caroling Company. Warm up in the courtyard with a glass of wine or hot cider and Gullah Christmas stories.

Climb aboard our specially decorated carriage driven by one of Santa’s elves. This festive 20-minute ride through downtown – complete with caroling – is sure to make you merry. Last stop is Santa’s workshop, where you’ll join Old St. Nick, Mrs. Clause, and Rudolph for hot cocoa and cookies. 

Tours of the plantation home during the Christmas holidays are included, with regular paid admission to Boone Hall Plantation. There is no additional charge to tour the mansion beautifully decorated for the Christmas holidays.

Stroll your way into the holiday spirit with Bulldog Tours’ merriest culinary walking tour. Combine our yuletide history tour featuring stories of Charleston’s Christmases past with three stops by the Historic District’s most festive lounges for a signature holiday cocktail. 

Enjoy the holiday spirit and seasonal decorations on the 2-hour Charleston Strolls Holiday Walking Tour. Tour where carriages and motor-coaches are not allowed, and take a fascinating walking tour with stories and traditions revealing Charleston’s colorful past. 

Immerse yourself in the charm of the 1920s, with festive decorations and an intriguing new narrative. Discover the evolution of Santa Claus, explore vintage ornaments, and explore Southern holiday traditions.

Join actors in period costume as they take you back to the Christmas of 1782. This event celebrates the return of Arthur Middleton from Philadelphia, the end of the Revolutionary War in the South, and the departure of the British troops from Charleston. Feast on early American cuisine. 

A spectacular NEW Christmas musical featuring a washed-up 70’s soap star. Join us as the innovative 34 West Theater celebrates 10 Years in Charleston!

Experience the enchantment of the holiday season with Charleston Stage's dazzling original adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol! Every season, audiences are captivated by the breathtaking scenery, gorgeous costumes, and mesmerizing effects. 

The Sound of Charleston Holiday Edition features rich musical heritage, from gospel to Gershwin, including selected holiday songs of the period. The Circular Congregational Church will be decorated for Christmas to provide a beautiful backdrop for this enchanting evening. 

Based on the 1983 classic holiday film, A Christmas Story follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. Ralphie pleads his case before his mother, his teacher and even Santa Claus himself.

See why thousands of people make the Charleston Christmas Special part of their holiday tradition. Produced by Moranz Entertainment, this holiday spectacular for all ages runs Dec. 12 to Dec. 22 at the Charleston Music Hall.

Our holiday classic returns with Lowcountry flare! Join Clara, a young orphan, on an adventure filled with menacing shadows, dancing snowflakes, and a bustling town marketplace. Our retelling will remind you that a family’s love is the greatest gift of all, promising to be a stunning celebration of the season!