"A true Vintage Christmas Festival." That's how Lexington United Methodist Church describes the event it plans to hold at the Icehouse Amphitheater on Nov. 21 and 22, 2026. The festival is called Magic on Church Street. It brings vendors, carolers and children's activities to 107 W. Main St. nearly two weeks before the Town's Snowball Festival uses the same stage. This year, the downtown holidays start the weekend before Thanksgiving, and the Snowball parade on Dec. 6 closes out a season that began two weekends earlier.
Here is the season in date order, with the details that matter for planning.
| Date | Event | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri.–Sat., Nov. 13–14 | Wingard's Market Jingle Bell Bash | 1403 North Lake Drive | 9–6 Fri., 9–5 Sat. |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Ladies Night at Wingard's Market | 1403 North Lake Drive | 4–8 p.m. |
| Sat.–Sun., Nov. 21–22 | Magic on Church Street | Icehouse Amphitheater, 107 W. Main St. | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Thu.–Sun., Dec. 3–6 | Snowball Festival | Icehouse Amphitheater, 107 W. Main St. | Varies by day |
North Lake Drive comes first
Lexington's holiday shopping starts at Wingard's Market on North Lake Drive, a week before anything happens downtown. The Greater Lexington Chamber's calendar lists the Wingard's Market Jingle Bell Bash for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 13 and 14. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The listing still says "Details Coming Soon," so the specials and activities for this year haven't been posted yet.
The following Thursday, Nov. 19, Wingard's holds a Ladies Night from 4 to 8 p.m. The listing describes it as an evening of shopping with friends and says no signup is needed. Since it's a weeknight evening, it works for anyone who wants a look at holiday decor before the weekend events downtown.
Then a church brings Christmas to Main Street
Two days after Ladies Night, the holidays move to the Icehouse. Lexington United Methodist Church is celebrating 175 years. It is putting on Magic on Church Street as a fundraiser at the Town's Icehouse Amphitheater Complex, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 22. The church's description of the plan reads:
"We expect this to be a true Vintage Christmas Festival 'Magic on Church Street' with focus on the family (local vendors/artisans, food, musicians, carolers, children's activities)."
The money goes to the church's outreach work. The Chamber listing names the ministries involved. They include Mission Lexington, which the church helped found, and a Snack Sack program that feeds about 900 Lexington County school-age children each week. The list also includes Epworth Children's Home, an Angel Tree ministry and an American Red Cross blood drive. According to the church, this year's theme honors Lexington's founding by people of many nationalities who shared a vision of a town built on hard work and community.
The Chamber's main events calendar shows Magic on Church Street on Nov. 21 only. The event's detail page shows both days, Nov. 21 and 22, with the same hours each day. If Sunday is the only day you can go, check the church's calendar closer to the date.
That makes the Icehouse host to two holiday markets in about two weeks. Each is built differently. Magic on Church Street fills a full weekend of daytime hours. The Snowball craft fair runs on weeknight evenings.
The Snowball fills four days, and each day has a different job
The Town's Snowball Festival runs Thursday, Dec. 3 through Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026, and every event is free. Each day has its own program, so plan around the specific day you want.
Thursday, Dec. 3. The craft fair opens from 4 to 8 p.m. with 66 local vendors selling handmade gifts, home decor and holiday goods. Tasty Treats To Go and Rooted Coffee will have desserts and warm drinks. Thursday has no ceremony on the schedule, so it's the evening built around shopping.
Friday, Dec. 4. The craft fair runs 4 to 8 p.m. again, and the tree lighting starts at 6:30 p.m. The Town's listing says the ceremony will begin promptly and will include a performance by the Riverbluff High School choir and a message from Watershed Fellowship. Elf plays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Of the four days, Friday has the most going on in one evening.
Saturday, Dec. 5. The carnival runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with face painting, balloon art, pictures with Santa, rides and attractions, and free cookies while supplies last. Vendors are still listed as TBA.
Sunday, Dec. 6. The parade begins at 3 p.m.
The Town posts updates on its Snowball Festival 2026 Information page, and the Icehouse lists each day on its own events page.
Parade Sunday changes how you get around town
The parade is the one event that closes Main Street itself. Last year's parade, held Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, shows how the afternoon usually goes. WIS reported the Lexington Police Department's closure plan as follows:
- At 1 p.m., West Butler Street closed from Columbia Avenue to North Church Street, along with Haygood Avenue and part of Meetze Street, so floats could stage. The Lexington County Extension Office lot at 605 W. Main St. was closed all day for float setup.
- At 2:45 p.m., West Main Street closed from Columbia Avenue to North Lake Drive. East Main Street at Harmon Street, North Lake Drive at Dreher Street and South Lake Drive at Fort Street closed at the same time, and traffic was detoured away from downtown.
- Around 5 p.m., Main Street/U.S. 1 was expected to reopen. West Butler Street stayed closed until every float and participant had cleared it.
Those times are from 2025. The 2026 parade is also on a Sunday at 3 p.m., so expect a similar pattern, but use this year's police announcement for exact times. WIS pointed readers to the Lexington Police Department on Facebook and on X for updates.
Last year's parking guidance is worth keeping in mind. On-street parking wasn't allowed on either side of South Church Street, Hendrix Street or Elm Street near downtown. Anyone who parked in a private business lot risked being towed at the owner's expense, and spectators were told to use public lots and arrive early to get a spot along the route.
One more downtown lot is on the way but won't be ready in time. The Town took construction bids in July 2026 for a parking lot and underground drainage system on North Church Street. WIS reported in February that the $1 million project at Church and Corley streets would add 99 spaces and take about six months to build. It's a future addition and won't help with parking for this year's parade.
If your group wants to march
The parade is also open to entries from local groups. Last year's entry form, from the Town and the Lexington Jaycees, put the parade on Main Street, required a Christmas theme and set an entry deadline of Nov. 25. Last year's form also listed a Main Street start time of 3 p.m., the same as this year's. A church youth group, scout troop or business that wants a float should check the Town's Snowball page early in November. Last year's Nov. 25 deadline fell the week of Thanksgiving, and a deadline that late in the month is easy to miss over the holiday.
If you're hosting family this season and someone starts asking what it's like to live within walking distance of the Icehouse, Bill Prebeck is glad to talk through downtown Lexington and the streets around it, from parade-day traffic to the condition of older homes near Main Street. Let's Connect.
