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JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — One of Charleston County Parks' most anticipated events of the year is back for the holiday season.

The 36th annual Holiday Festival of Lights opened at James Island County Park on Friday, Nov. 14.

"It's one of the most popular holiday attractions here in the Lowcountry," said Sarah Reynolds, the public information coordinator for Charleston County Parks. "The Holiday Festival of Lights is a three-mile drive through over 750 light displays and an estimated 2 million lights."

Visitors can expect to see their favorite light displays, and new additions.

"We always have a little something new in the lights every year, so you'll have to come out and see what's new," said Reynolds.

New for this year? A New Year's Eve fireworks display on Dec. 31 at 8 p.m.

In addition to the drive of fantastical lights, visitors are also encouraged to park the car and head over to Santa's Village.

"We have gift shops. There's a sweet shop. Santa is here every night through December 23rd. We have special entertainment and live music on other nights. And so there's really so much more to do and see. There's a carousel, a festival train," said Reynolds. The village also features food vendors, s'mores, and a rock-climbing wall.

In addition to Santa Claus, the Grinch also stopped by for opening night to promote 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas the Musical' at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center.

Charleston County Parks encourages visitors to the Holiday Festival of Lights to buy tickets in advance, and to take advantage of discount-pricing days.

"We have over 200,000 people typically each year that come to the Holiday Festival of Lights. So that's a lot. And I think it's around 60,000 cars," said Reynolds.

The Holiday Festival of Lights is open every night at 871 Riverland Drive, from 5:30pm to 10pm through Dec. 31, 2025.

It is Week 3 of the SCHSL and SCISA high school football playoffs.

Class 5A Division I

Upper State

Dutch Fork 21, Byrnes 0

Dorman 35, Ridge View 14

Lower State

Summerville 29, Carolina Forest 28

James Island 45, Stratford 42

Nov. 28

Upper State

(2) Dorman at (1) Dutch Fork

Lower State

(6) James Island at (5) Summerville

Class 5A Division II

Upper State

Northwestern 52, Gaffney 45

Indian Land 43, TL Hanna 41

Lower State

Irmo 28, White Knoll 14

Berkeley 61, Myrtle Beach 13

Nov. 28

Upper State

(3) Indian Land at (1) Northwestern

Lower State

(2) Berkeley at (1) Irmo

Class 4A

Upper State

South Pointe 56, AC Flora 14

Westside 24, Camden 21

Lower State

South Florence 49, North Augusta 14

Gray Collegiate 31, Hilton Head Island 28

Nov. 28

Upper State

(3) Westside at (1) South Pointe

Lower State

(3) Gray Collegiate at (1) South Florence

Class 3A

Upper State

Powdersville 52, Mountain View Prep 30

Belton-Honea Path 13, Woodruff 3

Lower State

Oceanside Collegiate 42, Dillon 0

Loris 51, Newberry 21

Nov. 28

Upper State

(3) Belton-Honea Path at (1) Powdersville

Lower State

(3) Loris at (1) Oceanside Collegiate

Class 2A

Upper State

Fairfield Central 42, Clinton 7

Strom Thurmond 31, Chester 8

Lower State

Hampton County 56, Manning 6

Central 57, Philip Simmons 47

Nov. 28

Upper State

Fairfield Central at Strom Thurmond

Lower State

Central at Hampton County

Class A

Upper State

Lewisville 42, CA Johnson 14

Lamar 44, Hunter-Kinard Tyler 22

Lower State

Cross 42, Johnsonville 14

Bamberg-Ehrhardt 48, Carvers Bay 20

Nov. 28

Upper State

Lewisville at Lamar

Lower State

Cross at Bamberg-Ehrhardt

SCISA Championships

Friday

8-Man: WW King 50, Laurens Academy 36

Class 4A: Northwood 61, Heathwood Hall 7

Saturday

Class 2A: Bethesda 54, Pee Dee Academy 15

Class A: Colleton Prep vs. Williamsburg Academy, 3:30 p.m. (at SC State)

Class 3A: Wilson Hall vs. Pinewood Prep, 7:30 p.m. (at SC State)

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Johns Island community members shared what they want to see with a potential sales tax extension.

Charleston County leaders are gathering ideas from residents on how dollars should be used from a potential extension of the half-cent Transportation Sales Tax.

The county’s sales tax approaches an expiry date in 2027. Council leaders are deciding how an estimated $4.2 billion will be used for future transportation, transit and green space improvements if the tax is extended.

The Johns Island community met leaders at Saint Johns High School Wednesday to share their input.

The meeting falls under a series of Charleston County opportunities.

Some residents raised concerns about how leaders will prioritize necessary projects county-wide with the limited amount of funds if the tax is extended.

County leaders say the future of the Mark Clark extension or Interstate 526 from West Ashley would not be considered in the upcoming referendum. Leaders say the county withdrew their hand from the project. This leaves the State Department of Transportation to bring it back to the table.

County leaders are partnering with municipal leaders and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments to put together a model traffic and safety data, along with community input, to bring results to the county council. Feedback will be taken to the council for consideration in December and January.

Residents have until Dec. 1 to submit their thoughts on how the dollars should be spent on the county’s for phase one.

Residents also heard updates on the ongoing Main Road Segment A Project. The project focuses on improving congestion for drivers along Main Road and U.S. Highway 17. A more than $300 million construction contract was awarded to the project from the 2016 Transportation Sales Tax.

County Director of Public Works Eric Adams says community members have shared their concerns for traffic congestion, mobility and greenspace in meetings so far. Adams calls the Main Road project an example of uses for sales tax funds.

“Seventeen and Main is one of our premier projects, being that it is a congestion point and really needs to be addressed,” Adams says. “So it ties directly into what we’re going to talk about with potential improvements. So these types of improvements, if the community feels strongly about other intersections, we want to know about that as well.”

includes adding a roundabout at Main Road and Chisolm and River Roads. Drainage improvements, as well as pedestrian accommodations, are additional pieces of the plan.

County leaders say the project’s right-of-way acquisitions are 90% complete, along with a 95% completion for a temporary bridge access.

Johns Island resident Maria Owens once said “no” to extending the sales tax. She is now reconsidering her decision if the dollars will make Main Road traffic improvements that impact outside of her home.

“Traffic is just terrible out there,” Owens says. “You can’t even get out of your driveway, so we would like for them to improve this Main Road to alleviate some of this traffic coming from Old Pond Road.”

More information on the project and updates on the next quarterly Main Road project meeting are on the project’s website.

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