If you’re visiting the Old 96 in South Carolina this holiday season, this list of Christmas Things To Do In The Old 96 District will help you plan the best trip.
For more area activities, check out all of our posts about the Old 96.
We love visiting the Old 96 District in South Carolina. It’s small town America and each town feels like you stepped onto the set of a Hallmark movie.
There’s a drive-in movie theater in Greenwood, the cutest town square in Abbeville (with a haunted hotel on one corner), and an old gas-station-turned road stop attraction in Laurens run by the nicest man who will come out and give you a private tour if he notices you admiring the building.
It all feels like something scripted, but it’s just that perfect small town life.
And so, if you’re looking for somewhere to go to get all the Christmas feels this year, that’s the perfect spot.
You can walk around, pretending you’re a big city lawyer who bumps into a humble bookshop owner who invites you for hot cocoa while it snows … or you can do the events on this Christmas Things To Do In The Old 96 District list.
Some of them are date specific, but we made sure to add some Christmas things that happen always (like purchasing Christmas beers) so that you can do them no matter when you’re in town.
Christmas Things To Do In The Old 96 District
Drugstore Divas doesn’t have any affiliation with these events. This is all the best information we found, but be sure to confirm any questions with the event organizers themselves.
Attend A Town Tree Lighting
There are five counties that make up the Old 96 District, which means you have a few opportunities to see a town tree lighting.
Abbeville is having its Christmas Tree Lighting on November 20 at 6:30 pm. It’ll happen in Court Square. You’ll be able to take pictures with Santa then too.
A week later is Edgefield’s Christmas Tree Lighting (Main Street Edgefield) on November 28 at 6 pm.
And, if you’re not going to be in the area December, you still have a chance to see a town tree lighting. Laurens is hosting it annual tree lighting (in the main square in Laurens) on December 5 at 6 pm.
Check Out A Christmas Parade
I’m a fan of any parade, so of course, I’m gonna suggest you go to any Christmas parade you’re in town for.
Kicking off the parade schedule is Laurens Christmas Parade is on December 6 at 4 pm. It starts at East Laurens St. at Caroline St., goes through the Square, up West Main Street, and ends near the Laurens County Library.
The next day, December 7, you’re gonna have to make a choice. The Uptown Greenwood’s Christmas Parade at 2:30 pm. It’ll start at Main Street and Seaboard Avenue and ends near South Main Baptist Church. This year’s theme is “Red, White & Blue.”
But also that day is Edgefield’s Christmas Parade at 3 pm in downtown Edgefield. You’re not able to make both, so you have to pick one or the other.
The next weekend, you can do both. There’s the Abbeville Christmas Parade on December 13 at 11 am. It’s followed by the Holiday on Main Christmas Parade on Main Street in McCormick at 4:30 pm. This year, it’s a “Twas the Night Before Christmas” theme.
Shop A Christmas Market
If you’re trying to find the perfect gift for someone who has anything, go to a local Christmas market. Small local vendors sell items that you (most likely) can’t find anywhere else, so you don’t have to worry about getting the same thing as anyone.
There are a few holiday markets in the Old 96 District this season.
The Inn on the Square (104 Court Ave E; Greenwood), one of our favorite boutique hotels, is hosting a Holiday Market on November 22 from 9 am to 2 pm.
There’s also the Merry Market at the Laurens County Museum (116 South Public Square) on November 28 (5 pm to 8 pm) and November 29 (10 am to 2 pm).
Then, there are a ton of Christmas markets the first weekend in December.
There’s the Sip and Stroll in downtown McCormick on December 5 from 4 pm to 6 pm. You can grab a map of participating merchants at the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center (100 N. Main Street). What’s fun about this one is complementary wine, cider, and punch will be served.
