Santa Claus is most definitely coming to town! Visits with Santa will be available evenings at the festival, and during the day at the appointment-only Mingle with Kringle and Inclusive Visit with Santa.
A visit with Santa is at the top of the list for many visitors to the Holiday Festival of Lights. Visiting with Santa at the festival is free; digital photos are available for an additional fee.
Once you arrive at the festival, sign in with one of Santa’s elves to be added to our virtual queue. Families will be able to take advantage of all the event has to offer while waiting in the virtual queue. Guests will receive a notification on their mobile phone when their time to see Santa is approaching.
Santa's Schedule
November 13 - December 23
6 p.m.- closing
Photos with Santa
Visiting with Santa at the festival is free. Digital photos from Coleman Photography are available for an additional fee.
Book a private visit with the big elf himself outside of festival hours! When you Mingle with Kringle, you and your group of up to 5 people will have a chance to tell Santa Claus your Christmas wishes and receive a digital download of your photos from our professional photographer.
Dates: Saturday, December 5 and 12
Location: James Island County Park, upstairs in terrace area (accessible via outdoor ramp)
Cost: $85. Registration is required and closes on the Thursday before each event date. Registration includes a full digital package of all images of your visit and one Gift Pass per registered group to visit the Holiday Festival of Lights on an evening of your choosing.
You are one of 6 registered groups to be booked in the hour time slot. You will have approximately 10 minutes of the hour to sit with Santa for pictures. If your group has more than five people, please book multiple time slots. Each visit with Santa will be on a first-come, first-served basis during that time slot.
No personal photography will be allowed.
Santa's Attic Gift Shop, the Incredible Gift Shop, and Santa's Sweet Shop will be open during the event hours.
People with disabilities and their families are invited to a photo session with Santa at James Island County Park. Join us to experience the time-honored tradition of a visit with Santa Claus during dedicated hours in a calming, subdued environment. While you’re chatting with jolly old St. Nick, our professional photographer will take photos of your group of up to five people with Santa. You'll receive a full digital package of all images of your visit. Gift shops and Santa’s Sweet Shoppe will be open during the event hours.
Location: James Island County Park, upstairs in terrace area (accessible via outdoor ramp)
Cost: $40. Registration includes a full digital package of all images of your visit and one Gift Pass per registered group to visit the Holiday Festival of Lights on another evening of your choosing.
If your group has more than five people, please book multiple spots. A maximum of six families will be able to register for each 30-minute time slot. Each visit with Santa will be on a first-come, first-served basis during that time slot. Santa is fluent in ASL (American Sign Language). No personal photography is allowed.
We are also excited to partner with KultureCityfor this event. To better accommodate guests with sensory difficulties, sensory bags equipped with noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, and verbal cue cards will be available for guest use. A dedicated space will also be available for guests who may feel overwhelmed by the environment. Ask staff on-site for more information.
