James Island County Park Festival of Lights 2026: Prices and Planning
October 22, 2026
October 22, 2026
How much does a car pay to drive the 37th Holiday Festival of Lights? Anywhere from $15 to $45 for the same three miles of lights, depending on the date on the ticket and whether it was bought online.
Charleston County Parks announced on Oct. 13 that the festival opens Nov. 13 at James Island County Park. It runs nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. through Dec. 31, 2026, with more than 750 light displays along a three-mile drive. The park sits at 871 Riverland Drive. For anyone who lives on James Island, the festival is a seven-week stretch of evenings, not a one-time outing. The county has built the pricing and side events so that the best value goes to people who pick their night early.
This year every night carries a color, assigned by expected attendance. Here is how the county prices them:
| Night color | Advance, per vehicle | At the gate, per vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Green | $15 | $25 |
| Yellow | $25 | $35 |
| Red | $30 | $45 |
The county's own advice is plain. It "highly recommends purchasing tickets in advance and visiting on a green or yellow night to save on admission." The gap between a green night bought ahead and a red night paid at the gate is $30 per car for the same drive. A household that goes twice in one season sees that difference twice.
The color calendar sits on the festival's tickets page, which also shows when traffic has traditionally been heaviest. The colors also work as a traffic forecast. A red night is a night the county expects crowds, and that applies whether or not you're going to the park. If you're only driving past on your way home, that's worth knowing too.
Gold Pass holders get one free vehicle admission per annual membership period. Bring the pass to the gate. That covers one visit, not the whole season, so any repeat trips fall back to the color pricing.
For a park this close to so many James Island streets, the walking rule surprises people. On regular festival nights, the festival FAQ says pedestrians are not allowed in. Living nearby doesn't change that. Every regular-night visitor arrives in a vehicle.
The exception comes two nights before the gates open to cars. The Holiday Festival of Lights Fun Run is a two-mile run/walk on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and Thursday, Nov. 12, from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Participants get access to the festival amenities afterward, and the price is $38 per vehicle. The $38 isn't the cheapest ticket of the season. It is the only one that puts you on the route on foot, before the drive-through crowds begin.
The county has also scheduled events where festival admission comes as part of something else.
Both are scheduled outside the busiest pattern of a regular festival night. The oyster roast falls on opening weekend, and the Santa visits happen in daylight.
The ticket covers the drive. After you park, the release describes a walkable area with the Festival Express train, a 50-ton sand sculpture, an old-fashioned carousel, a climbing wall, marshmallow roasting, holiday shops and snacks, plus entertainment on select evenings. According to the festival attractions page, some of those cost extra:
For a family of four, a green-night ticket bought ahead plus one train ride each comes to $35. On a red night paid at the gate, the same evening costs $65. That $30 difference is more than the $20 the four train rides cost.
The season ends on Dec. 31 with a New Year's Eve fireworks display.
The county's route guidance starts at Folly Road. Turn onto George L. Griffith Boulevard or Grimball Road, turn right onto Riverland Drive, then make a final left into the festival. If you're driving a larger vehicle, the county recommends taking Folly Road to Camp Road to Riverland Drive to avoid low-hanging branches and tight turns.
Roadwork is also changing traffic on the other side of the island. The Fort Johnson Road and Camp Road intersection is now a compact roundabout. It opened to vehicle traffic on Aug. 10. By the county's Sept. 24 update, the roundabout, its drainage work and its utility relocations were finished, and signs were going up. At Fort Johnson Road and Secessionville Road, a new signalized intersection was set to start getting its signals in October. Construction on the pair of projects is expected to continue until June 2027. If your route to the park runs along Fort Johnson Road, expect active work zones during festival season.
The park's smaller programs keep running before and alongside the lights. As of this Thursday, these are the next ones at James Island County Park in the county's October and November program listings:
Once the festival is underway, dragon-boat sessions run on select weekdays from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 30.
A festival night still leaves time for a stop along Folly Road. Three Monkeys Ice Cream Parlour opened Aug. 1 at 915 Folly Road, Unit P. Count on 2 reported that it is owned by Stephanie and John Teevan. Along with ice cream, it serves coffee and has a bar with beer, wine and cocktails.
Farther up Folly Road, Uptown Cheapskate at 1291 Folly Road began buying consignments on Oct. 6, according to The Post and Courier. If you're cleaning out closets before the holidays, that's one more stop for the list.
On Camp Road, Holy City Sinner described Char House Social as a Texas-style steakhouse and bar from the owners of Harlow, going into the former Smoky Oak space. In late August, WhatNow reported that Josh and Katie Drewry and chef and partner Brett Riley were working toward an October opening at 1234 Camp Road. Check the restaurant's own announcements for an opening date before you plan a dinner there.
If you're thinking about what this season of traffic, roadwork and new openings means for a James Island home, I'd be glad to talk it through. Marie Pohlman offers a calm, no-pressure conversation about how the island's changes, from Riverland Drive to the Fort Johnson Road roundabout, show up in day-to-day living and in the market. Schedule a Free Lowcountry Market Consultation whenever it suits your calendar, green night or not.
If you're wanting a Real Estate Agent with exceptional communication, unwavering patience, extensive knowledge of the Lowcountry's market, and one that produces results, please don't hesitate to reach out!