# Christmas parades and tree lightings in Columbia, 2026

> We found four Christmas parades and tree lightings in and around Columbia with 2026 dates: two parades and two tree lightings and lighting nights, three free to watch. Each one has the date, start time, price and a link to the organizer’s page.

- Last checked: 2026-10-30
- 4 parades and tree lightings with 2026 dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/christmas-parades/
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- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/llms.txt

## Christmas parades

- **Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade: Light Up the Holidays** at Downtown Columbia, Downtown Columbia. When: Sat, Dec 5, 2026. Time: 2026 time not posted yet. Price: Free to watch. More than 125 entries; it runs rain or shine. Official page: https://www.carolinacarillon.org/ (checked 2026-10-21)
- **Snowball Christmas Parade** at Lexington, Lexington. When: Sun, Dec 6, 2026. Time: 3 p.m. Price: Not listed. Official page: https://www.lexsc.gov/1014/Snowball-Festival---2026-Information (checked 2026-10-21)

## Tree lightings and lighting nights

- **Vista Lights Tree Lighting** at The Vista, Lincoln and Gervais Streets. When: Thu, Nov 19, 2026. Time: 6 p.m.; tree lighting 7 p.m. Price: Free. For kids: Free parking at the South Carolina State Museum, with free rides to the event from 5:45 p.m. A free Kid’s Zone on Lincoln St. has face painting, balloon art, reindeer snacks and visits with Santa. Official page: https://www.vistacolumbia.com/special-events/vista-lights (checked 2026-10-21)
- **Christmas in Cayce Tree Lighting** at Cayce City Hall, Cayce. When: Thu, Dec 3, 2026. Time: 6 p.m. Price: Free. Cayce's 50th tree lighting, hosted by the Woman's Club of Cayce. City Hall is covered in lights, school choirs and bands play carols, Santa and Mrs. Claus stop by, and hot chocolate and sweets are free. Official page: https://caycesc.gov/festivals.php (checked 2026-10-30)

## Parades and tree lightings that come back every year

- [Vista Lights Tree Lighting](https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/events/vista-lights-tree-lighting/): next dates Nov 19, 2026
- [Christmas in Cayce Tree Lighting](https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/events/christmas-in-cayce-tree-lighting-city-hall/): next dates Dec 3, 2026
- [Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade: Light Up the Holidays](https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/events/carolina-carillon-holiday-parade-light-up-the-holidays-downtown-columbia/): next dates Dec 5, 2026
- [Snowball Christmas Parade](https://littlesweekly.com/columbia-sc/events/snowball-christmas-parade-lexington/): next dates Dec 6, 2026

## 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).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### When is the Christmas parade in Columbia in 2026?
Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade: Light Up the Holidays: Sat, Dec 5, 2026, 2026 time not posted yet (Downtown Columbia). Snowball Christmas Parade: Sun, Dec 6, 2026, 3 p.m. (Lexington).

### When is the Christmas tree lighting in Columbia?
Vista Lights Tree Lighting at The Vista: Thu, Nov 19, 2026, 6 p.m.; tree lighting 7 p.m. Christmas in Cayce Tree Lighting at Cayce City Hall: Thu, Dec 3, 2026, 6 p.m.

### Are Christmas parades and tree lightings in Columbia free?
Three of the four we list are free to watch: Vista Lights Tree Lighting, Christmas in Cayce Tree Lighting and Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade: Light Up the Holidays. Some charge for extras like Santa photos or rides, and each card says so.

### Which are best for little kids?
Daytime ones are easiest with toddlers: Carolina Carillon Holiday Parade: Light Up the Holidays and Snowball Christmas Parade. Evening ones start after dark and are colder, so bring layers and a blanket for the stroller. Get there early for a curb spot near the start so little ones can see.

### How do you check these parades and tree lightings?
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 early December. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).