Christmas Events for Kids in Bluffton (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 3 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Bluffton, South Carolina, for 2026. The Town of Bluffton lights the tree with a Santa’s Workshop and movie at DuBois Park on Friday, December 4, the Christmas Parade follows on Saturday, December 5, and Santa poses for pictures on December 11 and December 17. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our South Carolina Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Bluffton

  • 3 Christmas events for kids in Bluffton
  • Tree Lighting: Friday, December 4, 5:30 pm, DuBois Park, with Santa’s Workshop and a movie
  • Christmas Parade: Saturday, December 5, Old Town
  • Pictures with Santa: December 11 and 17, 4 to 7 pm
  • Every date checked on the Town of Bluffton calendar on Nov 11

Free Christmas events for kids in Bluffton

Tree lightingFree

Tree Lighting, Santa's Workshop and Movie

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The Town of Bluffton lights its Christmas tree in DuBois Park in Old Town on the first Friday evening of December.

The night bundles three things kids love: the tree lighting itself, a Santa’s Workshop and a holiday movie in the park once the lights are on.

Parent tip: Bring a blanket or low chairs for the movie, and dress warm since DuBois Park is open to the river breeze after dark.

Host
Town of Bluffton (opens in a new tab)
Address
DuBois Park, 67 Bluffton Street, Bluffton, SC 29910 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Town of Bluffton (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 2 more Bluffton events researched for you.

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Coming up on this page

  • 2 Santa
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Parades
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Christmas paradeFree

Bluffton Christmas Parade

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Bluffton’s Christmas Parade rolls through Old Town the day after the tree lighting, with floats, bands and community groups heading through the historic district.

It is a true hometown parade, and the town lists it on its official 2026 calendar for Saturday, December 5.

Parent tip: Old Town streets close for the parade, so plan to park outside the district and walk in early for a curb spot.

Host
Town of Bluffton (opens in a new tab)
Address
Old Town Bluffton, Bluffton, SC 29910 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Town of Bluffton (opens in a new tab)

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Santa photosFree

Pictures with Santa

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The Town of Bluffton sets up two after-school evenings for kids to sit with Santa in December.

The first is at the New Riverside Barn on Red Barn Drive on December 11, and the second is at the Town of Bluffton Welcome Center, 111 Calhoun Street, on December 17, both from 4 to 7 pm.

Parent tip: Bring your own phone or camera and come right at 4 pm on a weeknight, before the after-dinner rush.

Host
Town of Bluffton (opens in a new tab)
Address
New Riverside Barn and Town of Bluffton Welcome Center, 30 Red Barn Drive, Bluffton, SC 29910 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Town of Bluffton (opens in a new tab)

New Bluffton events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Bluffton daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Bluffton.

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We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our South Carolina Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Bluffton Christmas event for kids happens

Make December 4 and 5 your Old Town weekend with the tree lighting and the parade, then pick whichever Santa photo evening fits your week.

Looking further afield? Our South Carolina Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Charleston, Summerville, North Charleston and Saint George. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.

A story for the drive home

A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

The story of Christmas in Bluffton

Bluffton's Christmas parade has wound under the live oaks of the Historic District for more than five decades, and on December 5, 2026, it rolls for the 55th time. Santa never arrives by sleigh here: he rides in on a fire engine, and for twelve nights before Christmas the fire district drives him through the neighborhoods too.

Fifty-five parades, a 13-foot float limit and low live oak limbs in the Historic District

The Bluffton Christmas Parade is one of the town's oldest traditions, held for more than five decades by the Town of Bluffton. It has always been a small-town parade: in 2019, the route started at the corner of Bridge and Pritchard Streets and ended at Bluffton Park, at Pin Oak Street and 8th Avenue. Float trailers could be no more than 13 feet tall, entries had to check their decorations against low-hanging tree limbs, tractor-trailers were not allowed and T-shirt cannons were banned.