That same weekend, December 5 and 6, you can choose from the Handmade for the Holidays market at Livery Stable (116 Trinity St; Abbeville) from noon to 6 pm on Friday and 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday (which is part of the town’s Victorian Christmas — more on that below) or the December Shopping Market at Cook’s Farm Roadside Market (1236 Augusta Road, Trenton) on Friday (10 am to 6 pm) and Saturday (8 am to 4 pm).
There’s also The Festival of Trees & Holiday Market in McCormick at the 1898 Grist Mill in the Dorn Mill Complex (206 N Main St). That’s from noon to 7 pm on December 5, 6, 12, and 13.
And, if you’re more of a weekday shopper, there’s a Sip n’ Shop holiday event in Uptown Greenwood on Thursday, December 11 from 5 pm to 8 pm.
Check Out The Victorian Christmas
The Town of Abbeville is hosting its annual Victorian Christmas celebration on December 5 and 6. It’s two days filled with events around town. Deep breath because the list is long.
December 5:
- 10 am to 5:30 pm: Victorian Sip & Shop and Holiday Market Pop-Up at Breezy Quarters; 11 am to 7 pm: Crochet Pop-Up at Pink on Pickens; noon to 6 pm: Handmade for the Holidays market at Livery Stable; Paws and Petticoats Humane Society Benefit and Whiskey Hat Co. Pop-Up at Country Cowboy; 3 pm to 5 pm: Holiday Tour at the Burt Stark Mansion; 4 pm to 8 pm: Ugly Christmas Sweater Flight Night at Divine Your Space; 5 pm to 6 pm: Christmas Music on the Square; 5 pm to 8 pm: Mulled Cider Sip & Shop at Once Upon a Thyme, Sip & Shop at Quiver Full Home and Candlelight Nights on Church Street; 5:30 pm to 9 pm: Christmas Around the World at Indigenous Underground.
December 6:
- 9 am to 11 am: Pancakes with Santa at Refuel; 10 am to 4 pm: Christmas Market at the Livery Stable, Paws and Petticoats Humane Society Benefit, and Victorian Sip & Shop / Holiday Market Pop-Up at Breezy Quarters; 10 am to 6 pm: Whiskey Hat Co. Pop-Up at Country Cowboy and Crochet Pop-Up at Pink on Pickens; 1 pm to 3 pm: Victorian Figure Drawing with the Abbeville Artist Guild; 3 pm to 5 pm: Holiday Tour at the Burt Stark Mansion; 5 pm to 6 pm: Christmas Concert at Trinity Church; and 5 pm to 8 pm: Candlelight Nights on Church.
See Santa
Santa will be making a couple appearances around the Old 96 district this season.
He makes a bunch of appearances at the Yuletide Unicorn Festival at Hidden Pasture Unicorn Farm (108 Hidden Pasture Trail; Fountain Inn, SC) every Friday to Sunday from November 21 to December 21 from 11 am to 4 pm.
He’ll be in the square in Abbeville on November 20 (the town’s tree lighting), December 5 and 6 (as part of the Victorian Christmas), then again December 12, 13, 19, and 20.
The big man will also be at the PJ Party with Santa at The Museum in Greenwood (106 Main Street) on December 5 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm.
He’ll be at The Arts Center in Greenwood )120 Main St) the next day, December 6, from 9 am to 11 am, then 3 pm to 5 pm. The cost is $10 per family.
Also The Arts Center, from 1 pm to 3 pm, there will be Crafts with Mrs. Claus. And then he’ll be back in Greenwood that night for the town’s tree lighting.
And the next day, Santa will be back in Abbeville from 9 am to 11 am for Pancakes with Santa at Refuel (100 Vienna St). There will also be crafts and a gift for kids. Tickets are $15.
Eat Some Cookies During A Cookie Walk
What’s Christmas without cookies?
If you don’t want to make your own, you can grab some on a cookie walk. There’s one in downtown McCormick on December 6 from noon to 4 pm. It’s $10 a person and you’ll get cookies and a goodie bag.
