Are you looking for free Christmas things to do in Columbia, SC? The holidays may drain your pockets when it comes to gift-buying and hosting parties, but these free events, parades, and tree-lighting ceremonies will help you feel a little more jolly, merry, and bright! There is also the added bonus of your kid getting to see Santa around town. Check out our list of the best free events in the Columbia area to get the holiday season started.
Looking for more to do during the holidays? Check out our super festive holiday guide!
Free Christmas Lights Driving Routes
Go see some awesome lights for free! We took some of the very best decorated homes in the Columbia area and put them together into Epic Columbia Christmas Light Driving Routes. Our 2024 lists are coming soon!
Free Holiday Things to Do: Columbia, SC
Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt
Month of December
Columbia’s Main Street District
Go on an Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt and see how many Elves you can locate as various local businesses. Tag @MainStColaSC and the business where you located the elf. Anyone who posts on their Instagram story will be entered to win gift cards from participating businesses. You may enter as many times as elves that you find. On New Year’s Eve, the winners will be announced.
Carols Along the Riverwalk
December 6, 2024, 6 pm to 8 pm
201 North Avenue, Cayce (Cayce Riverwalk)
Live music, refreshments, and festive Christmas Caroling all along the Cayce Riverwalk! Local church choirs and musicians will be spread throughout the first half-mile. Parking will be available at Brooklyn-Cayce High School and includes a free trolley ride.
Christmas Carolighting Ceremony
December 6, 2024
Icehouse Amphitheater – 107 West Main Street, Lexington
Join the Town of Lexington at Icehouse Amphitheater to light the tree (6:30 pm), sing Christmas carols and take photos with Santa (4 pm – 8 pm)! Food will be available for purchase.
Icehouse Movie Night: The Muppet Christmas Carol
December 6, 2024, 7:30 pm
Icehouse Amphitheater – 107 West Main Street, Lexington
An outdoor movie to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol movie. Be sure to bring your own seating and blankets for this festive, family-friendly event.
Christmas Olde and New
December 7, 2024, 6 pm to 9 pm
Cayce Historical Museum
Take in the sights and sounds of Christmas at the Cayce Historical Museum’s “Christmas Olde and New”. Rooms of the museum will be decorated for Christmas along with live entertainment and refreshments. There will also be a holiday market!
Snowball Festival Carnival and Movie
December 7, 2024, 1 pm
Icehouse Amphitheater – 107 West Main Street, Lexington
Enjoy the annual festival with face painting, letters to Santa, balloon art, and rides to enjoy. Santa will be there from 1 pm – 5 pm for pictures. The carnival will also feature a showing of the movie, The Polar Express, at 5:30 pm.
Lexington County Museum Christmas Open House
December 8, 2024, 1 pm to 4 pm
Experience historic Christmas decor, with period decorations and demonstrations. There will be light refreshments that are historically accurate to the 19th century, such as hot cider and gingerbread. There will be blacksmithing on-site, cooking demonstrations, and more!
Crafternoon: Let it Snow!
December 16, 2024, 3 pm – 4 pm
Richland Library Cooper
This event is for children ages 6 -12. Get in the holiday spirit with a wintery craft and enjoy some hot cocoa! All materials will be supplied.
Holiday Parades Near Columbia
Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade
December 7, 2024, @ 9:45 am
Downtown Columbia
Head downtown for the 71st annual Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade to enjoy the state-broadcasted parade! There will be marching bands, local churches, drill teams, and decorated floats before Santa Claus comes to town! The parade will start at the intersection of Sumter Street and Laurel Street and will head toward the USC Horseshoe and Senate Street.
Town of Lexington Christmas Parade
December 8, 2024, @ 3 pm
Main Street, Lexington
The Town of Lexington and the Lexington Jaycees will host the annual Christmas Parade, featuring floats and more. The parade will begin promptly at 3 pm.
Holiday Parade of Lights
December 14, 2024, @ 5:30 pm
Cayce, SC
This wildly popular parade features ANYTHING, as long as it’s covered in lights! The parade starts at 5:30 sharp at the front of the Cayce Municipal Complex and will travel down 12th Street until ending at Highway 1 and 12th Street in West Columbia. Crowds are large, so arrive early and plan ahead!
Christmas Parade – Town of South Congaree
December 14, 2024, @ 10 am
669 Main Street, West Columbia
Enjoy the family-friendly holiday parade with lots of sights and sounds for children to enjoy!
December 8, 2024, 2 pm – 4 pm
Main Street, Blythewood
The parade will start at the EMS Station on Main Street, travel along Blythewood Road, Langford Road, and end at Doko Meadows Park. Be sure to arrive early!
Tree Lighting and Caroling Near Columbia
Blythewood Christmas Tree Lighting
December 1, 2024, 5 pm
Blythewood Town Hall
Join the town of Blythewood for the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. There will be food, lots of fun, and the opportunity to meet Santa!
Carolighting Ceremony
December 6, 2024, @ 6:30 pm
107 West Main Street, Lexington
Enjoy a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, listen to Christmas carols, and get your photo with Santa at the annual Carolighting Ceremony at Icehouse Amphitheater.
Town of Pine Ridge Tree Lighting Ceremony
December 7, 2024, @ 4 pm
The Christmas parade will begin at 4 pm with a tree lighting ceremony held at Town Hall to follow.
Cheap Holiday Things to do for $5 or less
Coffee Shop Hot Cocoa and Festive Treats
Visit one of our favorite coffee shops in Columbia for a cup of hot chocolate or maybe a peppermint mocha. Much cheaper than going out for a meal, but still loaded with all the holiday cheer.
Sleigh Bell Stroll
November 26, 2024, from 6 pm to 8 pm
Saluda Shoals Park East
6071 St Andrews Road, Columbia
For $7 per person ($2 for children 2 and under), you can explore the park on a 2-mile nighttime walk as it is decorated in festive light displays along the river. Pre-registration is required for this event and must be complete by 11/25/24. There will be bus transportation back to the parking lot available.
Totally Free Christmas Activities Worth the Drive
Day trips are sweeter when they are filled with free things to do. If the free Christmas events and things to do we already listed aren’t enough for you, try one of these awesome, and totally free, holiday events within just an hour or two of Columbia.
- See Santa at Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops. You’ll leave with a totally free 4×6 professional quality picture with Santa and some fun treats, plus enjoy some activities while you’re there! Head up to Greenville, SC for the nearest Cabela’s.
- Greenville’s Festival of Trees is a not-to-miss Upstate event. Visit beautifully decorated trees throughout Downtown Greenville hotel lobbies, especially the Hyatt on Main Street. It’s totally free.
- Watch Free Holiday Movies at NCG Cinemas. The nearest NCG Cinema is in Spartanburg, SC. So, if you’re heading up to the Upstate for one of the previously mentioned events, catch a movie while you’re there!
- Check out the totally free walk-through light display at Village Park in Kannapolis, NC.
After Christmas! Winter Break and New Year’s
The fun continues with many free and low-cost options in Columbia!
Time to celebrate the start of 2025! We have lots of ideas to help you celebrate and stay busy. Some of them are totally free!
Stay Busy! Columbia’s
Winter Break Bucket List
Don’t be bored over winter break! This bucket list has 20 ways to have fun over winter break in Columbia, SC and some of them are totally free, too!
