Hollywild's Magic of Lights opens Nov. 20 near Greer, 5:30 to 9 p.m., $10 a person. Sensory Santa is Nov. 21; holiday markets are Nov. 21 and Dec. 5-6.

Last checked Nov. 1, 2026. This page is updated each year; the dates below are for the 2026 season. Facts come from the City of Greer events calendar, Hollywild, Discover Greer and the Greer Farmers Market.

Updated Nov. 1: Hollywild posted its 2026 Magic of Lights hours and prices. Breakfast with Santa tickets go on sale at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2.

Greer’s holiday season starts the weekend before Thanksgiving, with Sensory Santa and the Holiday Arts Fair, and peaks on the first weekend of December. The tree lighting (Friday, Dec. 4) and the Greer Relief Christmas Parade (Sunday, Dec. 6) have their own page: Christmas parade and tree lighting. This page covers everything else: light displays, Santa visits and holiday markets.

Holidays 2026 at a glance

  • Magic of Lights: from Nov. 20, 5:30 to 9 p.m., Hollywild, 2325 Hampton Road, Wellford. $10 a person.
  • Sensory Santa: Saturday, Nov. 21, Greer City Hall, by reservation.
  • Holiday Arts Fair: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, Center for the Arts.
  • Farmers Market Christmas Festival: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6, Greer City Park.
  • Santa at Stories and Adventures: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, Center for the Arts. Free.
  • City events line: 864-968-7008

Light displays

Magic of Lights at Hollywild, Hollywild Animal Preserve, 2325 Hampton Road, Wellford, in Spartanburg County. The 2026 season begins Friday, Nov. 20, and runs 5:30 to 9 p.m. nightly, with extended hours on some dates to be posted closer to the event, according to Hollywild. The drive-through is $10 a person, the Deer Forest is $10 a vehicle and Santa’s Village is $5 a person. Online tickets can be used any night; Santa’s Village tickets are sold only in person at the village. Hollywild’s homepage lists the last night as Jan. 1 in one place and Jan. 2 in another.

A Heartwarming Holiday in downtown Greer. Last season, the city’s Discover Greer tourism office ran a mistletoe trail of photo stops around downtown through Jan. 4, 2026: a Love Vault wall at Barista Alley, a postcard counter at the Historic Greer Depot, a photo wall at Flying Fox Coffee and a mistletoe gazebo in Greer City Park. The 2026 version had not been announced as of Nov. 1.

Santa visits

  • Sensory Santa, Saturday, Nov. 21, Greer City Hall, 301 E. Poinsett St.: 24 quiet 15-minute sessions between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. for children of all ages and abilities, with service animals welcome. Reserve one slot per family in the city’s recreation catalog: $15 for City of Greer residents and $20 for nonresidents.
  • Christmas Tree Lighting, 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, Greer City Park: Santa and Mrs. Claus help light the tree.
  • Breakfast with Santa, Saturday, Dec. 5, Cannon Centre, 204 Cannon St.: tickets go on sale at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2. Details are on our parade and tree lighting page.
  • Stories and Adventures with Santa Claus, 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, Center for the Arts, 804 Trade St.: a free morning program for young children with a visit from Santa, a themed story and a craft, according to the city calendar.

Holiday markets

  • Holiday Arts Fair, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, Center for the Arts, 804 Trade St.: handmade gifts from local artists and the annual Empty Bowls Sale.
  • Greer Farmers Market Christmas Festival, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6, Greer City Park: local farmers, makers and bakers from within 50 miles of Greer.

More on both, with parking, is on our Black Friday and holiday shopping page.

Gingerbread Jamboree and Christmas at the Museum

The city’s Gingerbread Jamboree is a gingerbread house competition for adults, students, families and teams, held with the Holiday Arts Fair. In 2025, entries were due Nov. 25 and the houses were on display Dec. 6 to 16 during gallery hours at the Center for the Arts. The 2026 dates had not been posted as of Nov. 1.

The Greer Heritage Museum’s Christmas at the Museum is Saturday, Dec. 12, with free ticketed sessions at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Christmas in Greer’s history.

Closings around Christmas

  • Trash: Christmas falls on Friday, Dec. 25; Friday routes are picked up Saturday, Dec. 26, according to the city’s 2026 holiday schedule.
  • Lake Robinson and Lake Cunningham close on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Greer CPW says on its lakes page.

No public menorah lighting in Greer had been announced as of Nov. 1. To list a holiday event, send it to us.

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

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Christmas lights near Greer?

Hollywild Animal Preserve, 2325 Hampton Road in Wellford, runs its Magic of Lights from Nov. 20 through New Year’s Day, with millions of lights, displays, animal encounters and a holiday village.

Where can kids see Santa in Greer?

Sensory Santa at City Hall on Nov. 21 (by reservation), the tree lighting on Dec. 4, Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 5 (tickets from Nov. 2) and a free Stories and Adventures visit with Santa at the Center for the Arts at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15.

What is Sensory Santa in Greer?

A quiet, 15-minute visit with Santa at Greer City Hall on Saturday, Nov. 21, for children of all abilities. Reservations are required: $15 for city residents and $20 for nonresidents.

When is the Greer Christmas parade?

Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. Times, the route and the tree lighting are on our Christmas parade and tree lighting page.