Bigger, Brighter Anderson Christmas Lights to Open Thanksgiving Day
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
As the turkey gives its last gift at the Thanksgiving table, the Anderson Christmas Lights will return for its latest season, transforming Rose Valley Boulevard (park across from the Civic Center) into a scene that could have been conjured from a Hallmark movie. Thousands of people from across the region are expected to make the annual pilgrimage to explore the two-and-a-half-mile spectacle—a tradition now more than thirty years in the making.
At the heart of the holiday glow stands the Christmas Village, a bustling miniature town that has evolved well beyond its humble origins.
“We’ve got brand new big displays and things like that that just help with the decoration, make it have that Hallmark town feel as you come in,” said Ben Phillips, executive director of Anderson Christmas Lights. The village, once simply a gazebo at Darwin Wright Park where Santa (and visitors) braved the cold, now sprawls with new boutiques, a working bakery, a general store stocked with handmade crafts by local artisans, and a “filling” station for hot chocolate and marshmallows.
The mood is expected to be festive and local flavor in abundance.
“We’ve got all kinds of wonderful things that you can purchase,” Phillips said of the general store, emphasizing the artisan spirit. Visitors might find themselves drifting from boutique to bakery to the old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage rides, children’s laughter trailing behind in the cool night air.
Entertainment spans every age and taste—a stage for princesses, performances by artists from the area, and even appearances by a participant from “America’s Got Talent” and a Broadway singer. Clemson’s steel drum band, local choirs, and a much-loved kettle corn stand return, weaving together the familiar with the novel.
“There’s something to do every night out here,” said Phillips, underscoring the community’s yearlong commitment to creating a spectacle worth waiting for.
The event remains open nightly through December 25, as weather permits, with $15 admission per car and $30 for buses.
