# Christmas markets and winter wonderlands in Columbia, 2026

> We found three Christmas markets and winter events in and around Columbia with 2026 dates posted: two holiday markets and one winter wonderland event. One is free to get in. They’re in Columbia and Lexington. Each card has the dates and hours, what it costs to get in, and notes on strollers and things for little kids.

- Last checked: 2026-10-30
- 3 markets and winter events with 2026 dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/christmas-markets/
- Santa visits (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/santa/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/llms.txt

## Markets and winter events

- **Craftsmen's Christmas Classic** at SC State Fairgrounds, Columbia, SC · about 2 miles away. When: Nov 13 – Nov 15. Time: Fri 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Price: Adults $10, ages 6 to 12 $1, under 6 free. Tickets are good all three days. Type: Holiday market. Hours: Fri 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Official page: https://gilmoreshows.com/columbia-1-2/ (checked 2026-10-30)
- **Wild Lights** at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia, SC · about 3 miles away. When: Nov 20 – Jan 10. Time: Select nights. Check the zoo calendar. Type: Winter wonderland. Hours: Select nights. Check the zoo calendar. For kids: More than 60 giant wildlife lanterns, nightly snowfall and Santa visits through Dec 23. Official page: https://www.riverbanks.org/events/wild-lights (checked 2026-10-30)
- **Snowball Festival Christmas Craft Fair** at Icehouse Amphitheater, Lexington, SC · about 12 miles west of Columbia. When: Dec 3 – Dec 4. Time: Thu and Fri 4 to 8 p.m. Price: Free. Type: Holiday market. Hours: Thu and Fri 4 to 8 p.m. 66 local vendors. Friday adds the tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. and a showing of Elf at 7:30; the Snowball carnival with Santa photos follows Saturday from 11 to 3. Official page: https://www.lexsc.gov/1014/Snowball-Festival---2026-Information (checked 2026-10-30)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
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## FAQ

### Are there Christmas markets in Columbia in 2026?
Craftsmen's Christmas Classic at SC State Fairgrounds: Nov 13 – Nov 15. Adults $10, ages 6 to 12 $1, under 6 free. Tickets are good all three days. Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden: Nov 20 – Jan 10. Snowball Festival Christmas Craft Fair at Icehouse Amphitheater: Dec 3 – Dec 4. Free.

### Where is there a winter wonderland for kids near Columbia?
Wild Lights (Columbia, SC · about 3 miles away): Nov 20 – Jan 10.

### How do you check these markets?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 30, 2026, and we recheck them every week through December. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).