The night before the parade belongs to the tree. In 2019 the lighting was Friday, December 6, at DuBois Park on Bluffton Street, where Mayor Lisa Sulka announced the parade's grand marshal, the Michael C. Riley Elementary School chorus sang and town leaders lit the Bluffton Christmas Tree, with cookies under the pavilion and an early visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. For 2026, the 55th Bluffton Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 5, with entries capped at 125, and donations support the Mayor's Stay Safe, Bluffton! Scholarship Fund.

The 54th parade on December 6, 2025, rain or shine, after a Martin Family Park lighting

The 2025 season followed the town's two-day pattern. On Friday, December 5, the tree was lit at 5:30 pm at Martin Family Park, Santa's Workshop opened at the DuBois Park pavilion, and a holiday movie started at 6:30 pm for families on blankets and lawn chairs. The next morning, Saturday, December 6, the 54th Annual Bluffton Christmas Parade stepped off at 10 am, rain or shine, through Historic Downtown Bluffton.

Old Town also held its third Jingle Stroll on December 4, from 3 to 7 pm, and the Bluffton Township Fire District launched a month of Christmas with the Fire District on December 1. In 2026 the Tree Lighting, Santa's Workshop and Movie is Friday, December 4.

Santa on a fire engine and North Pole mailboxes at nine fire stations

In Bluffton, Santa's ride is red with a ladder. At the 51st parade on December 3, 2022, Santa rode on a fire engine, while carolers sang and Santa and Mrs. Claus also made the rounds in a decorated Christmas golf cart. The Bluffton Township Fire District, founded in 1978, has made the Santa ride a whole season.

Starting Monday, December 1, 2025, Santa and Mrs. Claus toured Bluffton area neighborhoods on a decorated fire engine for 12 nights, Monday to Thursday, reaching the first neighborhood each evening between 5:30 and 6 pm. The route was posted on social media by 11 am each day, and families could follow the truck live through the Bluffton Firefighter Foundation tracker. Kids could also mail letters to Santa in North Pole mailboxes at all nine fire stations, and Santa arrived at the town's tree lighting and parade on top of a fire district engine.

A golf cart Christmas parade and a Polar Express morning at Oscar Fraser Park

Bluffton adds its own Lowcountry twists to the season. In 2025 a Golf Cart Christmas Parade gathered at Lot 9 Brewing Co. on December 13 at 5:30 pm, with Santa arriving at 6 pm, and the Village Polar Express Morning brought young conductors to Oscar Fraser Park on December 15 from 10 am to noon, a train-themed Christmas morning for little conductors.

There were other Santa sightings too: free photos at Christmas at The Cottage on December 13, a Brunch with Santa at Hewitt Oaks on December 14 and a Santa 5K on December 20. In 2026, the town's own Pictures with Santa is at the New Riverside Barn on December 11 and the Town of Bluffton Welcome Center on December 17, both 4 to 7 pm.

Traditions today

  • The Bluffton Christmas Parade: A Saturday morning parade through the Historic District, held for more than five decades. The 55th is December 5, 2026, at 10 am.
  • Friday night tree lighting: The town lights its tree the evening before the parade, with Santa's Workshop at the DuBois Park pavilion and a family movie.
  • Christmas with the Fire District: Santa and Mrs. Claus ride a decorated fire engine through neighborhoods for 12 evenings in December.
  • North Pole mailboxes: Letters to Santa can go in special mailboxes at all nine Bluffton Township fire stations.
  • Golf cart Christmas parade: Decorated golf carts roll out for a small evening parade in mid-December, with Santa arriving at the end.

A fact for kids

In Bluffton, Santa trades his reindeer for a big red fire truck. Kids can even track the truck on a phone to see when Santa is about to drive down their street.

Questions about Christmas in Bluffton

How long has Bluffton had a Christmas parade?

The Bluffton Christmas Parade has run for more than five decades. It was the 51st annual parade in 2022, the 52nd in 2023 and the 54th on December 6, 2025, so the 2026 parade on December 5 is the 55th. The Town of Bluffton organizes it, and it winds through the Historic District every year.

What time does the Bluffton Christmas parade start?