If you miss that one, there’s a cookie walk in Abbeville on December 13, after the Christmas parade, from noon to 4 pm. Tickets are $10 per person.
Visit Bethlehem
If you can’t make it to the actual Bethlehem this year, you can visit a replica in the Old 96.
The Cold Spring Mennonite Church (226 Cold Springs Church Rd, Abbeville) hosts Walk Through Bethlehem, an outdoor event where characters act out the story of Jesus.
It’ll be December 4 to 7, then December 11 to 14 from 6 pm to 8 pm. Groups will set out every 20 minutes. Quick note: Due to weather, the event is canceled for Friday, December 5.
You can also have a similar experience at Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries (215 Terrell Smith Ave, Greenwood) on December 4 to 6 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm.
There will be a live nativity performance, concert, Christmas village with a petting zoo, hot chocolate, wagon rides, and a photo booth.
Check Out A Christmas Show At The Abbeville Opera House
The Abbeville Opera House (100 Court Square #102) is hosting two Christmas themed shows this season.
First up is Disney’s Frozen Kids, with performances on December 4 at 5 pm and 7 pm. And then there’s A Motown Christmas on December 20 at 1 pm and 6 pm.
Both of these are ticketed events.
Sip On A Christmas Brew
Sled Dawg Brewery (220 Phoenix St; Greenwood) has a Sleigh Ride Sipper, which is a Christmas Ale, available for you to enjoy — if you’re 21+ of course.
You can also check out Good Times Brewing (233 Maxwell Ave) for its Vintage Quad — a holiday brew that will be tapped just as soon as there’s an open tap.
While you’re waiting, you can sip on one of the brewery’s Winter Seasonal cocktails: Yule Mule (spiced rum, cranberry, lime, and ginger beer), Pomegranate Marg (tequila, sour mix, pomegranate, and lime), Brown Sugar Old Fashioned (bourbon, brown sugar, bitters, orange peel, and cherry), or Jingle Juice (available during Saturday brunch only).
Check Out Some Christmas Lights
You have a couple Christmas light displays in the area you can check out, no matter when you’re visiting.
There’s the Light of Christmas display in Abbeville that will be lit through December.
And, from November 20 to January 3, you can catch holiday lights at Sara’s Farm Adventure (130 State Hwy S-19-29; Trenton).
See Christmas Trees During The Festival Of Trees
You have two good chances to see a ton of Christmas trees at once.
There’s the Festival of Trees at the Laurens County Museum (116 South Public Square). On Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm, from November 1 to January 10, 20216, you can see a collection of themed trees throughout the museum.
There’s also the aforementioned The Festival of Trees in McCormick at the 1898 Grist Mill in the Dorn Mill Complex (206 N Main St) from noon to 7 pm on December 5 and 6.
Read The Night Before Christmas
Pete installed a story walk in our town a couple years ago and actually was recognized by the community for it. If you haven’t seen one, they’re wooden posts where pages of a story are displayed. Families can go from one to the next, reading the entire story.
From November 28 to December 13, McCormick’s story walk, along the fence at the McCormick County Library Playground (201 Railroad Avenue), will display The Night Before Christmas.
Hunt For Reindeer
McCormick is hosting a Reindeer Scavenger Hunt throughout the town at places like Town Hall, Thompson Hardware, the library, and more.
When kids (well, anyone under 18) have found all nine reindeer and added their corresponding stamps to this flyer, bring it to the McCormick County Library (201 Railroad Avenue) for a complementary Christmas book and cookie.
Enter The Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes Eating Contest
How many Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes can you eat in two minutes? For me, I don’t think I can finish one in that time. But if you can do more, head to Abbeville on December 13 at noon for the first Christmas Tree Cake Eating Contest for a chance to win a gift basket full of Christmas tree cake merch and a trophy.
You must be 18+ to enter and there’s a $5 entry fee. It’s limited to the first 10 applicants.
What Christmas events in the Old 96 district are you excited about attending? Be sure to let us know in the comments.