The Charleston Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park is one of the Lowcountry’s most beloved holiday traditions and has earned national recognition as one of the top holiday light displays in the country. Each year, from mid-November through December, thousands of visitors make their way to Charleston to experience the festival’s spectacular three-mile driving tour, featuring hundreds of illuminated displays and millions of twinkling lights. Beyond the scenic drive, guests can enjoy festive attractions, seasonal treats, and family-friendly activities that make this annual celebration a favorite for all ages.
During our Southeast Sea Islands cruise, you’ll have the opportunity to visit historic Charleston and experience the city’s renowned architecture, culture, and Lowcountry charm. If your visit coincides with the celebration, the Holiday Festival of Lights is one seasonal attraction you may wish to explore independently while in the area. Before making plans, guests should confirm the festival’s current dates, hours, admission requirements, and transportation options.
How and When Did this Tradition Begin?
The Charleston Holiday Festival of Lights was originally planned with the trees of James Island County Park being the framework for the lights. However, in 1989, Hurricane Hugo destroyed 90% of the park’s trees, and the focus switched to light displays.
The first festival began in 1990, featuring only 18 light displays created by engineer Bernie Pettit in Wheeling, WV. That year, as many as 85,000 visitors drove along the festival’s over two-mile route, featuring the first animated display, a Jack-in-the-Box, programmed and operated by a computer.
After learning the craft, Rich Raab, a park-employed electrician and maintenance technician, continued the tradition, with his first light display featuring “Santa on the Roof” at the Park Center. For over two and a half decades, he perfected the technique, building several displays and eventually becoming the festival’s Light Show Supervisor. Since that time, all displays have been constructed on-site by park staff.
Today, the festival features three miles of over 750 displays and approximately two million lights. The early light displays featured traditional colored light bulbs, but now they are created or refurbished with brighter, energy-efficient LED lights.
Preparing for the Festival
The Light Show crew works throughout the year to design, build, construct, and break down the beautiful festival, with just one light display taking between six and ten weeks to create.
Hundreds of people are needed annually to set up lights in the park and along the drive. These volunteers spend hundreds of hours draping lights on trees and bushes, so visitors have a fully illuminating experience. To power all of the displays, it takes 2,500 breakers and 40 transformers, plus a full hour to turn the show on and off each night. The festival’s displays encompass over 1,000 pieces that are stored within 28 trailers during the off-season.
Lights and More
Over the years, the festival has evolved to offer the opportunity to park the car and walk through display areas to view the lights up close. Guests can also visit Santa’s Village, explore Winter Wonderland, hop on the festival train, peruse one-of-a-kind gift shops, sip hot chocolate, take a spin on a Victorian carousel, and see a giant holiday sand sculpture.
Experience Charleston During the Holidays
Charleston offers a distinctive blend of history, architecture, coastal scenery, and Lowcountry culture throughout the year. During the holiday season, festive events such as the Holiday Festival of Lights add another dimension to the city’s appeal.
You can discover more of what Charleston, SC, has to offer, along with the rest of the Southeast U.S. region, on our East Coast Inland Passage cruise and Southeast Sea Islands cruise. Guests may wish to explore the Holiday Festival of Lights independently if their visit coincides with the celebration. Festival dates, attractions, hours, admission requirements, and operating details may change from year to year, so guests should review current information and arrange transportation in advance.
