December 13, 2026 – December 19, 2026
The week before Christmas in Greenville is one of the best of the year. The Nutcracker returns to the Peace Center, the downtown holiday corridor is at peak decoration, the ice rink at Greenville County Square is running, and the Swamp Rabbits are home mid-week. Here is the full calendar for December 13 through 19.
Carolina Ballet Theatre presents The Nutcracker at the Peace Center on Main Street, with performances running through mid-December. The Peace Center's theater is one of the best performing arts venues in the Southeast — excellent sight lines, and the production quality matches anything in a much larger city. This is one of the most consistently sold-out events in Greenville each December. Tickets and performance schedule at peacecenter.org. The Peace Center is within walking distance of downtown Greenville restaurants if you want dinner before the show.
The week before Christmas is the peak for downtown holiday atmosphere in Greenville. Main Street from Broad Street to North Street is lit throughout December. Falls Park along the Reedy River has holiday lighting through the trees that runs from dusk until around 10 PM. The walk from Main Street down to Falls Park and back is about 20 minutes and one of the better free things to do in Greenville in December. Free admission to Falls Park year-round.
The outdoor ice rink at Greenville County Square (University Ridge) runs through December and into January. Public skate sessions run most evenings and weekend afternoons. This is a central downtown location with easy parking in the County Square deck. Check current session times at visitgreenvillesc.com before heading out.
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits play home games at Bon Secours Wellness Arena through the holiday stretch. Check the current schedule at swamprabbits.com. December home games are popular with groups and families visiting for the holidays. Puck drop is typically 7:05 PM on weeknight games.
This is the final full week of holiday shopping before Christmas Eve. Downtown Greenville's Main Street has a strong mix of locally-owned boutiques and gift shops that stay open late on weekends. The Saturday Market at McBee Avenue runs through December. If you want to avoid the mall, downtown Greenville is the alternative.
The 22-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail is at its most photogenic in December. The tree line along the Reedy River is bare, opening up long views of the water and the downtown skyline from certain stretches. The trail is free, well-maintained, and parking is available at Unity Park. Good for a morning run or afternoon walk before holiday events in the evening.
College football bowl season begins in late December. Clemson's bowl game details are announced in early December. The Tigers have consistently appeared in major bowls. Follow at clemsontigers.com. Death Valley is 45 minutes from downtown Greenville if a home game is on the schedule.
Available furnished homes in Greenville right now:
January is one of the busiest months for corporate relocation to Greenville. If you have a start date coming up, our six fully furnished homes are available now for a December or January move-in. All utilities and fast WiFi included. Month-to-month lease, self check-in 24/7. See the January relocation guide for details.
View Available Homes Request a Quote →Events sourced from visitgreenvillesc.com, peacecenter.org, bswellnessarena.com, swamprabbits.com. Verify details with each venue before attending.
