What to do in South Carolina: December Events (2025)
Photos by Sean Rayford
Lexington Christmas Parade (Dec 8)
Welcome to my monthly guide on what to do in South Carolina. This isn’t an exhaustive list but rather — one curated by a photojournalist who has been covering the Palmetto State since 1997.
If you’re looking for parades, festivals, fairs, concerts, or unique events that are fun — this is it. Some of these might make great photography opportunities.
DEC. 1 - DEC. 15, 2025
Dec 2 / Spartanburg - Dickens of a Christmas
Dec 2 / Greenville - The Spill Canvas and Mae 20th Anniversary Tour wsg Leighton Antelman of Lydia at Radio Room
Dec 3 / Columbia - Stevie Nicks at Colonial Life Arena
Dec 3 / Charleston - Jaenga, Josh Teed at The Pour House
Dec 3 / Greenville - A Night Honoring Mac Miller at Radio Room
Dec 4 / Greenville - Liam St. John with Tobacco Road at Radio Room
Dec 4 / Charleston - Robert Lester Folsom at Pour House
Dec 4 / Charleston - Amythyst Kiah at Pour House
Dec 5 / Columbia - Lauren Daigle at Township Auditorium
Dec 5 / Florence - Downtown Christmas Magic
‘Dec 5 / Greenville - The Cleverlys with Wilder Things Than Usat Radio Room
Dec 5 / Greenville - Holiday Benefit Brunch
Dec 5 / Rock Hill - Rock Hill Christmas Parade
Dec 5 / Columbia - School of Visual Art and Design Centennial Celebration
Dec 5 / Cayce - Cayce Historic Foundation Winter Concert
Dec 5 / Charleston - The Marshall Tucker Band at Charleston Music Hall
Dec 5 / Charleston - Sxvxnt + Droze & The Drift at The Royal American
Dec 5 / Charleston - A Motown Christmas at North Charleston Coliseum
Dec 5 / Charleston - Marshgrass Mamas at Pour House
Dec 5-6 / Charleston - Everyone Orchestra at Pour House
Dec 6 / Columbia - American Society for Media Professionals Chapter Meeting ft. Photojournalist Sean Rayford
Dec 6 / Cayce - Cayce Historical Museum Open House and Christmas Market
Dec 6 / Charleston (Isle of Palms) - Holiday Street Festival
Dec 6 / Charleston -Haunters w/ Tourneforte + Farseek + Thoroughfare at The Royal American
Dec 6 / Charleston Marc Martel at North Charleston Coliseum
Dec 6 / Charleston Jerkweed at Music Farm
Dec 6 / Greenville - Southern Culture on the Skids with Pleasure Chest
Dec 6 / Greenville - Greenville Poinsettia Christmas Parade
Dec 6 / Greenville - Piedmont Holly Jolly Christmas Parade
Dec 6 / Columbia - Tom Segura at Township Auditorium
Jam Room Christmas Party at Art Bar in Columbia, SC
Dec 6 / Columbia - St. Nicholas Festival
Dec 6 / Columbia - St. Nicholas Festival
Dec 6 / West Columbia - Jamie Wright at Chayz Lounge
Dec 6 / Columbia - Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade
Dec 6 / Fort Mill - 78th Annual Fort Mill Christmas Parade
Dec 6 / Salley - Town of Salley Christmas Parade
Dec 6 / New Ellenton - New Ellenton Christmas Parade
Dec 6 / Graniteville - Graniteville Christmas Parade
Dec 6 / Barnwell - Barnwell Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
Dec 6-8 / Hilton Head - Holiday Nights and Lights
Dec 7 / Charleston - The 13th Annual Royal American Biker Oyster Roast
Dec 7 / Charleston - Haunters w/ Tourneforte + Farseek + Thoroughfare at The Royal American
