Spartanburg, South Carolina welcomes the holidays with festive seasonal activities. Holiday happenings include two parades, a Shrine Bowl, Victorian Christmas celebration, popular holiday concert, and a spectacular light display. Families will enjoy these seasonal events that usher in the holidays in the Upstate.
One of the most popular holiday light displays in the Upstate is the Annual Holiday Lights Safari at Hollywild Animal Park. Visitors can drive through 100 acres twinkling with more than one million lights. Exit the car and walk through Santa’s Village to see the life-sized nativity, shop for holiday gifts, greet some animals, and warm by the bonfire with marshmallows and hot chocolate. The kids will enjoy the pony rides and photos with Santa. Holiday Lights Safari runs November 23-January 4. Week night hours are 6-9pm with extended hours on weekends. Admission is $6 per person. An optional drive through the Enchanted Deer Forest is an additional $10 per car. Hollywild Animal Park is located at 2325 Hampton Road in Wellford, South Carolina.
The annual ‘Dickens of a Christmas’ is downtown Spartanburg’s kick off for the holidays. This year’s event is scheduled for December 3 from 6-9pm on Main Street between Denny’s Tower and Daniel Morgan Avenue. Enjoy the free family activities, shopping, carolers, food vendors, and a visit from Santa. The lighting of the Christmas tree takes place at 7:30pm. Horse-drawn carriage rides will be available at Richardson Park. Have a Victorian family photo made to remember the occasion. Costumes are provided.
The Spartanburg Jaycees Christmas Parade will take place December 10 at 6:30pm. The Upstate’s largest night time parade will feature lighted floats and marching bands. The parade route begins downtown at Pine and Henry Streets.
The 77th Annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas is scheduled for December 21 at Wofford College’s Gibbs Stadium. This is the oldest high school all-star football game in the country, with teams made up exclusively of players from North and South Carolina. The game raises money for Shriners Hospitals for Children. The event begins with a parade at 10am, followed by the kick off at 1pm. Tickets are $15.
An outdoor ice skating rink will be open in downtown Spartanburg’s Morgan Square November 15-January 5. The rink is open daily; hours vary. A $10 admission includes skate rental and is valid all day. A special two-for-one admission is available on Tuesdays.
Spartanburg Philharmonic presents ‘Joyous Christmas Sounds’ on December 7 at 7pm. Enjoy traditional holiday music from around the world including popular carols, classical selections, and the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ from Handel’s Messiah. There will be a special guest appearance by Ballet Spartanburg performing dances from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. The concert venue is Twitchell Auditorium at Converse College.
Rebecca Allison is the General Manager at the Hampton Inn Spartanburg. This Spartanburg SC Hotel invites guests to step back in time to the colonial era or indulge in modern luxuries and recreation in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Hampton Inn & Suites Spartanburg Hotel on North I-85 is situated to offer easy access to the Duncan business centers.
For more information visit: http://www.HamptonInnSpartanburg.com
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