Christmas light shows in the SC Midlands: Here’s your holiday guide to find them
If you love to ride around town looking at Christmas lights, this list is for you.
While the Midlands has some extravaganza light displays at the zoo, baseball stadium and other businesses, there are quite a few extra special homegrown versions.
Many of the families have been doing the shows for years and each year the displays get just a bit better.
Here are some worth seeing. If you have a great display and are not included in this list, please send the information to lynriddle@thestate.com. We want to include as many as we can.
Ritchie light show 100 Back Acres Road, Chapin
Mike Ritchie has been decorating for a few years and adds more each year. Thousands of lights and Santa on the roof.
213 Meetze Ave., Lexington
Show times: Sunday through Thursday 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
This is year 14 for the Hite family. They say they have new props this year you are sure to love and music at 90.3 on your radio.
They ask people to park in the parking lot instead of the street.
725 Formby Drive, Columbia in the Spring Valley Subdivision.
Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. nightly Thanksgiving through Dec. 31.
Synchronized display, tune to 88.7 and enjoy the lights from your car or walk the lighted paths. They ask you to use the North Springs Road or Two Notch Road entrances (Flora Drive gate is closed).
419 Mt Valley Road, Blythewood
They have installed an average of 29,926 lights in their year for the past five years.
They’ve been erecting the light display for the past 15 years.
“We started out with the dancing trees and candy canes in 2011 with 1,140 lights,” Johnson said on Facebook.
Then came hanging snowflakes, more lights in the dancing trees, a 10 foot, then a 20 footer. This year, they are adding a 6-foot pixel tree. Almost 12.000 motion lights are installed.
11 Heron Pond Road, Columbia
Synchronized light show and photos with Santa on Saturday 12/13/25 and 12/20/25.
Nesbitt House
740 Martin Smith Road, Gilbert 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m .nightly.
The house was featured on the ABC reality show The Great Christmas Light Fight.
If the gates are open, visitors may pull into the driveway and view the display from their cars. Please stay inside your vehicle. There is a parking area where vehicles can turn around to exit.
Visitors are also welcome to park along the road and view the display from the fence. Please do not walk inside the fence.
Lexington home
497 Sandy Point Road, Lexington Large static display with the nativity, inflatable Rudolph characters, and a large tree.
Columbiamom.com says these neighborhoods go all out.
Lexington
Mallard Lake Drive
Liberty Farm Blvd (The Farm Subdivision)
Torrey Glen Drive (Martin’s Grove Subdivision)
River Birch Drive (Westbrook Subdivision)
Dupre Mill Road (Parkside Subdivision)
Mill Wheel Drive (Millstream Crossing Subdivision)
Crepe Myrtle Circle
Hope Ferry Road
Columbia and the Northeast
Long Creek Plantation
Lake Carolina
North Springs Subdivision
West Columbia
Brookdale Subdivision
Hamlet West Subdivision
Also, Spring Valley Subdivision, 100 Spring Valley Road, Columbia; Lake Carolina, North East Columbia and Long Creek Plantation, Blythewood.
Large ticketed displays include:
Holiday Lights on the River at Saluda Shoals Park
5605 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29210
More than a million lights, 400 themed, animated light displays on a two-mile loop of the Park, dancing, lighted trees synchronized to classical and whimsical holiday music. There’s also a three dimensional Victorian Village, Old Man Winter, the holiday classic Twelve Days of Christmas.
Nov. 26 to Dec. 31
6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Admission: $25, $30, $35 for cars based on the night, $50 for 12+ passenger vans, truck with trailer, limo and $75 for buses
Driving Tour, Santa’s shop, hayride, walking trail and more
Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens
500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210
Nearly one million lights, animated images, Music in Motion Lights Spectacular, nightly visits with Santa (on-site beginning at 6 p.m. each night through Dec. 23), Jingle Bell Bonfire; hot cocoa, marshmallows and other festive foods available for purchase
Nov. 21 – Dec. 30 (closed Dec. 24-25)
5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Admission: $8 Children, $10 Adults, younger than 2 free
Walking Tour
Segra Park, Columbia, Nov. 21-Jan.3
Presented by Lexington Medical Center, over one million LED lights, featuring 10 themed areas plus kids crafts and activities, holiday-themed food and drinks
December/January: Advanced tickets $12 per person plus ticket fees
All tickets increase by $2 per ticket on the day of the event.
Children 2 and under get in free and do not require a ticket. Military members will receive $2 off their tickets with a valid Military ID.
Sara’s Farm Adventure: Santa’s Southern Lights
100 Greenhouse Road, Trenton, SC
Lighted trail, farm attractions, seasonal treats, live music and Santa.
Nov. 20 to Jan. 3 Thursdays 5 p.m, to 9 p.m.; Friday – Sunday 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Cost ranges from $15.99 – $38.99
This story was originally published December 2, 2025 at 6:00 AM.