The parade traditionally steps off at 10 am on the first Saturday of December. In 2025 it started at 10 am on December 6, rain or shine, and in 2019 it began at 10 am on December 7, with streets closing at 8 am. The 2026 Bluffton Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 5.

What is the Bluffton Christmas parade route?

The parade winds through Bluffton's Historic District. In 2019, the route began at the corner of Bridge and Pritchard Streets and ended at Bluffton Park, at Pin Oak Street and 8th Avenue. Routes can change, so check the Town of Bluffton's parade page before Christmas parade day and arrive early for a curbside spot.

How many floats are in the Bluffton Christmas parade?

For 2026, the Town of Bluffton limits the Christmas parade to 125 entries, accepted first come, first served. Businesses and groups apply on the town website. Past rules kept floats small town sized: trailers no taller than 13 feet, decorations checked for low-hanging live oak limbs, no tractor-trailers and no T-shirt cannons.

Where is the Bluffton Christmas tree lighting?

In 2025 the tree was lit at 5:30 pm on Friday, December 5, at Martin Family Park, with Santa's Workshop at the DuBois Park pavilion afterward. In 2019 the ceremony was at DuBois Park, 67 Bluffton Street. Both parks are in Old Town, a short walk apart, so families can see the lighting and visit Santa the same evening.

Who lights the Bluffton Christmas tree?

Town leaders light the Bluffton Christmas Tree at the Friday evening ceremony before the parade. In 2019, Mayor Lisa Sulka also announced the parade's grand marshal, and the Michael C. Riley Elementary School chorus sang. Santa and Mrs. Claus usually stop by, and Santa has arrived on a Bluffton Township Fire District engine.

What movie plays at the Bluffton tree lighting?

A family holiday movie follows the tree lighting each year. In 2025 it started at 6:30 pm at Martin Family Park after the 5:30 pm lighting, and families were asked to bring blankets or chairs. The 2026 Tree Lighting, Santa's Workshop and Movie on December 4 again pairs the lighting with Santa's Workshop and a movie.

Does Santa ride a fire truck in Bluffton?

Yes. Santa rode on a fire engine in the 51st Christmas parade in 2022, and he arrived at the 2025 tree lighting and parade on top of a Bluffton Township Fire District engine. Each December, the fire district also drives Santa and Mrs. Claus through neighborhoods on a decorated engine for 12 nights.

When does the Bluffton fire department Santa truck come through neighborhoods?

In 2025, Christmas with the Fire District began Monday, December 1. The Santa Truck ran a 12-night route, Monday through Thursday, entering the first neighborhood each evening between 5:30 and 6 pm. Routes were posted on the fire district's social media by 11 am, and weather cancellations by 3 pm, usually without a makeup night.

How can I track Santa's fire truck in Bluffton?

The Bluffton Firefighter Foundation runs a live tracker for the Santa Truck at glympse.com/!blufftonfire, so families can watch the decorated engine move through the neighborhoods on December evenings. Full Christmas schedules are posted at Christmas.BlufftonFD.com. Kids can also follow Rally the corgi's own Christmas Eve trip on the Christmas Eve tracker.

Where can kids mail letters to Santa in Bluffton?

The Bluffton Township Fire District sets up North Pole mailboxes at all nine of its fire stations during the Christmas with the Fire District season. Kids can drop off a letter to Santa at the station closest to home, which also makes a nice chance to thank the firefighters who drive Santa around town each December.

Is there a golf cart Christmas parade in Bluffton?

Yes. In 2025, a Golf Cart Christmas Parade gathered at Lot 9 Brewing Co. on December 13 at 5:30 pm, with Santa arriving at 6 pm. It is a playful local twist on the big parade, and Santa and Mrs. Claus have ridden in a decorated Christmas golf cart at past town festivities too.

Is there a Polar Express event in Bluffton?

In 2025, The Village Polar Express Morning was held December 15 from 10 am to noon at Oscar Fraser Park, a Christmas event built around the famous train story. It is the closest thing to a Christmas train ride we found in Bluffton. Check local calendars in November for a 2026 date.

