Nights of a Thousand Candles opens at Brookgreen Gardens on Friday, Nov. 27, four weeks from tomorrow. It runs 21 evenings through Jan. 3, 2027, from 4 to 9 p.m. each night. The calendar splits into five short runs, and each run has its own musicians. In the middle there is an eight-night gap that covers Christmas week. For anyone in Murrells Inlet planning around houseguests, the gap and the lineups matter more than the candle count.
This is also the first season since the gardens added a major building made for exactly the kind of weather December brings.
December Is the Gardens' Biggest Month, and the New Building Was Made for It
Brookgreen opened the Purdy Center on Jan. 12, 2026. It holds a new Welcome Center and the Conservatory Gardens, including the Conservatory Great Hall and an indoor tropical Green Wall. WMBF reported that the building cost $18 million, took two years and one week to build, and adds indoor program space and better access for visitors with limited mobility.
The opening came during a cold snap. The Coastal Observer ran its story under the headline "Weather provides chilly reminder of need for long-sought facility." The same story gives the number that explains why this matters around the holidays. Brookgreen President and CEO Page Kiniry told the paper there were about 110,000 visits in December 2025. Over the full twelve months from July 2024 to June 2025, the gardens counted 371,530 visitors. The two periods don't line up exactly, but one December came to nearly a third of a full year's count. Kiniry told the Coastal Observer that the building "will accommodate guests in all weather conditions." She also said, "We really needed a large, indoor space to accommodate the kinds of groups that we have."
So far, Brookgreen has announced one specific role for the Purdy Center during Nights. The Sparkle & Fun Package, which includes a glass of wine or cider and a pair of holographic glasses that add color effects around the lights, is picked up on the building's north terrace. Brookgreen's season announcement, republished by Who's On The Move, still asks guests to dress warmly and carpool when possible. The event is rain or shine. Any closure for dangerous weather is posted in the alert banner on Brookgreen's website.
Five Runs, Two Acts a Night, and One Gap
Each night has two musical acts that take turns in five 45-minute sets. Brookgreen's 2026 entertainment schedule has the first act playing at 4:00 p.m., at the 6:00 p.m. tree lighting and at 7:15 p.m. The second act plays at 5:00, 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. Here is how the lineups fall across the calendar.
| Run | Nights | 4:00, tree lighting and 7:15 sets | 5:00, 6:15 and 8:15 sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving weekend | Nov. 27–28 | Joshua Alan Solo | The Accelerators |
| Nov. 29 | Three Day Weekend | The 100 Grand Band | |
| First December weekend | Dec. 3–6 | Paul Grimshaw Band | Gullah Christmas with Ron & Natalie Daise |
| Second December weekend | Dec. 10–11 | Joshua Alan Solo | The Accelerators |
| Dec. 12–13 | Three Day Weekend | The Jazz Standard | |
| Weekend before Christmas | Dec. 17 | Paul Grimshaw Band | Painted Man |
| Dec. 18–20 | Paul Grimshaw Band | Bill Oberst, Jr. | |
| New Year's stretch | Dec. 29–30 | Three Day Weekend | Matt Parker & The Deacons |
| Dec. 31 | Three Day Weekend | Channel Bluff | |
| Jan. 1–3 | Paul Grimshaw Band | Raglan Road |
The table shows a few things the bare date list doesn't. Gullah Christmas with Ron & Natalie Daise plays only Dec. 3–6, all four nights of that run and on no other dates. The Jazz Standard has just two nights, Dec. 12 and 13. Raglan Road closes the season with all three January nights.
The gap is the other part of the plan. From Thanksgiving through Dec. 20, the event runs Thursday through Sunday only. Then there are no event nights from Dec. 21 through Dec. 28. The event comes back Tuesday, Dec. 29, and runs every night through Jan. 3. Dec. 29 and 30 are the season's only Tuesday and Wednesday nights. If your guests arrive for Christmas and leave on the 27th, the Dec. 17–20 run is their last chance.
How a Single Night Runs
Ticket holders can arrive anytime between 4 and 9 p.m. The schedule within each night stays the same all season.
- 4:00 p.m. The first set starts. Parking is free, and accessible parking is in the main lot.
- 6:00 p.m. The tree lighting takes place in the Arboretum and runs until 6:15.
- 8:15 p.m. The final set begins.
- 8:30 p.m. The main gate closes.
- 9:00 p.m. The gardens close.
All evening you walk among more than 2,700 hand-lit candles and millions of lights. Outside food and drinks aren't allowed. Dinner comes from the rotating trucks on Brookgreen's 2026 food truck list, including Fish Shak, Let's Ride BBQ, EZ Cheezy, Black Cat Kitchen, Kurbside Katering and Happy Face, plus additional food and dessert trucks. For a sit-down meal, Harvest Restaurant recommends reservations and seats only diners who also hold Nights tickets.
A few rules surprise first-time visitors. The Lowcountry Zoo and Floyd Family Farm are closed during the event. Pets aren't allowed and can't be left in vehicles, though trained service animals are welcome. Smoking and vaping are not permitted anywhere in the gardens.
What Tickets Cost, and Where to Buy Them
WMBF reported that public tickets went on sale Aug. 3. Members pay $35 per adult and $15 per child ages 4 to 12. Nonmembers pay $40 and $20. That's $5 less per ticket for members, so two adults and two children save $20 on a single night. Brookgreen's posted membership rates are $75 for Individual and $125 for Household. Members also get unlimited admission during regular hours, discounts at Keepsakes and the food venues, and advance ticket offers for special events.
The timing on a new membership matters. Brookgreen says a new membership ID can take up to two business days to activate in the ticketing system before member prices work online. Members got first access to tickets, but members and nonmembers now draw from the same pool. Brookgreen's ticket page currently lists Nights tickets as available. If a particular date shows sold out, Brookgreen's FAQ says seats can reopen through exchanges, so check back.
The only authorized sellers are Brookgreen's own website and its ticketing partner, Leap Event Technology. Brookgreen says it can't guarantee tickets bought anywhere else. Groups of 20 or more adults can email [email protected] for special pricing.
The Daytime Exhibits Running at the Same Time
The candlelit calendar overlaps with several daytime exhibits, which helps if your guests are around during Christmas week. Daytime hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the gates closing at 4:30. These dates come from Brookgreen's events calendar.
- "Treasured Holiday Memories," Nov. 27 to Jan. 3. Model trains, including a new vintage American Flyer layout in the Mize Gallery. Its listed dates match the candlelit season's and span Christmas week.
- "What Remains: Quilts of Use, Care and Time," Oct. 17 to Feb. 28, 2027.
- "South Carolina and the American Revolution," through Jan. 1, 2027, and "Brookgreen Patriots and Their Descendants," through Jan. 31, 2027.
Two member events in November come before opening night. Wish List Wednesday runs Nov. 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. During the Keepsakes holiday shopping event, Nov. 12 through 14, members get 20% off in-stock items. For anyone hosting family between Dec. 21 and 28, the train layout in the Mize Gallery is the one holiday exhibit whose listed dates cover that week.
Planning around holiday guests is part of living on the South Strand, and Larisa is glad to share what she knows about Murrells Inlet through the season. If you have questions about the neighborhood around Brookgreen, or just want to compare notes on the best night for the Gullah Christmas sets, reach out to Larisa Esmat. Let's Connect: Book a Consultation.
