Don’t miss these 5 children’s events at Rock Hill’s ChristmasVille festival

Santa’s coming to town — and he’s arriving at 7 p.m. Thursday at Fountain Park in downtown Rock Hill for the opening ceremony of ChristmasVille 2018.

This four-day festival includes activities like ice skating, Cookies and Cocoa with Santa, ornament making, story time with Santa and a peak into Santa’s workshop.

There also will be appearances by the Grinch and Coca-Cola Polar Bear.

Here’s five events you’ll want to take your children to.

1. Cookies and Cocoa with Santa

Join Santa and friends in the First Presbyterian Church 7:30-9 p.m. Thursday, following the ChristmasVille opening ceremony, for cookies and hot cocoa. Kids can sit on Santa’s lap and have their photos taken and leave with a coloring book filled with illustrations drawn by artist Vernon Grant — a Rock Hill illustrator best known for his creation of Kellogg’s Snap! Crackle! And Pop! characters. This event is free and open to the public.

2. Santa’s Workshop

Decorate Christmas cookies in the Claus Kitchen, dress up and live the life of a gnome or test toys before they’re loaded into Santa’s sleigh 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and noon-4:30 p.m. Sunday in the Palmetto Room at 135 E. Main St. This event is free.

3. Jingle Bell March

Children can follow Santa around Fountain Park and down Main Street as he leads them in a parade of jingle bells. The Jingle Bell March happens three times Friday at 9:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. from Fountain Park stage and at 2 p.m. at 135 E. Main St. Additional marches are planned Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Santa’s Workshop at 135 E. Main St.

4. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

Inside South State Bank on Main Street, Grinch will tell his story of how he stole Christmas at 1 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.

5. Cookie Decorating Workshop

Hosted by Hey Sugar Shop, this workshop at Center for the Arts teaches adults and children to become gourmet holiday sugar cookie decorators. Tickets for one adult and one child cost $45 and include 18 cookies to decorate. Workshops are at 11 a.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Visit heysugarshop.com for tickets.

For more information, visit christmasvillerockhill.com.