Which two Saturdays should you keep open downtown this season? The 2026 calendar points to November 28 and December 12. Most of the downtown calendar fits between them, and a few longer runs carry on into January.
The order matters. The big weekends start out on the water, at the two ends of River Street. Then they work their way inland to the squares, and then into the houses. On December 12, the Downtown Neighborhood Association opens private homes to ticket holders until 5 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., the Lighted Christmas Street Parade heads into downtown along Bay, Broughton and Jefferson. Both of the Historic District's biggest December traditions happen on the same Saturday, half an hour apart.
Thanksgiving Weekend Starts at Both Ends of River Street
The first weekend is split between the two ends of the waterfront.
On Friday, November 27, Plant Riverside District hosts a free Christmas tree lighting from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at MLK Park, 400 W. River St. By then, the Savannah Christmas Market at Plant Riverside will have been open for a week. It opens November 19 and runs every day through January 3, 2027, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free, and paid public and valet parking are nearby.
On Saturday, November 28, things shift to the east end. Savannah's Waterfront holds its Holiday Kickoff at Eastern Wharf from 5 to 9 p.m. at The Park at Eastern Wharf, 201 Port Street, with the tree lighting there, Santa, food trucks and entertainment. At 7 p.m., the 25th annual Savannah Lighted Boat Parade leaves the same dock. The Georgia Queen Riverboat leads it, and more than 30 captains and crews follow in lit-up boats. Until 9 p.m., the boats make two runs from Eastern Wharf to the Talmadge Bridge and back, passing Plant Riverside District and the full length of River Street.
The organizers name several places to watch from. Each one gives you a different night:
- The dock at Eastern Wharf. The boats start and end here, the emcees welcome the crews, and judges pick award winners along the newly extended riverwalk.
- Plant Riverside District. The Christmas Market is in full swing, and you can see the Festival of Trees and the Gingerbread Display in the Power Plant Lobby.
- Rousakis Riverfront Plaza and the riverwalk. This puts you in the middle of the route, near the River Street shops.
Since the boats make two passes, you can see both ends of the river in one night. Watch the first pass from one spot, then walk to another for the second.
The First Week of December Moves Up to the Squares
After the river weekend, the calendar moves up the bluff. From December 3 to December 6, four days in a row put a holiday event within a short walk of most downtown front doors:
| Date | Event | Where | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Telfair Museums tree lighting | Jepson Center, 207 W. York St. | 5:30 to 7 p.m. | Free |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Celebrate the Season in City Market: candlelit procession and tree lighting | City Market | Evening | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Celebrate the Season: karaoke, kids' activities, pet parade | City Market | Daytime | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Savannah Philharmonic Holiday Pops | Lucas Theatre | 7:30 p.m. | Sold out |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Savannah Philharmonic Holiday Pops | Lucas Theatre | 3 p.m. | Ticketed |
The Savannah Children's Choir sings at the Telfair lighting at 6 p.m., so get there by then if that's what you're coming for. The Philharmonic calls this year's Holiday Pops an "all-new edition." Its Saturday night show is already sold out. The Sunday 3 p.m. matinee at the Lucas is now the way in.
For something longer-running, Visit Savannah lists Alpine Village at The Lost Square from November 13, 2026, through January 24, 2027, which outlasts nearly everything else on the calendar.
December 12 Opens the Houses, Then Lights Up Broughton
The second Saturday is when the season reaches inside the homes. The 51st Holiday Tour of Homes from the Downtown Neighborhood Association is on Saturday, December 12, 2026. It opens private homes, historic inns and cultural landmarks, with docents at each stop. Proceeds go to the DNA Community Grant Program, which funds local nonprofits and neighborhood projects. That same evening, the 34th annual Lighted Christmas Street Parade heads into downtown from the river.
Here is the day in order:
- 8 a.m. Ticket pickup opens at the tour headquarters, Hotel Bardo, 700 Drayton Street. It runs until 2 p.m.
- 9 a.m. Homes open for the Morning Tour, which runs until 2 p.m.
- 10 a.m. Museums on the tour open and stay open until 4 p.m. for every ticket type.
- 11:30 a.m. Inns open until 2:30 p.m.
- Noon Homes open for the Afternoon Tour, which runs until 5 p.m.
- 5 p.m. The homes close.
- 5:30 p.m. The parade leaves Plant Riverside District, heads to the East Broad Ramp, and then goes along Bay, Lincoln, Broughton and Jefferson Streets until 7 p.m.
Both general sessions cost $85 and include the same homes, inns and museums. The All Day ticket is $110. The $125 VIP ticket includes all-day access, a guided tour of the Mercer Williams House Museum, and a private VIP check-in. The limit is eight tickets per person. The DNA calls this a walking tour and suggests comfortable shoes. It sells a limited number of trolley tickets, and the trolleys stop at central locations, not at each house. The tour's What to Expect page says the home locations will be posted on December 6, the week before the tour.
There are 30 minutes between the last tour home closing and the parade leaving Plant Riverside. That leaves time for an afternoon ticket holder to catch the parade the same evening. The parade's floats, cars, trolleys and walking groups all have to be fully covered in Christmas lights, and admission is free. For a business, school group or neighborhood club that wants to be in it, entries close Thursday, November 19, 2026.
Savannah's Waterfront lists both parades as signature events of Christmas on the River. Visit Savannah dates that program from November 19, 2026, to January 3, 2027.
One Tradition Now Plays Off the Peninsula
One holiday event has moved out of downtown. Savannah Children's Theatre will stage A Christmas Carol December 4 through 20 at its new address, 550 Mall Blvd. The company says it bought the STAR Castle property after 256 days without a stage of its own. Its run overlaps the City Market weekend and the Tour of Homes, so families planning the first weekend of December will need to drive off the peninsula for this one.
The Holiday Tour of Homes opens some of the Historic District's best-kept houses to the public for a single day. If your house is one people slow down to look at as they walk past, Oliver Group can tell you what it's worth in today's market. Ask Nicholas for a home valuation before the holidays, and plan your next step once the parade has passed.
