The Town of Mount Pleasant's Holiday Market & Craft Show returns to the Farmers Market Pavilion on Coleman Boulevard on Saturday, December 12, for its 27th year. For the first time, it has a companion market.
On Sunday, November 22, the Town is opening a second market called the Merry Makers Market. It is at the Park West Recreation Complex, 1251 Park West Blvd., which puts the new event near the Highway 17 North end of town instead of the Old Village end. It lands on the same weekend as the north end's tree festival and tree lighting, so the Town's two markets now sit on two holiday weekends about three weeks and several miles apart.
A new market, placed away from Coleman
The Town announced the Merry Makers Market on August 4 in the same release that opened vendor applications for the December show and the Christmas Light Parade. It called the market "new to the East Cooper area." Events Coordinator Tracy Richter explained the reason in the Town of Mount Pleasant's announcement: "We are excited to add a new market to kick off the holiday season. Shoppers can check off their gift lists and connect with local vendors at both markets."
The release presents the new market as an addition, not a replacement. It went to Park West and the December show stayed on Coleman, so the result is two separate holiday weekends. The first one is in the north end of town.
Early November, before the lights go up
Before the holiday events begin, two community dates in early November set up the same north-south split.
On Sunday, November 8, the Native American Film & Video Festival of the Southeast comes to Palmetto Grande Theater. The Mount Pleasant Historical Commission and the Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians are presenting it, and the free program includes "Frybread Face and Me" and "Fancy Dance." Details are on the Town's event calendar.
Six days later, on Saturday, November 14, the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department's Old Village Harbor 5K starts and finishes at Alhambra Hall.
November 21 and 22: the north-end weekend
The Saturday and Sunday before Thanksgiving week hold three holiday events, all along the Highway 17 North corridor. Here is the full weekend:
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Boone Hall's Christmas Tree Festival opens at Boone Hall Farms, 2434 N. Highway 17. Admission is free, and the listing includes crafts, live music and Santa.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 6 to 8 p.m.: Lights Up at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, with the tree lighting, music and Santa's arrival.
- Sunday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: The Christmas Tree Festival's second day at Boone Hall.
- Sunday, Nov. 22, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: The Merry Makers Market at Park West Recreation Complex.
The festival's daytime hours and the evening tree lighting don't overlap, so you can do both on Saturday. Sunday's market falls inside the festival's hours, so the order is up to you.
If the tree lighting runs close to dinnertime, Towne Centre has a new option. Revolving Sushi Kingdom recently opened at 1594 Palmetto Grande Drive, with conveyor-belt service and dishes delivered to the table by train, according to 6AM City's roundup of new Charleston restaurants. Further north, Holy City Sinner's upcoming-openings tracker still lists a Fall 2026 target for Jimmy Rosso, a Brooklyn-inspired pizza restaurant planned for the entrance of Brickyard Plantation. It has not announced an opening day.
How the two markets compare
On paper the two markets look alike. Each one runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., wants local growers and makers, and turns away commercial and mass-produced goods. The Town's release says vendors for both are chosen to keep each show balanced across categories. The differences are in the setting, the timing and a few details behind the booths.
| Merry Makers Market | Holiday Market & Craft Show | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, Nov. 22 | Saturday, Dec. 12 |
| Location | Park West Recreation Complex, 1251 Park West Blvd. | Farmers Market Pavilion at Moultrie Middle School, 645 Coleman Blvd. |
| Hours | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Track record | First year | 27th year |
| What's listed | Farmers, makers, growers, bakers, food vendors, food trucks, local artists | Handcrafted gifts, holiday treats, live entertainment, balloon art, caricatures, Santa |
| Vendor paperwork | Town business license and liability insurance required | Town buys an umbrella permit for participating vendors |
The vendor rules matter most to the makers themselves. Both the Merry Makers application and the Holiday Market application list a $50 booth fee. Merry Makers applicants are juried by category, and artisan work has to be original and made by the artist selling it. Both applications closed September 12, so this year's vendor lists are already set.
For shoppers, the December listing says admission and parking are free at the Farmers Market Pavilion. The Town's Merry Makers page lists the date, hours and address, and it is the place to check for parking details closer to the day.
Three weeks later, Coleman Boulevard gets its weekend
Between the two markets, Boone Hall hosts one more event. Wine Under the Oaks runs Sunday, December 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens, with wine tastings, food and live entertainment.
The next weekend, the season moves south and stays on Coleman for two days in a row.
On Saturday, December 12, the Holiday Market & Craft Show fills the Farmers Market Pavilion at 645 Coleman Blvd. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It has handcrafted gifts, holiday treats, live entertainment, balloon art, caricatures and Santa.
On Sunday, December 13, the 31st Annual Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m. along West Coleman Boulevard. Fireworks open it, and the route goes from Live Oak Drive to Patriots Point Road. The Town lists marching bands, a police motorcycle show, lighted floats and Santa. When the Town opened parade applications in August, it invited community groups, schools, churches and local organizations to enter.
That gives Coleman a market on Saturday afternoon and a parade on Sunday night, just as the north end had the tree festival, tree lighting and new market three weeks earlier.
If you plan to stop at Shem Creek on either day, part of the park is still closed. The Town of Mount Pleasant closed the Shem Creek Park floating dock on October 1 after it was damaged. The boardwalk and the rest of the park stayed open, and the Town said it would decide next steps for the dock after removing and evaluating it. The Town's October 1 notice is the latest word on the dock, so check it before heading down to the water.
Putting both weekends on the calendar
| Weekend | Where | What's on |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 21 and 22 | Highway 17 North, Towne Centre, Park West | Christmas Tree Festival, Lights Up, Merry Makers Market |
| Dec. 6 | Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens | Wine Under the Oaks |
| Dec. 12 and 13 | Coleman Boulevard | Holiday Market & Craft Show, Christmas Light Parade |
That's three Sundays and two Saturdays across the length of town. Gift shopping from local makers now has two dates and two locations, one in November and one in December.
The team at Rose Gold Properties works across Mount Pleasant, from Park West to the Old Village. If you're curious how your street compares with the rest of town, or what your home might be worth before the new year, request your home estimate and we'll send you a clear, local answer.
