Oct. 9-20, 2024

Days
Hours
Minutes

Carolina Lights Returns Dec. 3 at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds

November 15, 2022

COLUMBIA, S.C.

The South Carolina State Fair welcomes the holiday season with the return of Carolina Lights, its annual downtown drive-through holiday lights show, taking place Dec. 3-26 (closed Christmas Day) at the Lexington Medical Center Fair Park at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds.

Now in its fourth year, the holiday drive-through lights experience will feature more than 100 individual LED light displays synchronized to holiday music along a nearly two-mile stretch inside the fairgrounds. Guests will be delighted by dinosaurs, gingerbread soccer, Santa Claus, Elf on the Shelf, tunnel of lights, the 12-days of Christmas, plus many more surprises. The S.C. State Fair’s popular chocolate chip cookies, milk and Pepsi products will be available for purchase.

“We are excited to officially kick off the holiday season with the return of our popular Carolina Lights show at the fairgrounds,” says Nancy Smith, S.C. State Fair general manager. “Now a South Carolina tradition, this year’s expanded route will feature several new dazzling displays plus many classics that our guests have come to enjoy.”

Guests can tune their radios to 88.9 FM to music that synchronizes` with the lights.

Buy early and save! Discount car passes ($5 savings) are available at SCStateFair.org/Carolina-Lights now through Dec. 2, 2022.

Admission is $20 per car, $35 per mini-bus (9-24 passengers) and $70 for vehicles with 25 or more passengers. Passes can be purchased at SCStateFair.org/Carolina-Lights or at the gate. Cash and credit card (VISA and Mastercard) will be accepted.

Carolina Lights will run Dec. 3-26 from 6-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The lights show will be closed on Christmas Day.

Patrons should enter at Gate 6 on George Rogers Boulevard. To ensure the safety of all and in order to control the flow of traffic, visitors will not be permitted to exit their vehicles. Guests who wish to drive-through a second time on the same night may request a re-entry pass at the exit gate. (This opportunity ends 15 minutes before closing each night.)

“Many people often think of the S.C. State Fair as just two weeks in October, but in fact, we operate year-round,” says Smith. “We are a charitable organization committed to providing family-friendly entertainment, promoting South Carolina’s roots, giving back through educational scholarships and so much more.”

For more information and to purchase car passes, visit scstatefair.org.

About the South Carolina State Fair

The South Carolina State Fair, a self-supporting 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was organized in 1869 and is dedicated to preserving and promoting South Carolina’s agricultural roots while supporting statewide education. The South Carolina State Fair brand has always been associated with highlighting the best of our state.

Skip to content