What is there to do in Columbia this holiday season? Where are the holiday events near me? If you’re looking for Christmas events in Columbia, SC, and holiday season activities, you have come to the right place.
We’ll be updating this huge list all season long with holiday parades, seasonal live entertainment, theater, live music, crafts, Santa, tree lighting, light displays, Christmas carols, and lots more! Get ready for Christmas Day and celebrate the season with all of these fun, festive holiday events!
So, get that hot cocoa ready and cue up that holiday playlist. Bookmark this list and check back often so you don’t miss out on any of the festive fun this season in the Midlands.
Bonus: Our Columbia, SC Christmas Things to Do Lists
The Biggest List of Christmas Events in Columbia, SC
We will be adding to this list as the holiday events in Columbia heat up. Bookmark this list and check back often!
On November 7, 2026, AND November 8, 2026, The South Carolina State Farmers Market in conjunction with The Midlands Crafters Association will host a FREE family event for the community. This event will host over 150 vendors, crafters, and local businesses from all over the Midlands. This event is always FREE Admission, FREE Parking and Pet Friendly; everyone is welcome.
Event Hours:
Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 9AM until 4PM
Sunday, November 8, 2026, from 12PM until 4PM
FREE ADMISSION! FREE PARKING! PET FRIENDLY!
Where: South Carolina State Farmers Market – 3483 Charleston Highway (South Farmers Shed)
Mix custom snacks and write unique holiday verses to create a tasty, meaningful gift for friends.
Kick off the holidays at the 41st Annual Vista Lights! More than 60 galleries, shops, and restaurants open late, plus a free Kid’s Zone on Lincoln Street with face painting, balloon art, reindeer snacks, and visits with Santa.
Stroll the Zoo after dark among more than 60 larger-than-life handcrafted wildlife lanterns, with nightly snowfall, activities, photo ops and visits with Santa (through Dec. 23). Wild Lights runs on select nights Nov. 20 – Jan. 10; this listing is the opening night.
📍 Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
★ FeaturedOver 2 million twinkling lights, a train ride, Santa visits, crafts, and more. Fireflies Holiday Lights presented by Lexington Health returns to Segra Park for an affordable holiday tradition the whole family will love.
Event details:
- Dates: Friday, Nov. 20, 2026 through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027
- Hours: 6-9 pm nightly (last entry 8:30 pm)
- New Year’s Eve: Special hours, 5-8 pm
- Closed: Thanksgiving Day (11/26), Christmas Day (12/25), and New Year’s Day (1/1)
- Location: Segra Park, 1640 Freed Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Tickets: firefliestickets.com
- Cost: $12+
- More info: firefliesholidaylights.com | 803-726-4487
Nightly activities:
- Visits with Santa: Share your wish list nightly through Dec. 23.
- Scavenger Hunt: Find the hidden gems in the lights for a chance to win a prize.
- Crafts at Santa’s Workshop: Kids can make a holiday craft, thanks to The Home Depot.
- Fireflies Express: The beloved train ride, presented by Thermal Technologies, is $5 per rider for kids 12 and under. It has an ADA-accessible car, and seating is first come, first served.
Stroll the Zoo after dark among more than 60 larger-than-life handcrafted wildlife lanterns, with nightly snowfall, activities, photo ops and visits with Santa (through Dec. 23). Wild Lights runs on select nights Nov. 20 – Jan. 10; this listing is the opening night.
📍 Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Drive through three miles of sparkling animated lights, with a tube slide, hayride, train ride, laser light show, and letters to Santa.
Runs nightly Nov. 25 – Dec. 31; this listing is for opening night (activities not offered on Thanksgiving night, Christmas Eve or Christmas night).
Meet Santa!
No holiday experience is complete without a visit from Santa Claus! He’ll be at the Holiday Lights on select dates, providing an opportunity for professional photos and photo packages. Capture the joy of the season with a memorable photo with Santa!
Santa Dates: Nov. 27-29, Dec. 4-7, Dec. 11-13, Dec. 17-23
🎟️ Cost: $25 per car – $25 per car
📍 Location: Saluda Shoals Park, 5605 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29212
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Stroll the Zoo after dark among more than 60 larger-than-life handcrafted wildlife lanterns, with nightly snowfall, activities, photo ops and visits with Santa (through Dec. 23). Wild Lights runs on select nights Nov. 20 – Jan. 10; this listing is the opening night.
