Park Circle's lights go on Dec. 4 and stay up to New Year's Day. The Holiday Festival of Lights runs nightly Nov. 13 to Dec. 31, 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Last checked Oct. 24, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from the City of North Charleston and Charleston County Parks, linked below. The Christmas parade and tree lighting have their own page: Christmas parade and tree lighting.
North Charleston’s own lights are at Park Circle, where the city lights its 40-foot tree at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and the displays around the circle stay on until New Year’s Day. Free to walk or drive. The region’s big light show is the Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park, about 15 miles south, open every night from Nov. 13 to Dec. 31, 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Updated Oct. 24: the festival’s Fun Run and Walk now runs two nights, Nov. 11 and Nov. 12, with park gates closing to traffic at 6:30 p.m.
Who to call
- City Christmas events: North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, 843-740-5854
- Holiday Festival of Lights park office: 843-406-6990
- Charleston County Parks registration (Hoedown, gift passes): 843-795-4386
Park Circle lights, from Dec. 4
The green space around the Park Circle traffic circle and the main roads into it are lined with lighted snowflakes, Christmas trees and holiday scenes, according to the city’s Christmas activities page. After the tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 4, the city invites families to “walk or drive around the circle” at 4800 Park Circle. The lights shine until New Year’s Day.
The city’s sponsored tree program, in which groups paid to decorate a tree on the circle, ends in 2026. The city says it is putting its effort into Toys for Tots instead, with collection boxes at the Park Circle Community Building and other city sites.
Holiday Festival of Lights, Nov. 13 to Dec. 31
Charleston County Parks’ festival at James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive, has run since 1990. It is a three-mile drive with more than 750 lighted displays, plus a walking area with a holiday train, a carousel, a climbing wall, marshmallow roasting, a giant sand sculpture, gift shops and Santa, the county’s festival page says.
Hours: 5:30 to 10 p.m. nightly, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. You can drive the loop as many times as you like. Bicycles and pedestrians are not allowed on the driving route.
Tickets are per vehicle of up to 15 people, and the price depends on the expected crowd:
| Night | Online | At the gate |
|---|---|---|
| Green (lighter crowds) | $15 | $25 |
| Yellow (moderate) | $25 | $35 |
| Red (heaviest) | $30 | $45 |
The colors for each night are on the county’s ticket page. Gift passes are $25 each for one to nine, through the Park and Program Services office. Inside, the train is $5 a person (free for children 2 and under on a lap) and runs 6 to 10 p.m.; carousel rides are $2, according to the festival FAQ.
Santa is at the festival every evening from 6 p.m. to closing, Nov. 13 to Dec. 23. Visits are free with a virtual line; photo packages cost extra, the Santa page says.
Special nights at the festival
- Fun Run and Walk, two nights, Wednesday, Nov. 11, and Thursday, Nov. 12: a two-mile, non-competitive run or walk among the lights before the festival opens. $38 per standard vehicle of up to 15 people, and every vehicle needs a ticket. The county says to arrive by 6 p.m.; park gates close to traffic at 6:30 p.m., and it expects both nights to sell out (county announcement, event page).
- A Very Merry Oyster Roast, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14: oysters, hot dogs, chili, beer, wine and live music from the Rosemead Ramblers, with festival admission included, $65 a person. Proceeds go to the Charleston County Parks Foundation (event page).
- Dragon boat paddles, on select evenings from Nov. 16: a paddle across the park’s lake past the light displays, $30, with hot chocolate and festival admission afterward (event page).
Visiting Santa
| Date | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Dec. 4, 4 to 6 p.m. | Cookies and Cocoa with Santa (pre-registration required) | Park Circle Community Building | Free |
| Saturday, Dec. 5, 2 to 6 p.m. | Christmas Festival, with Santa | Park Circle | Free |
| Saturdays, Dec. 5 and 12 | Mingle with Kringle, a booked private visit | James Island County Park | $85 a group |
| Sundays, Dec. 6 and 13 (10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 6) | Inclusive Visit with Santa, sensory-friendly, ASL-fluent Santa | James Island County Park | $40 a group |
| Thursday, Dec. 17, 6 to 7 p.m. | Howlidays in the Park, with Santa Paws for dogs | Mixson Dog Park, 4856 Mixson Ave. | Free |
Inclusive Visit and Mingle with Kringle groups are up to five people and include a digital photo package and a festival gift pass. Register through Charleston County Parks.
Holiday Hoedown, Dec. 2
Mrs. Claus invites people with special needs, their families and friends to a western-themed Holiday Hoedown from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the Park Circle Community Building, 4800 Park Circle. Pizza, snacks and drinks are provided. It is for ages 4 and up; chaperones are required and get in free with a registered participant. Tickets are $4 in advance and $5 on the day; call 843-795-4386 to register, the county’s event page says.
Farther afield
Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, about 14 miles southeast, decorates its plantation house for Christmas. In 2025 the decorated house was open Dec. 8 to Jan. 1, included with regular admission, and Boone Hall Farms held a free Christmas Tree Festival the weekend before Thanksgiving, according to Boone Hall’s events page. The 2026 dates were not posted when we checked.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah begins at sundown Friday, Dec. 4, 2026. We list public menorah lightings in and around North Charleston once the congregation or organizer posts the date, time and place. Send yours through our contact page.
What this means for you
- Park Circle is free and close: walk the circle after Dec. 4, any night to New Year’s Day.
- Buy Festival of Lights tickets online and pick a green night to pay the least.
- Inclusive Santa and Mingle with Kringle slots are limited; register early.
More: Christmas parade and tree lighting, Black Friday and holiday shopping and New Year’s Eve.
Frequently asked questions
When do the Park Circle Christmas lights come on in 2026?
After the city’s tree lighting at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, 2026. The lights around the circle at 4800 Park Circle stay on until New Year’s Day, and you can walk or drive around them for free.
When is the Holiday Festival of Lights 2026?
Every night from Friday, Nov. 13, through Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive. It is open on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
How much is the Holiday Festival of Lights?
Charleston County Parks prices it per vehicle of up to 15 people, by night: $15 online or $25 at the gate on green nights, $25 online or $35 at the gate on yellow nights and $30 online or $45 at the gate on red nights.
Where can kids see Santa in North Charleston?
At the city’s free Cookies and Cocoa with Santa, 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Park Circle Community Building (pre-registration required), at the Christmas Festival on Dec. 5, and free each evening from Nov. 13 to Dec. 23 at the Holiday Festival of Lights.
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