Holiday Happenings

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• Fork Shoals' Christmas Parade theme is "Old Fashion Holiday." The parade starts at 3 p.m. Nov. 27 with the kick-off at Fork Shoals Elementary School. The parade will pass through the village of Fork Shoals along McKelvey Road and circle back to the school. After the parade children may visit with Santa at the school. The parade is sponsored by Canebrake Fire Department and the PTA/guidance. Call 449-3197.

• The Fountain Inn Christmas Parade will kick-off the town's Spirit of Christmas Past Festival and other Christmas events at 5 p.m. Nov. 30 on Main Street.

• The Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at Fountain Inn City Hall.

• Fountain Inn Carriage rides will be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 1-4, 8-11 and 15-17. Admission is $6 per adult, $4 per ages 2-10 years and ages 2 years and younger free.

• The Fountain Inn Garden Club will sponsor the Christmas Home Decoration competition beginning at 5 p.m. Dec. 1.

• Fountain Inn Music Club Holiday Tour of Homes will be from 2-5 p.m. Dec. 4. Tickets are $10 per person.

• Breakfast with Santa will begin at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 10 at Fountain Inn Elementary School. Admission is $3 per child and $2 per adult. Call 862-2586.

• The Simpsonville Christmas Parade will begin at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 4. The annual Star Lighting Ceremony follows at 5:30 p.m. at the Clock Tower in downtown Simpsonville.

• Breakfast with Santa will be 8:30-10 a.m. Dec. 10 at the Simpsonville Activity & Senior Center, 310 W. Curtis St. Also, a picture with Santa, crafts, a secret Santa Shop and a life-size Candyland will be available. Reservations are required in advance. Tickets are $4 per ages 13 and older, $3 per ages 6-12 years and ages 5 and younger are free. Call 967-9533.

• Simpsonville United Methodist Church, 215 S.E. Main St., will present the fifth annual drive-through pageant "Journey to the Manger" from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 9-10 and 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 11. Visitors will witness the historic sights and sounds of Bethlehem as they drive through 24 historical sets populated by live animals and participants dressed in period costumes. Admission is free and open to the public.

• Santa's Hotline will be open from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 13-14. Special arrangements have been made with Santa Claus to telephone children ages 8-10 years from Santa's workshop at the North Pole. Forms are available at The Simpsonville Activity & Senior Center, 310 W. Curtis St. and must be turned in by 8 p.m. Dec. 12. Call 967-9533.

• Operation Spread the Joy is accepting donations of new toys, nonperishable food items and items for senior citizens through Dec. 15. The donated items will be delivered to local needy children and their families. Call 967-9533.

• A free Christmas dinner for the Golden Strip's needy residents will be served from 3-6 p.m. Dec. 12 in the Simpsonville City Park Community Building.

• Breakfast with Santa will be at 9 a.m. Dec. 10 at the Ray W. Hopkins Mauldin Senior Center, 203 Corn Road, Mauldin. Admission is $3 per child and $5 per adult. Tickets must be purchased in advance beginning at 9 a.m. Nov. 28 at the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce, 103E E. Butler Road.

• The Mauldin Christmas Parade will begin at 3 p.m. Dec. 11 at Mauldin High School and end at the Cultural Center, followed at 5 p.m. by the tree lighting at City Hall. The Mauldin Police Department will provide snacks and drinks.

• Families who have children with special needs are invited to have breakfast from 8-10 a.m. Dec. 10 at Applebee's, 1221 Woodruff Road, Greenville. Pictures will be taken with a special guest. A $5 donation is accepted. Sponsored by Family Connection of South Carolina Inc. and the Children's Hospital of the Greenville Hospital System. Call 331-1340.

• Christmas at the Stables, sponsored by the Upstate Equestrain Ministries Fellowship, will be from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 10 and Dec. 17 and 3-5 p.m. Dec. 18 at Whispering Pines, Adams Mill Road, Mauldin.

Activities include live animals to pet, hay rides, a live Nativity scene and the Christmas story. Refreshments will be available. It is free and open to the public. Call 288-0655 or e-mail Debbie@wpstables.com.

• Cornerstone Christmas returns to Concoxions Cornerstone Theatre, 59 Groce Road, Lyman, with dinner theater shows at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17. The show features a cast of 20 performers in a celebration of the birth of Christ through traditional and contemporary Christmas music favorites, dance, drama, puppetry and special effects chalk drawing.

Tickets for dinner and show are $26 per adult, $24 per senior citizen, $21 per student and $17 for ages 12 years and younger. Call 949-7469.

• Christmas Time at Eden Farms, 30-minutes from Greenville, will be from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 12 and 19. Santa arrives by horse carriage at 2 p.m. Visit with Santa and his elves in the North Pole room, visit horses, "reindeer horse" and pony rides, wagon rides and see a live Nativity scene. Hot chocolate, cookies and Christmas arts and crafts will be available.

Admission is $6 per child, parents are free. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit Happy Hooves Therapeutic Equestrian Center. Drop off toys for the Country Santa program. Call 898-0043 or visit the Web site: www.edenfarms.net. Directions: take Highway 183W through Berea and into Dacusville. At the intersection of Highways 183 and 135 turn right. Eden Farms is seven miles on the right.

• The 35th Annual Holiday Fair will be from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 1-2 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Palemtto Expo Center. The fair offers one-of-a-kind arts, crafts, holiday gifts, decorations and accessories designed by more than 300 artisans from 12 states.

Admission is $6 per adult, $3 per ages 6-12 years and 6 years and younger are free. Call 233-2562.

• A New Year's Affair at McAlister Square. Greenville Chautauqua and the Foothills Philharmonic will sponsor "Prelude To Midnight" from 7-10 p.m. Dec. 31. A gala production of Boston Pops style music performing classics-lite, ragtime and all-time favorites, directed by Gary Robinson, and featuring soprano Lucie Svatonova .

The event also will offer dining catered by Caesar's at McAlister, a silent auction and "Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain" presented by George Frein, artistic director of Greenville Chautauqua.

General admission is $25 and $40 for priority seating.