By: Jacquie Kisicki

When it comes to celebrating the holidays, you might be surprised to learn that the City of York, SC has lots of cheer to offer this time of year. The merriment kicks off mid-November with the start of the South Carolina Christmas Show, presented by the Yorkville Marketplace, and Cidermosa Sundays at Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill. New traditions like these are a welcomed addition to long-time favorites like the annual tree lighting ceremony and the 83rd Annual Hometown Christmas Parade.

If you can’t wait another day to break out the eggnog, decorate your tree and light up your front porch to the tunes of your favorite holiday playlist, then mark your calendars! From taking pictures with Santa and touring decorated historic homes to local artisan shopping and more, there are a variety of ways to explore.

Here is the complete list of seasonal highlights to enjoy in the City of York.

3rd Annual South Carolina Christmas Show presented by Yorkville Marketplace

November 11-13, 2022

The South Carolina Christmas Show began in 2019 and has been going strong with support from the local community and visitors alike. Located in historic downtown York, the weekend is filled with an insatiable number of activities to get you amped for the holiday season. Inside the marketplace, rows of vendors display great gift ideas such as toys, clothing, artwork, jewelry, pup treats and more to help you with your Christmas list. Then, stroll outdoors to find an array of entertainment, performances, and food trucks. Wait…it gets even better. The vendors are open year-round!

Cidermosa Sundays at Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill

Sundays from November 13 through December 18

Warm apple turnovers and apple cider donuts…yes please! Not only are these great gift ideas for a friend, teacher, or coworker, but you can enjoy them every Sunday with a delicious hard cider on CIDERMOSA SUNDAYS! With six different flavors to choose from, including their most popular flavor, Gala Peach, this event has quickly become a local favorite. This will be the third year of this event, but as a licensed and bonded cidery, Windy Hill Orchard has been producing Hard Cider since 1996 (windyhillorchard.com). You can select the cider of your choice, served in an authentic Windy Hill Orchard glass, or if you can’t decide which flavor to try, the 6-glass sampler is a fun option. They also provide hayrides for the little ones and live music (weather permitting for both) and fire pits. Cidermosa is every Sunday from now until December 18th.

Penland Christmas Tree Farm Opening Day

November 25, 2022, at 9:00 am (Monday- Saturday 9 am- 5:30 pm / Sunday 1 pm- 5:30 pm)

What better tradition to have this time of year than going to the Penland Christmas Tree Farm. Picture traveling down a dirt road that opens to a clearing where rows and rows of large trees greet you. Whether you like the Leland Cypress, Virginia Pine, Blue Ice, or Fraser fir, it’s exciting to think you can personally choose and cut down a tree to take home and decorate. This has been a well-loved tradition, since 1966 when the first tree was planted. Owners Steve and Judy Penland planted their last tree 10 years ago and retired from planting Christmas trees after 47 years. Now their daughter Allison Moses, along with her husband, Martin and three children, make up the 2nd and 3rd generations. It’s hard work all year long, as it takes about 6 years for a tree to grow, but helping families create lasting memories makes it special for this family-owned business.

Visitors come from as far as Florida to participate, including climbing mulch mountain, perusing the snack shack and treasure barn, and riding the hayrides. The farm officially opens the day after Thanksgiving and sells approximately 3,000 trees over a three-week period.

The Penland tree farm is also a part of its community in other ways. With over 70 acres of Christmas trees, it’s the perfect location for holiday family photos. Every year the farm is open one day year for local photographers to capture families in their holiday best. And this year, four of their trees will be featured at the Governor’s mansion in Columbia. 

Christmas Home Tour & Festivities presented by the Yorkville Historical Society

December 10- 11, 2022, 2 pm- 6 pm

This year the Yorkville Historical Society is planning many fun activities to get you in festive holiday mood. The main event is a tour of historic homes, where colonial and craftsman revived architecture from the early 20th century is illuminated with lights and decorations. Tickets are $15 and good for both days. Children three years old and under are free. New events this year include pictures with Santa, with photographer Jessica Turner, and a holiday brunch at Ten 11 Events in downtown York. Another first-time feature, which will be available for print, t-shirt, and coffee mugs, is a beautiful painting of downtown York by artist Paula Joan Gross. This merchandise along with tickets will be available at the Yorkville Marketplace, Garden Café’s Holiday Market and online.

The Yorkville Historical Society was founded in 1978 to promote and foster historical preservation and restoration of York and its surrounding towns. Its mission includes documenting, promoting, and disseminating the history of Greater Western York County and its citizens. Their most recent contribution was in partnership with the City of York to complete the Street Sign Project. Your purchases are considered an appreciated donation to helping their organization create pleasant experiences and preserve history for future generations. To become a member or find out more information about their upcoming events, visit yorkvillehs.com.

Event Schedule:

December 10-11, 2022

• 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Santa Pictures by Jessica Turner @ Ten 11 Events (appointments pre-scheduled)
• 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Brunch with Santa at Ten 11 Events ($10 per person/photo with Santa not included)
• 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Santa Pictures by Jessica Turner @ Moore Park (appointments pre-scheduled)
• 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. York Coffee Roastery will serve coffee and sweet treats at Moore Park
• 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Abiding Presence Lutheran Church – Train Exhibit and Christmas Merchandise
• 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Tour decorated York Historic Homes, and luminaries lit up at Moore Park, and Veteran’s Park (Tickets $15)

December 11, 2022

• 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Professional singers will sing carols downtown and perform in a Dickens-style quartet
• 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. York Historic Homes, Moore Park, and Veteran’s Park will be lit with Luminaries

Other Important Events:

• Holiday Marketplace, Garden Café, November 25-26, 2022 | 9AM – 4PM
• Annual Kick-off to Christmas Tree Lighting, December 1, 2022 | 6PM – 8PM
• Hot Chocolate with Santa, York Coffee Roastery, December 3, 2022 | 10AM-12PM
• 83rd Hometown Christmas Parade, December 9, 2022 | 6PM – 8PM