Rock Hill's 2026 holiday season: ChristmasVille Dec. 3-6 with Santa's arrival, cookies with Santa and a sensory-friendly visit, plus the ice rink and markets.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. ChristmasVille times come from the festival’s 2026 schedule and Visit Rock Hill; city events from the Parks, Recreation and Tourism calendar and the department’s holiday bulletin.
Rock Hill’s holiday season centers on ChristmasVille, four days of events across Old Town from Thursday, Dec. 3, to Sunday, Dec. 6. Santa arrives at Fountain Park at 6 p.m. Dec. 3. The city’s Christmas Parade is Friday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m.; the route, closures and parking are on our separate Christmas parade page.
What this means for you
- Santa arrives: 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, Fountain Park, 300 E. Main St.
- Cookies and cocoa with Santa: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 3, First Presbyterian Church
- Quieter visit: sensory-sensitive Santa, 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, Dec. 6, Knowledge Perk
- Christmas Day trash: no pickup Friday, Dec. 25; watch for the city’s catch-up schedule
- Questions: Rock Hill Parks, Recreation and Tourism, 803-329-5620
Santa visits
All of these are on ChristmasVille’s 2026 schedule:
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m. | Opening ceremony and Santa’s arrival | Fountain Park |
| Thursday, Dec. 3, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Cookies and cocoa with Santa | First Presbyterian Church |
| Saturday, Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Santa’s Main Street Workshop | Main Street |
| Sunday, Dec. 6, 9 a.m. to noon | Sensory-sensitive Santa | Knowledge Perk |
| Sunday, Dec. 6, 4 p.m. | Closing ceremony and Santa’s send-off | Old Town |
The schedule also lists storytime with Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and North Pole Nights on Main Street from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Some events, such as brunches and tastings, are ticketed through the festival’s tickets page.
Lights and the ice rink
- Old Town during ChristmasVille. The festival turns Main Street and the blocks around Fountain Park into the city’s holiday district for four days. The city has not announced a separate drive-through or walk-through light display for 2026.
- Founders Holiday Ice Rink. Last season the city ran a holiday ice rink at Fountain Park, open through Jan. 19, 2026, according to the department’s late-November bulletin. The 2026-27 dates, hours and tickets had not been posted when we checked.
- Deck the Hall. The city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism calendar lists “Deck the Hall” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, under events and festivals; the city has not posted details yet.
Run a neighborhood light display, church light show or menorah lighting that is open to the public? Send us the link to your own announcement and we will add it. We found no public menorah lighting in Rock Hill for 2026 when we checked; Hanukkah begins at sundown Friday, Dec. 4.
Holiday markets
ChristmasVille’s vendor village is at the Freedom Center during the festival. Last year the city also ran the Merry Mosaic Holiday Shop at Boyd Hill Recreation Center, selling work by artists in its therapeutic recreation programs, on weekdays Dec. 3-19, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the 2026 dates are not out. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Galleria hours are on our holiday shopping page.
Wreaths Across America
Last year’s Wreaths Across America ceremony was at noon Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, at Glencairn Garden, with wreath laying at 2 p.m. at four city cemeteries, the city’s bulletin said. The 2026 date will be added when it is announced.
Christmas week: trash, schools and closures
- Trash: the city does not collect garbage on Christmas Day, which is a Friday this year, and it announces the post-Christmas collection schedule each year, according to its garbage page.
- Drop-off centers: York County’s collection and recycling centers open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Christmas Eve and close Christmas Day. See our trash and recycling guide.
- Schools: Rock Hill Schools dismisses early Friday, Dec. 18, and winter break runs Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. See our schools guide.
Related: Christmas parade and ChristmasVille, New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving and things to do this month.
Frequently asked questions
When does Santa arrive in Rock Hill in 2026?
Santa arrives at Fountain Park, 300 E. Main St., at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, during ChristmasVille’s opening ceremony, according to the festival’s 2026 schedule.
Is there a sensory-friendly Santa in Rock Hill?
Yes. ChristmasVille’s schedule lists a sensory-sensitive Santa visit from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, Dec. 6, at Knowledge Perk in Old Town.
Is the ice rink at Fountain Park open for 2026?
The city had not announced the 2026-27 season of the Founders Holiday Ice Rink as of Oct. 12. Last season the rink at Fountain Park ran through Jan. 19, 2026, according to a city parks bulletin.
Is trash picked up on Christmas in Rock Hill?
No. The city collects garbage on every holiday except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and announces the post-Christmas schedule each year. Christmas 2026 is a Friday.
Where are the Christmas lights in Rock Hill?
Old Town is the center of the season during ChristmasVille, Dec. 3-6. The city has not announced a separate light display for 2026; we will add public displays here as their organizers post them.
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