📍 Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Over 2 million twinkling lights, a train ride, Santa visits, crafts, and more. Fireflies Holiday Lights presented by Lexington Health returns to Segra Park for an affordable holiday tradition the whole family will love.
Event details:
- Dates: Friday, Nov. 20, 2026 through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027
- Hours: 6-9 pm nightly (last entry 8:30 pm)
- New Year’s Eve: Special hours, 5-8 pm
- Closed: Thanksgiving Day (11/26), Christmas Day (12/25), and New Year’s Day (1/1)
- Location: Segra Park, 1640 Freed Street, Columbia, SC 29201
- Tickets: firefliestickets.com
- Cost: $12+
- More info: firefliesholidaylights.com | 803-726-4487
Nightly activities:
- Visits with Santa: Share your wish list nightly through Dec. 23.
- Scavenger Hunt: Find the hidden gems in the lights for a chance to win a prize.
- Crafts at Santa’s Workshop: Kids can make a holiday craft, thanks to The Home Depot.
- Fireflies Express: The beloved train ride, presented by Thermal Technologies, is $5 per rider for kids 12 and under. It has an ADA-accessible car, and seating is first come, first served.
Meet Santa at the museum and enjoy holiday fun with friends and family. Santa meet-and-greets, plus Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D and the Áróra planetarium show (shows cost extra).
🎟️ Cost: Included with museum admission (adults $13, seniors $11, ages 3–12 $10, under 3 free); 4D and planetarium shows extra.
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
A holiday variety show with live music and puppets, created with the Cola Jazz Foundation. Blacklight-lit puppets and a live jazz band bring the swing to beloved holiday songs.
🎟️ Cost: $15 per person, ages 2 and up.
📍 Location: Columbia Marionette Theatre, 401 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Ages 2 and up
Stroll the Zoo after dark among more than 60 larger-than-life handcrafted wildlife lanterns, with nightly snowfall, activities, photo ops and visits with Santa (through Dec. 23). Wild Lights runs on select nights Nov. 20 – Jan. 10; this listing is the opening night.
📍 Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Celebrate the season at the Town of Blythewood’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting in front of Blythewood Town Hall. Pre-ceremony music begins at 4:30 p.m.
Stroll the Zoo after dark among more than 60 larger-than-life handcrafted wildlife lanterns, with nightly snowfall, activities, photo ops and visits with Santa (through Dec. 23). Wild Lights runs on select nights Nov. 20 – Jan. 10; this listing is the opening night.
📍 Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Kick off the holidays at the State Museum as it officially lights up the planetarium dome. Meet Santa, enjoy live music from ColaJazz, make a holiday craft for the kids, stargaze in the Boeing Observatory (weather permitting) and grab food truck eats.
🎟️ Cost: Pay-as-you-may general admission; show tickets $5 ($4 members).
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
The Junior League of Columbia’s 40th annual Holiday Market brings more than 140 merchants to the State Fairgrounds, and general admission tickets are good for return visits all weekend. Shop gifts, handcrafted goods, specialty foods and holiday treats.
Make meaningful, handmade holiday cards to share warm wishes with seniors in the community.
Light up the holidays at the 74th annual Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade in Downtown Columbia! Expect over 125 entries, rain or shine, with South Carolina Ballet’s William Starrett leading the way as Grand Marshal.
📍 Location: Downtown Columbia, Sumter Street & Laurel Street
👉 Read more
Kick off the holiday season at Elgin’s Catfish Stomp! The parade starts at 10 a.m., followed by arts and crafts vendors and catfish stew and fried catfish all day. Donations for the annual toy roundup will be accepted.
📍 Location: Downtown Elgin, Bowen Street & Main Street
👉 Read more
Meet Santa at the museum and enjoy holiday fun with friends and family. Santa meet-and-greets, plus Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D and the Áróra planetarium show (shows cost extra).
🎟️ Cost: Included with museum admission (adults $13, seniors $11, ages 3–12 $10, under 3 free); 4D and planetarium shows extra.