Dec 7 / Aiken - Downtown Aiken Christmas Parade
Dec 7 / North Augusta - North Augusta Christmas Parade
Dec 7 / Windsor - Town of Windsor Christmas Parade
Dec 7 / Bamberg - Bamberg Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
Dec 7 / Orangeburg - Orangeburg Christmas Parade
Dec 8 / Charleston - Tophouse at Pour House
Dec 8 / Lexington - Lexington Snowball Christmas Parade
Dec 8 / Charleston - Mike Cooley of Drive-By Truckers at Pour House
Dec 9 / Charleston - HR of Bad Brains at Pour House
Dec 10 / Columbia - AGNOSTIC FRONT, Raw Brigade, Violent Way at New Brookland
Dec 10 / Columbia - Harland Willaims, David Lucas, David Jolly, Hans Kim at Township Auditorium
Dec 10-14 / Florence - Lights 4 Paws
Dec 11 / Charleston - Allman Betts Family Reunion (Devon Allman, Duane Betts, Robert Randolph) at Charleston Gailard Center
Dec 11 / Charleston - Songs From the Road Band at Pour House
Dec 11 / Charleston - An Interpretation of Dylan feat. Al Schnier & Vinnie Amico of moe. at Pour House
Dec 12 / Charleston - Sol Driven Train at Charleston Pour House
Dec 11-13 / Columbia - The Bash (Elite HS Basketball) - Marcus Spears Jr. 2027 #1 ESPN
Dec 11-14 / Florence - Brookgreen Gardens' Nights of a Thousand Candles
Dec 12 / Columbia - Bingo Loco at The Senate
Dec 12 / Columbia - Aim High, Moving Boxes, Stress Fractures + more at The Spaze
Dec 12 / Columbia - Ashanti, Keith Sweat, SWV, 80 Fresh at Colonial Life Arena
Dec 12 / Charleston - SCHEMA at The Royal American
Dec 12-14 / Greenville - Holidays at the Zoo
Dec 12-14 / Greenville - Holiday at Peace
Dec 12-14 / Spartanburg - The Nutcracker
Dec 13 / Charleston (Folly Beach) - Folly Beach Christmas Parade
Dec 13 / Charleston -Fo Daniels at The Royal American
Dec 13 / Charleston - Ax and the Hatchetmen at Pour House
Dec 13 / Charleston - Call Me Al (Paul Simon Tribute) at Pour House
Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade (Dec 6 / Columbia)
Dec 13 / Charleston - Andrew Finn Magill at College of Charleston
Dec 13 / Columbia - Primitive Warfare, Kontusion, One of Nine, Curse of Flesh at New Brookland
Dec 13 / Columbia - ROBERT LESTER FOLSOM at New Brookland
Dec 13 / Charleston - Reindeer Run + Walk
Dec 13 / Charleston - Ax and Hatchetman at Charleston Pour House
Dec 13-14 / Columbia - Columbia Christmas Pageant
Dec 13-14 / Rock Hill - Historic Yorkville Holiday Home Tour
Dec 13 / Camden - Candlelight Tour of Homes
Dec 13 / Camden - Kershaw County Christmas Parade
Dec 13 / Charleston - Mt Pleasant Holiday Market and Craft Show
Dec 13 / Columbia - Santa Run & Rudolph Youth Run
Dec 13 Greenville - Hartness Half Marathon & 5K
Dec 13 / Cayce (Columbia) - Holiday Parade of Lights
Dec 13 / Allendale - Allendale Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
Dec 13 / Allendale - Wagener’s Hometown Holiday Parade
Dec 13 / Burnettown - Christmas in the Valley Parade
Dec 13 / Blackville - Blackville Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
Dec 13 / Springfield - Springfield Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
Dec 14 / Charleston - Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade
