Seasons greetings, Greenville. ❄️ To help you get the most out of the most wonderful time of the year, we’ve compiled our GVLtoday winter bucket list, complete with 30+ events and activities to try. So jingle all the way through this list to make sure you don’t miss anything. ☃️
👟 Activities
○ Santa’s Sleigh Ride | 206 S. Main St. | Take a ride on Santa’s sleigh downtown. This year, appointments are required. You can sign up here.
○ United Community Bank Ice on Main | 1 Main St. | $8+ | This year, you can buy tickets online. Walk-ins are welcome, but because of limited admissions, reservations are recommended. ⛸
○ Holiday Movie Nights | Every Wed. through Dec. | 6:30 p.m. | Birds Fly South Ale Project | Free | Get in the Christmas spirit with a beer-in-hand + five weeks of movies.
○ Christmas Stories on the Steps | Fri., Dec. 11 | 4:30 p.m. | M. Judson Booksellers, 130 S. Main St. | $20 | Enjoy a book on the steps with your littles + a Camilla Kitchen treat. 📚
○ The North Pole at TCMU | Sat., Dec.19-Sun., Dec. 20 | The Children’s Museum of the Upstate | Prices Vary | Learn about different holiday traditions, make crafts, and write a letter to Santa.
🎄 Where to catch the lights
○ Hollywild Holiday Lights Safari | Through Jan. 2 | Times vary | Hollywild, 2325 Hampton Rd., Wellford | $7+ | Take a drive through the “Hollywild” and see some animal friends up close.
○ Lights of Love | Through Jan. 1 | Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas, 706 Grove Rd. | The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas has decorated their house in holiday lights. It’s free to drive-through and see the display.
○ Upstate Holiday Light Show | Through Dec. 31 | Sun.-Thurs. 6-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 6-11 pm. | Greenville Pickens Speedway, 3800 Calhoun Memorial Hwy., Easley | $30+ | Drive around the track as many times as you want in one of Greenville’s largest musical light shows.
○ Anderson Christmas Lights | Through Dec. 25 | Sun.-Thurs. 5:30-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5:30-11 p.m. | 150 Rose Valley Blvd., Anderson | $10 per car | 2.4 miles of drive-thru Christmas Lights (you might even spot Santa).
○ Christmas Tree Lighting in Greer | Fri., Dec. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Greer City Park | Watch the lighting of downtown Greer’s Christmas tree.
Want more places to see Christmas lights? Check out this list from our friends at Kidding Around Greenville.
☕ Food + drinks
○ Southern Pressed Juicery | The Grinch Smoothie
Avocado, mint, peppermint oil, cacao nibs, spinach, maple syrup, vanilla extract, coconut mylk, house made almond mylk, and topped with coconut whip - the perfect holiday drink.
○ Swamp Rabbit Cafe | Christmas Gift Basket
A perfect gift for you or someone else – a basket of holiday goods from Swamp Rabbit Cafe.
○ Tandem Creperie and Coffeehouse | Gingerbread Waffle
Can’t get enough of the gingerbread? Be sure to also try their gingerbread latte.
○ Scandi Tiny Coffee | Campfire Latte
This latte features their mocha syrup, espresso, milk, cinnamon + toasted marshmallow.
Holiday markets
○ Taylors Made: Christmas Market | Sun., Dec. 6 | 1-6 p.m. | 13 Stripes Brewery, 250 Mill St., Taylors | Prices vary | Hang out for food, vendors, and some Christmas shopping.
○ Very Merry Christmas Market | Sat., Dec. 12 | 12:30-4:30 p.m. | Trailblazer Park, Travelers Rest | Prices Vary | This Travelers Rest holiday tradition will feature the TR Christmas Parade + Christmas shopping from local producers – even a visit from Santa himself. 🎅
○ Local Urban Holiday Market | Sat., Dec. 12 | 1-4 p.m. | 1801 Rutherford Rd. | Prices vary | Enjoy local products at this vendor’s market presented by the Urban League of the Upstate. 🛍️
○ Holiday Open House | Fri., Dec. 4 | 5-8 p.m. | Main Street, Downtown Travelers Rest | Visitors are invited in for first dibs on the latest goods and a look at what Downtown Travelers Rest merchants have to offer this holiday season. ☃️
○ The Indie Craft Parade: The Shop Edition | Fri.-Sun. through Dec. 20 | 2909 Old Buncombe Rd. | Indie Craft Parade will also be hosting a Mini Market on Dec. 5. More about that here.
🎄 Local tree farms
○ Davenport Farm | Through Dec. 25 | 2509 Cokesbury Rd., Greenwood
Pick + cut your own family Christmas tree, starting at $59.
○ Mystic Tree Farm | 9029 Old White Horse Rd.
Browse 30 acres of Christmas trees, wreaths + garlands. Their large trees for the season have sold out.
○ Grandaddy’s Trees | Selling trees until they run out | 1234 E. Butler Rd.
They’ve been selling trees fast this year – if you want one of Grandaddy’s trees, they recommend getting one by this weekend.
🎟️ Holiday festivals
○ Family Christmas Spectacular | Fri., Dec. 11-Sun., Dec. 20 | Times vary | Mauldin Cultural Center | $15 | Enjoy your favorite holiday hits performed by Upstate singers.
○ Travelers Rest Christmas Parade | Sat., Dec. 12 | 11 a.m. | Downtown TR | Watch the streets of Travelers Rest fill with Christmas cheer.
○ Holiday Fair of Greenville | Thurs., Dec. 3- Sat., Dec. 5 | Greenville Convention Center, One Exposition Dr. | $9 | Holiday arts, crafts, and gifts under one roof.
❤️ Donating
○ Harvest Hope Food Bank is looking for both volunteers + donations this holiday season. You can also sign up to host a food drive virtually or traditionally.
○ The Salvation Army of Greenville is looking for bell ringers for its 2020 Red Kettle Campaign through the month of December.
○ Order beautiful holiday cards designed by local artist Douglas Piperr to benefit United Ministries’ vision of ensuring “that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in Greenville.”
○ The Greer Police Department is accepting donations for Cops for Tots to help struggling families in the Greer area during the holidays.
Want to see even more ways to give back locally? Check out our full list here.
🍾 NYE events
○ New Years Eve Bar Crawl | Thurs., Dec. 31 | 4-11 p.m. | Gringos Cantina | $19+ | Spice up NYE with a bar crawl around Greenville.
○ Shag-In NYE 2021 | Thurs., Dec. 31 | 5:30 p.m. | Embassy Suites by Hilton Greenville | $189 | Dance your way into the New Year with a night of shag.
