Looking for some free things to do this Christmas? Greenville, SC is a wonderful place for free holiday fun! We’ve rounded up top picks that are both friendly to your wallet and fun for your family during your holiday break. Add a few to your calendar to get you out of the house and away from the shopping frenzy.
For even more holiday fun, don’t miss the Ultimate Holiday Guide to Greenville, SC. It’s packed full of things to do, gift ideas, events, and more!
Free Things to Do: Christmas in Greenville, SC
The Festival Of Trees
This FREE event hosted by The St. Francis Foundation is with us again. Your family can stroll through one of two downtown locations to admire the decorated Christmas trees. These trees are great photo opportunities with your kids among some truly creative and inspiring trees!
November 21st – December 25th, 2025. For 2025, we have also created a scavenger hunt for the Hyatt Regency portion of the Festival of Trees, so you can have a little more fun!
- Hyatt Regency Greenville, 220 N Main Street Greenville, SC 29601
- Courtyard Marriot Downtown, 50 West Broad Street Greenville, SC 29601
Santa At Cabela’s Winter Wonderland
November 2nd, 2025 through December 24, 2025
Head over to Greenville to visit Santa at Cabela’s this holiday season! You can get your photo taken with Santa for free and kids can enjoy making a different craft every week leading up to Christmas. In Santa’s, Winter Wonderland kids can also write a letter to Santa for free!
Holiday Hop in Travelers Rest, SC (November 29th, 2025)
Tree Lighting ceremony, Christmas make-and-take craft station for kids, Polar Express rides around the trail, photos with Santa, and even a snowball fight at the gazebo, all on Main Street in Travelers Rest, SC. Parents can enjoy the mini holiday market as well with local merchants at the event.
See a free/cheap(er) holiday movie (December, select dates): Regal Cinemas offers $7.99 holiday movies and NCG movie theaters usually has free holiday movies select dates in December. Check back for more details on the 2025 holiday season.
Greenville Gingerbread Exhibit at Springhill Suites in downtown Greenville (December 3-25, 2025): Check out all the incredible gingerbread houses on display at the hotel. They also have special events like a holiday jazz band concert and winner announcements, which you can see on their calendar.
Sheep Trail by Messy Church Aldersgate UMC (2025 Dates TBD): Find sheep downtown using the trail card and write their unique names while exploring new shops & stores!
Ride the Trolley and Attend the FREE Holiday Happening Events in Downtown Greenville: Catch the holiday floats and marching bands at the Poinsettia Christmas parade, view the light displays at the annual tree lighting, and enjoy the free trolley rides, postcard displays, window displays, and the Festival of Trees. You can also visit the Grand Bohemian and wander through their annual Greenville Christmas Market. These holiday events are full of holiday cheer and are totally free!
Drop off letters to Santa at these Santa Mail Drop-off Locations: Make sure your letter to Santa arrives on time.
Holiday Free Parking
The City of Greenville will be gifting FREE parking on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday & Sunday, December 23-25 (Christmas Eve and Day), and New Year’s Day for 2025. Garages include:
- North Laurens Street Garage
- West Washington Garage
- Broad Street Garage
- Richardson Street Garage
- West End Parking Lot
- South Main Parking Lot
- Over 900 free on-street spaces
More Holiday Fun With Kidding Around Greenville
Christmas Parades around the Upstate
While many of these parades are happening before Christmas break begins, your time is still well-spent browsing the list and making at least one other holiday parade a key feature of your December. The parades are always epic holiday celebrations, many with live entertainment, gorgeous floats, marching bands, and a visit from Santa to end the parade!
The Holiday Light Tour – Check back for 2025 Routes!
The family fun doesn’t have to leave the car because Kidding Around® always creates a map with suggested driving routes to make this tradition easy! Load the family in the car and follow these routes for a super simple, yet super special, night (or nights) of enjoying Holiday lights together.
Personal Home Light Shows and Drive-thru Professional Displays around the Upstate
Kidding Around has put together a handy-dandy list of homes and businesses in the upstate that allow for drive-by holiday lights at a masterful level. While many of the professional displays cost money, there are lots of free opportunities as well. Nothing beats free and warm inside your car during December. You can check the list by scrolling down to “Home Synchronized Light Shows.”
Live Nativities around the Upstate
We have also assembled all the MVPs hosting Live Nativities this year. The live animals and actors are always entertaining and slightly unpredictable—just a great tradition for your family to begin all around.
Sheep Trail 2024 kicks off on December 13 and will run through January 5 this year. We’ll have 11 sheep out and about town this year! Follow here for more details: https://www.facebook.com/messychurch.aumcsc
Could you add these dates! Lights at Hope West Union SC