Dec 14 / Charleston - Whores at Trolley Pub
Dec 14 / Charleston - Holy City Vintage Market at The Royal American
Dec 14 / Charleston - Creative Misfits Live at The Pour House
Dec 14 / Charleston - Chanukah in the Square
Dec 14 / Columbia - Cliff B Worsham, Jacob Danielson Moore with Bob Fleminng and Cambria Iron at The Spaze
Dec 14 / Lexington - Southern Sky (A Tribute to the Eagles) at Icehouse Amphitheater
Dec 14 / Aiken - Aiken Hoofbeats Christmas Parade
Dec 14 / Denmark - Denmark Christmas Parade
Dec 14 / Willston - Williston Christmas Parade
North Main Holiday at Eau Claire High School in Columbia, SC
Dec 15 - DEC 31
Dec 16 / Charleston - Building Joy: Wonderland Extravaganza
Dec 17 / Columbia - No Cure, Fromjoy, Surfaced at New Brookland
Dec 17-23 / Florence - Lights 4 Paws
Dec 17 / Columbia - EYEHATEGOD, D. Sablu, Lash Meat at New Brookland
Dec 18 / Newberry - The Doo Wop Project at Newberry Opera House
Dec 18 / Charleston - Yarn at Charleston Pour House
Dec 18 / Hilda - Town of Hilda’s Christmas Parade
Dec 18-23 / Greenville - Holidays at the Zoo
Dec 18-21 / Georgetown - Brookgreen Gardens' Nights of a Thousand Candles
Dec 18-21 / Greenville - The Nutcracker: Once Upon a Time in Greenville
Dec 19 / Columbia - VERMIN SUPREME at New Brookland
Dec 19 / Charleston - Heyrocco w Mids at The Royal American
Dec 19 / Charleston -The V-Tones Interstellar Holiday Dance Party at Pour House
Dec 19 / Charleston - Sexbruise? at Pour House
Dec 20 / Aiken - Couchton Christmas Parade
Dec 20 / Columbia - 20th Annual Taylor Boys’ Christmas Extravaganza at The Senate
Dec 20 / Columbia - YFN Lucci at Township Auditorium
Dec 20 / Charleston - Cocoa Cup 5K
Dec 19 / Charleston - Graham Whorley at Pour House
Dec 20 / Charleston - Same as it Ever Was at Pour House
Dec 20 / Charleston - Campbell Brown & Jim Rubush at The Royal American
Dec 20 / Charleston - Thrifters & Drifters Market at The Royal American
Dec 20 / Clemson - Ed Harrison Memorial Celtic Christmas
Dec 21 / Hilton Head - Jingle Jingle Bridge Run
Dec 23 / Charleston - Dallas Baker: 6th Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party - Lily Belle Ruff, David Vaughan, Rob Lowe, Jeff Narkiewicz, Nick Radford, & More! at Pour House
Dec 23 / Charleston - Broken Speakers Funky Jingle Ball VIII: Campbell Brown, Corey Stephens, Whitt Algar, Kaitlin Casteel, Charlie Kendall, Stachia Simmons, Bill Jarrett, Patrick Marzett, Jamal Hall at Pour House
Dec 26-30 / Greenville - Holidays at the Zoo
Dec 7 / Charleston - Celebrating OUTKAST + Soul, Hip Hop & R&B / SLIM S.O.U.L and the NO, PUFFISLOVE, Aisha Kenyetta, INDIGXLD, UNHEARD ENT at Pour House
Dec 27 / Columbia - Cold Winter's Day 5K
Dec 27-29 / Florence - Carolina Classic Basketball Championship
Dec 28 / Charleston - Natalie Brooke at Pour House
Dec 30-31 / Georgetown - Brookgreen Gardens' Nights of a Thousand Candles
Dec 31 / Charleston -"A Retro Royal '70s New Year's Eve" at The Royal American
Dec 31 / Conway - Conway's New Year’s Eve
Dec 31 / Charleston - New Year's Eve Drone Show and Flip-Flop Drop
Dec 31 / Charleston - The Psycodelics at Pour House
Cayce, SC Christmas Parade