Holiday lights and Christmas events in Savannah 2026

Savannah's Christmas Market opens Nov. 19, Plant Riverside lights its tree Nov. 27, and Santa, gingerbread and garden lights run through December.

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Dates and times come from each organizer’s own page, linked below. The Christmas street parade and the Lighted Boat Parade have their own page: Christmas parade and tree lighting.

Savannah’s holiday lights are on the river. The Savannah Christmas Market at Plant Riverside District opens Thursday, Nov. 19, the district lights its Christmas tree on Friday, Nov. 27, and The Park at Eastern Wharf lights its trees the next evening. Plant Riverside District is at 400 W. River St.; call (912) 373-9100.

Holiday lights at a glance

Nov. 19 to Jan. 3: Savannah Christmas Market, Plant Riverside District, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, free entry

Friday, Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m.: Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Plant Riverside District

Saturday, Nov. 28, 5 to 9 p.m.: Holiday Kickoff and tree lighting, The Park at Eastern Wharf

Dec. 11-12: dance and music performances, MLK Park at Plant Riverside District

Sunday, Dec. 20, 11 a.m.: Brunch with Santa, Plant Riverside District

Late November to Dec. 24: December Nights and Holiday Lights, Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens (2026 dates not yet posted)

The Savannah Christmas Market

The Savannah Christmas Market fills Plant Riverside District at the west end of River Street with vendor stalls, lights and live entertainment for 45 days, from Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026, to Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027. The district calls it a European-style outdoor market.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. Some vendors may close on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Entry: free. The market runs rain or shine; the district posts any change in hours on its website and social media.
Extras: live performances, children’s activities, photos with Santa and holiday food and drink, according to the Savannah’s Waterfront listing.

Tree lightings and light displays

Plant Riverside District holds its Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27. Through the season the district also shows:

Festival of Trees, from Nov. 19: Christmas trees decorated by local businesses, organizations and residents. Part of the proceeds goes to the New Ebenezer Retreat Center and the Treutlen House, a home for boys in Effingham County.
Gingerbread Display, unveiled Nov. 27 and up all of December.

The Park at Eastern Wharf, 201 Port St., at the east end of the riverfront, lights its trees during the Holiday Kickoff from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, the same night as the Lighted Boat Parade. Times, the parade route and parking are on our Christmas parade and tree lighting page.

The Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm, run by UGA Cooperative Extension about 10 miles southwest of downtown off I-95 at Exit 94, holds December Nights and Holiday Lights, a walk-through of nearly 5 acres of lit gardens on select nights from late November through Dec. 24. In 2022 it opened Nov. 25. The gardens have not posted 2026 dates on their website yet; call (912) 921-5460. We will add the dates here when they are out.

Santa visits

Plant Riverside District has three ways to see Santa this year:

What	When
Letters to Santa	3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27
Holiday cookie decorating	2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, and other days
Brunch with Santa	11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20
Photos with Santa	At the Christmas Market during the season

Details and booking are on the district’s Christmas Market page. Santa also arrives at Eastern Wharf for the Holiday Kickoff on Nov. 28.

Music on the waterfront

Savannah’s Waterfront Dance and Musical Performances bring local dance groups, cheer squads and bands to MLK Park at Plant Riverside District from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, and noon to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. The Lighted Christmas Street Parade follows Saturday evening.

Hanukkah

Chabad of Savannah holds Chanukah in the Park, a community celebration at Forsyth Park. In 2025 it ran from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, with live music by the Distant Cousins Band, family activities and holiday treats, according to the Jewish Educational Alliance calendar. The 2026 date is not out yet. Questions go to Rabbi Zalman Refson at (912) 844-2477.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Savannah Christmas Market open in 2026? Thursday, Nov. 19, at Plant Riverside District. It runs through Jan. 3, 2027, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and entry is free.

When is the Plant Riverside Christmas tree lighting? 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27. Eastern Wharf lights its trees Saturday, Nov. 28.

Where can I see Christmas lights in Savannah? Along the river at Plant Riverside District and Eastern Wharf from late November, and at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens on select nights through Dec. 24.

Where can kids see Santa in Savannah? At the Christmas Market at Plant Riverside District, at Letters to Santa on Nov. 27 and at Brunch with Santa on Dec. 20.

Is there a public menorah lighting in Savannah? Chabad of Savannah held Chanukah in the Park at Forsyth Park on Dec. 14, 2025. The 2026 date is not announced.

What this means for you

The market is busiest on weekend evenings and parade nights; weekday afternoons are quieter.
River Street parking fills fast on Nov. 27-28 and Dec. 12. Our Black Friday and holiday shopping guide has the city’s garage and parking notes.
If your church, school or neighborhood holds a light display, a tree lighting or a menorah lighting open to the public, send the date, time and place through our contact page.