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
A holiday variety show with live music and puppets, created with the Cola Jazz Foundation. Blacklight-lit puppets and a live jazz band bring the swing to beloved holiday songs.
🎟️ Cost: $15 per person, ages 2 and up (purchase ahead of time in case of time changes)
📍 Location: Columbia Marionette Theatre, 401 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Ages 2 and up
Columbia Children’s Theatre brings Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens’ musical retelling of Dickens’ holiday classic to the Harbison stage — a family-friendly night of ghosts, redemption and Christmas spirit.
🎟️ Cost: $15.
📍 Location: Harbison Theatre, 7300 College Street, Irmo, SC 29063
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Family-friendly
Stroll the Zoo after dark among more than 60 larger-than-life handcrafted wildlife lanterns, with nightly snowfall, activities, photo ops and visits with Santa (through Dec. 23). Wild Lights runs on select nights Nov. 20 – Jan. 10; this listing is the opening night.
📍 Location: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Columbia Children’s Theatre brings Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens’ musical retelling of Dickens’ holiday classic to the Harbison stage — a family-friendly night of ghosts, redemption and Christmas spirit.
🎟️ Cost: $15.
📍 Location: Harbison Theatre, 7300 College Street, Irmo, SC 29063
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Family-friendly
Step back in time at the Downtown Aiken Christmas Parade! This year’s theme is “Vintage Christmas,” hosted by the Aiken Downtown Development Association.
📍 Location: Downtown Aiken Parade Route, Park Ave & Laurens St
👉 Read more
Season-long Holiday Events in Columbia
South Carolina Railroad Museum Santa Train (Santa’s North Pole Express) is the museum’s annual holiday train ride with Santa. Check the museum’s Santa’s North Pole Express page for this year’s dates and tickets.
See our HUGE guide to holiday lights in Columbia, with 20+ places to see lights in the Midlands! Including:
- Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo runs select nights from November 20, 2026, through January 10, 2027, 5–9 p.m. The experience will include visits with Santa through December 23rd. Tickets go on sale November 2.
- Fireflies Holiday Lights at Segra Park, runs November 20, 2026, through January 3, 2027. Want to know more? Kidding Around visited the Fireflies Holiday Lights, here’s the KACOLA Fireflies Holiday Lights review.
- Holiday Lights on the River at Saluda Shoals Park is open nightly November 25 through December 31, 2026, from 6–10 p.m. Check out our Kidding Around Review of Holiday Lights on the River.
Want to see the Christmas Events happening in the Lake Murray area? Here’s our Holiday Guide to Lexington, Irmo, and Chapin.
Holiday Theater & Performing Arts
Holidays in Columbia wouldn’t be complete without holiday shows and there are so many shows and concerts to choose from! Columbia is fortunate to have the Koger Center for the Arts with a wide variety of shows for Christmas ranging from the traditional ballet The Nutcracker to holiday concerts, and more!
A holiday variety show with live music and puppets, created with the Cola Jazz Foundation. Blacklight-lit puppets and a live jazz band bring the swing to beloved holiday songs.
🎟️ Cost: $15 per person, ages 2 and up.
📍 Location: Columbia Marionette Theatre, 401 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Ages 2 and up
A holiday variety show with live music and puppets, created with the Cola Jazz Foundation. Blacklight-lit puppets and a live jazz band bring the swing to beloved holiday songs.
🎟️ Cost: $15 per person, ages 2 and up (purchase ahead of time in case of time changes)
📍 Location: Columbia Marionette Theatre, 401 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Ages 2 and up
Columbia Children’s Theatre brings Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens’ musical retelling of Dickens’ holiday classic to the Harbison stage — a family-friendly night of ghosts, redemption and Christmas spirit.
🎟️ Cost: $15.
📍 Location: Harbison Theatre, 7300 College Street, Irmo, SC 29063
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Family-friendly
Columbia Children’s Theatre brings Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens’ musical retelling of Dickens’ holiday classic to the Harbison stage — a family-friendly night of ghosts, redemption and Christmas spirit.
🎟️ Cost: $15.
📍 Location: Harbison Theatre, 7300 College Street, Irmo, SC 29063
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Family-friendly
A holiday variety show with live music and puppets, created with the Cola Jazz Foundation. Blacklight-lit puppets and a live jazz band bring the swing to beloved holiday songs.