What is the Jingle Stroll in Old Town Bluffton?

The Jingle Stroll is a holiday evening of shopping and strolling in Old Town Bluffton. The third annual Jingle Stroll was held December 4, 2025, from 3 to 7 pm, the night before the tree lighting, which made it the first of three back-to-back Christmas evenings in the Historic District.

Where can kids have brunch or breakfast with Santa in Bluffton?

In 2025, Hewitt Oaks held a Brunch with Santa on December 14 with two seating times, and Christmas at The Cottage on December 13 offered free photos with Santa from 9 am to noon. Hosts and dates change each Christmas, so check local listings in late November for the 2026 schedule.

When are the free Pictures with Santa in Bluffton in 2026?

The Town of Bluffton's free Pictures with Santa evenings are Friday, December 11, 2026, from 4 to 7 pm at the New Riverside Barn, 30 Red Barn Drive, and Thursday, December 17, from 4 to 7 pm at the Town of Bluffton Welcome Center. They are after-school times, handy for families who miss Santa at the tree lighting.

Is there a Santa run in Bluffton?

Yes. In 2025 a Santa 5K was held on December 20 at 9 am, one of several holiday events in the last week before Christmas. It is a festive way for older kids and parents to start the last weekend before Christmas. Watch local race calendars for the 2026 date, and check whether there is a shorter fun run for kids.

Where does Bluffton Christmas parade money go?

Donations collected around the 2026 Bluffton Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting support the Mayor's Stay Safe, Bluffton! Scholarship Fund, managed by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. It is a small way the town's biggest Christmas tradition gives back to local students each year.

What should we bring to the Bluffton Christmas parade?

Bring chairs, warm layers for a December morning and a rain jacket, since the parade goes on rain or shine, as it did in 2025. Streets in the Historic District start closing about two hours before the 10 am start, as they did in 2019, so plan to park early and walk in.

Is the Bluffton Christmas parade the same weekend as the tree lighting?

Yes. Bluffton holds its Christmas kickoff over one weekend: the tree lighting with Santa's Workshop and a movie on Friday evening, then the parade on Saturday morning. In 2025 that was December 5 and 6. In 2026 it is Friday, December 4, and Saturday, December 5.

Sources

  1. 55th Annual Bluffton Christmas Parade, Visit Bluffton
  2. Town of Bluffton is proud to host its 54th annual Bluffton Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting, HiltonHeadIsland.com
  3. Bluffton Christmas events 2025, Bluffton.com
  4. 2019 Bluffton Christmas Tree-lighting Ceremony and Parade, WTOC 11
  5. Is this SC town straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting?, AOL
  6. Bluffton Township Fire District kicks off Christmas with the Fire District, Bluffton Township Fire District

Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every South Carolina city.

Bluffton Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Bluffton this year?

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 Christmas events for kids in Bluffton for 2026, all from the Town of Bluffton: the Tree Lighting with Santa's Workshop and a movie, the Bluffton Christmas Parade, and Pictures with Santa.

When is the Bluffton tree lighting in 2026?

Friday, December 4, 2026, starting at 5:30 pm at DuBois Park, 67 Bluffton Street, with Santa's Workshop and a movie.

When is the Bluffton Christmas Parade in 2026?

Saturday, December 5, 2026, in Old Town Bluffton. The town has not posted the start time yet, so check its calendar the week of the parade.

Where can kids get pictures with Santa in Bluffton?

At the New Riverside Barn, 30 Red Barn Drive, on Friday, December 11, and at the Town of Bluffton Welcome Center, 111 Calhoun Street, on Thursday, December 17, both from 4 to 7 pm.

Who do I contact about Bluffton holiday events?

The Town of Bluffton Events and Venues team, Director Lyndee Simoneaux, at lsimoneaux@townofbluffton.com or 843-540-1662, and the Welcome Center at welcomecenter@townofbluffton.com.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in South Carolina?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s South Carolina Christmas train rides page.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked Bluffton on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Kelsey Cecil
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