Hartsville for the Holidays

With the holiday season quickly approaching, Hartsville residents can begin making plans to attend the many downtown holiday events that the city is hosting this year. Marketing and Events Coordinator, Jordan Braddock says, “The City of Hartsville is very excited to continue our tradition of exciting, fun and friendly events for the entire family this year to get residents ready for the holiday season.”

On November 15th from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., the city will kick off the holiday season with the Downtown Holiday Open House and Centennial Tree Lighting. This celebration will be headlined with the Tree Lighting by Mayor Mel Pennington in Centennial Park at 6 p.m. Stop by Centennial Park early, around 5:30 p.m., to hear the Hartsville High School Choir perform holiday favorites. Following the tree lighting, shoppers can kick-start the shopping season by checking out some of the Main Street Hartsville businesses that will be open until 9 p.m. Visitors are also invited to stop by City Hall to visit Santa Claus and warm up with hot chocolate and cookies sent to Hartsville by Mrs. Claus herself. It will be easy to get into the holiday spirit by playing in the snow in Centennial Park or taking a horse drawn carriage ride around downtown.

Christmas on Carolina events will be held Thursdays from November 29th until December 20th from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. During this event, Camden Carriage Company will be conducting carriage rides around downtown. These 25 minute carriage rides will be $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. They will pick up riders on East College Avenue. Main Street Hartsville business will also stay open late for shoppers to enjoy extend shopping hours during the busy holiday season. Hartsville’s Te’Quan Coe and his violin will fill Carolina Avenue with holiday favorites.

The Hartsville Museum will be festively decorated again this year for their Simply Christmas event open December 3rd – January 12th. The main exhibit will be Santa’s Workshop, an exhibit that will give guests a peek inside of jolly St. Nick’s workshop. Admission is free. The Hartsville Museum is located at 222 North Fifth Street and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The annual Hartsville Christmas Parade will be held downtown on Saturday, December 8th at 10:30 a.m. This community parade will feature Hartsville’s first responders, local businesses, marching bands, and dance troops. An appearance by jolly Santa Claus will end this season’s parade before he visits the Hartsville Museum for photo opportunities. Applications can be found on www.HartsvillefortheHolidays.com and are due on November 21st. Late applications are due on November 27th.

For more information, please visit www.HartsvillefortheHolidays.com.