🎟️ Cost: $15 per person, ages 2 and up (purchase ahead in case of time changes)
📍 Location: Columbia Marionette Theatre, 401 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Ages 2 and up
The Three Spirits is inspired by Charles Dickens’ timeless fable, A Christmas Carol, reimagined for the modern age. When a cold-hearted soul is visited by three extraordinary spirits, their world cracks open in ways they never expected. Through breathtaking circus arts and dance, this electrifying holiday show reminds us what it truly means to wake up before it’s too late.
Expect to laugh. Expect to gasp. Expect moments of pure magic that will have the whole family leaning forward in their seats. The Three Spirits is packed with whimsy, heart, and the kind of jaw-dropping artistry that Caroline Calouche & Co. is known for — now with a brand-new story to tell.
A holiday variety show with live music and puppets, created with the Cola Jazz Foundation. Blacklight-lit puppets and a live jazz band bring the swing to beloved holiday songs.
🎟️ Cost: $15 per person, ages 2 and up (purchase ahead and check time)
📍 Location: Columbia Marionette Theatre, 401 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Ages 2 and up
A holiday variety show with live music and puppets, created with the Cola Jazz Foundation. Blacklight-lit puppets and a live jazz band bring the swing to beloved holiday songs.
🎟️ Cost: $15 per person, ages 2 and up (purchase ahead and check time)
📍 Location: Columbia Marionette Theatre, 401 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Ages 2 and up
Where is Santa?
If you’re looking for the big man in red, you’ll want to pop over to our exclusive Santa page. The elves gave us the inside scoop on all of Santa’s visits around Columbia, including photos with Santa, and we’re passing them on to you.
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Christmas and Holiday Parades Around Columbia
Is there anything better than a Christmas parade when it comes to free, festive fun? Grab some hot chocolate, pack up some Christmas cookies, bring the kids, and enjoy some holiday season fun!
Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade
The 2026 Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade in Downtown Columbia, SC will be held on Saturday, December 5th, 2026, rain or shine. The parade usually begins at the intersection of Sumter Street and Laurel Street at 9:45 am. The parade route ends at Senate Street.
More Parades
Light up the holidays at the 74th annual Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade in Downtown Columbia! Expect over 125 entries, rain or shine, with South Carolina Ballet’s William Starrett leading the way as Grand Marshal.
📍 Location: Downtown Columbia, Sumter Street & Laurel Street
👉 Read more
Kick off the holiday season at Elgin’s Catfish Stomp! The parade starts at 10 a.m., followed by arts and crafts vendors and catfish stew and fried catfish all day. Donations for the annual toy roundup will be accepted.
📍 Location: Downtown Elgin, Bowen Street & Main Street
👉 Read more
Step back in time at the Downtown Aiken Christmas Parade! This year’s theme is “Vintage Christmas,” hosted by the Aiken Downtown Development Association.
📍 Location: Downtown Aiken Parade Route, Park Ave & Laurens St
👉 Read more
Light up your holiday season at Kershaw County’s only night-time Christmas parade! Sponsored by the Lugoff Optimist Club, the route closes to traffic at 6 p.m. and fireworks follow the parade.
📍 Location: Highway 1 (Lugoff), US Highway 1
👉 Read more
Tree Lightings Around Columbia, SC
Kick off the holidays at the State Museum as it officially lights up the planetarium dome. Meet Santa, enjoy live music from ColaJazz, make a holiday craft for the kids, stargaze in the Boeing Observatory (weather permitting) and grab food truck eats.
🎟️ Cost: Pay-as-you-may general admission; show tickets $5 ($4 members).
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
After Christmas! Winter Break and New Year’s
Time to celebrate the start of 2027! How will you celebrate with your family in Columbia this year? We have 10+ family-friendly celebrations for New Year’s in Columbia, plus a few more ways you can ring in the New Year!
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!
Looking for more this holiday season? Don’t miss the rest of KACOLA’s holiday content!
- Santa Sightings: Where to See Santa Around Columbia
- Where to see holiday lights near Columbia, SC
- Shop local: Locally owned shops with great gifts
- Holiday Markets and Shopping Events
- Free Christmas Things to Do in Columbia, SC
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