Holiday lights and Christmas events in Greenville 2026

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Dates come from the Greenville Zoo, the City of Greenville’s Holiday Happenings page and event calendar, and the Greenville Christmas Market. City questions: Greenville Cares, 864-232-2273.

Greenville’s holiday season runs from mid-November, when the downtown ice rink opens, into January. The tree lighting and the Poinsettia Christmas Parade are on the first weekend of December and have their own page: Christmas parade and tree lighting. This page covers everything else: the lights, Santa, the markets and the menorah lighting.

Holiday season 2026 at a glance

• Mid-November to Jan. 18: Ice on Main, Village Green
• Nov. 20 to Dec. 27: Greenville Christmas Market, Grand Bohemian Lodge
• Dec. 4: Night of Lights tree lighting (details)
• Dec. 4-6: Holiday at Peace, Graham Plaza
• Dec. 6: Chanukah on Main, NOMA Square
• December: Holidays at the Zoo lights (dates to come)

Light displays

Holidays at the Zoo. The Greenville Zoo turns its paths into an evening walk of “thousands of dazzling lights,” decorations and holiday music, according to its special events page. The zoo lists it for December 2026 but had not posted dates or prices by Oct. 16. In 2025 it ran evenings from Dec. 12 through Jan. 4, from 4 p.m., the city’s event calendar shows. The zoo is at 150 Cleveland Park Drive. Its regular hours page lists the zoo closed to day visitors on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so check the light show’s own dates for those evenings; call 864-467-4300.

Main Street. The city’s 30-foot tree in front of M. Judson Booksellers is lit on Dec. 4, and downtown stays decorated through the season, the city’s Holiday Happenings page says. Its interactive holiday map, which shows the downtown light displays, is due in December 2026.

Window Wonderland. Downtown merchants decorate their windows each December, and you vote for your favorite on the city’s holiday map through Dec. 19.

Santa visits

• Greenville Christmas Market, Grand Bohemian Lodge, 44 E. Camperdown Way: photos with Santa from 4 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 27, 28 and 29, Dec. 5 and 12, and daily Dec. 17-23, plus noon to 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, according to the market’s website. The market is open Nov. 20 to Dec. 27 with local vendors and live music, including the City Carolers on set December dates.
• Night of Lights, Friday, Dec. 4, on Main Street at City Hall: Santa visits and children can hand over letters to him. Times are on our tree lighting page.
• TD Saturday Market Holiday Edition, Saturday, Dec. 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Street and McBee Avenue: the Grinch poses for photos from 9 a.m., the market says. Bring your own camera.

LEO Santa. Each December a crew of off-duty police officers, firefighters and paramedics delivers donated toys to Greenville families, then drives down Main Street with lights and sirens. In 2025 the procession of about 50 vehicles ran from Rutherford Road to Pendleton Street around 1 p.m. on Dec. 20, the city said in a news release. The 2026 date is not out yet.

Ice skating

United Community Ice on Main, the outdoor rink at the Village Green next to City Hall, runs from mid-November to Monday, Jan. 18, 2027. Regular hours are 2 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 2 to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily during school break, Dec. 19 to Jan. 5. It closes at 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and is closed Christmas Day, the rink’s hours page says. Each ticket is for a one-hour session. No pets on the ice. Rink: 864-365-4258.

Menorah lighting and holiday music

Chanukah on Main. The community menorah lighting, with community leaders and activities for children and families, is from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at NOMA Square, the city’s event calendar says. Main Street closes from Beattie Place to North Street for the event.

Holiday at Peace. From Dec. 4 to 6, a small holiday market with food and craft vendors and musicians sets up on Graham Plaza outside the Peace Center’s concert hall. Inside, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra plays its family Christmas show, Holiday at Peace, at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 and 5 and 2 p.m. Dec. 6, according to the Peace Center’s listing. Tickets are sold through the Peace Center.

Free holiday bus

Greenlink ran a fare-free Holiday Bus on a different route each day from Dec. 11 to 24, 2025, the city’s Greenlink announcement said. The 2026 schedule had not been posted by Oct. 16.

After the holidays

City residents can put a bare Christmas tree, with every ornament, light and strand of tinsel removed, at the curb on their regular pickup day through late January, the city said last season.

What this means for you

• Plan the first weekend of December: tree lighting Friday, parade Saturday, menorah lighting Sunday.
• Santa’s busiest market dates are the week before Christmas, Dec. 17-23.
• Watch for Holidays at the Zoo dates in November; we will add them here.

More guides: Christmas parade and tree lighting, Black Friday and holiday shopping and New Year’s Eve in Greenville.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Christmas lights in Greenville, South Carolina?

Holidays at the Zoo lights up the Greenville Zoo in December 2026, Main Street is decorated from the Dec. 4 tree lighting, and downtown merchants enter their windows in the Window Wonderland contest.

When is Holidays at the Zoo in 2026?

The Greenville Zoo says Holidays at the Zoo returns in December 2026 but had not posted dates by Oct. 16. In 2025 it ran evenings from Dec. 12 through Jan. 4, starting at 4 p.m.

Where can kids see Santa in Greenville?

Santa visits the Greenville Christmas Market at the Grand Bohemian Lodge from 4 to 6 p.m. on set dates from Nov. 27 to Dec. 23, and from noon to 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve. He also comes to Night of Lights on Dec. 4.

When is the Greenville menorah lighting?

Chanukah on Main, the city’s community menorah lighting, is from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026, at NOMA Square.

When is the Greenville Christmas parade?

The Poinsettia Christmas Parade is Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026, on Main Street. Our Christmas parade and tree lighting page has the times and road closures.