The South is best known for its richly diverse music scene but there are literally hundreds of festivals embracing cuisine, literature, film, comedy, sports and just about anything worth celebrating. Yet nothing is more festive than the combining all this with the holidays. Not surprising though, the South just emanates yuletide goodness this time of year. There is no better way to get in the spirit of celebration than to join locals at a holiday event for festival. So, come on ya’ll, let’s deck the halls Southern style! 

November 3-4 
47th Charleston Scottish Games and Highland Gathering 
Charleston, South Carolina 

Kilts, kilts everywhere you look, with a few bagpipes thrown in to complete the stage. This is the celebration of local Scottish heritage through events like piping, drumming, Highland dancing, heavy lifting, and wrestling. There will be scotch whisky tasting and a Tartan Ball along with border collie demonstrations, a beer garden and plenty of plaid souvenirs to purchase. charlestonscots.org 

November 3 
25th North Carolina Pecan Harvest Festival 
Whiteville, North Carolina 

Parades, musical entertainment, and house tours abound in the town known as one of the top pecan producers in the state. It features the Columbus Cooks Pecan Cooking Contest, with a parade starting at 10 am. Look forward to your visit with the nearly 20,000 attendants who make the NC Pecan Harvest Festival a "must do" every year! ncpecanfestival.com 

November 3 
Decatur Wine Festival 
Decatur, GA 

The Decatur Wine Festival is an annual event with hundreds of wines available for tasting. 

We're metro Atlanta’s largest outdoor wine festival, featuring wines from around the globe. Plus...delicious food from local restaurants and vendors. There's also live music and dancing. 

Proceeds benefit the Decatur Arts Alliance, which produces local arts events that are free to the community. The Decatur Wine Festival is always held on the first Saturday in November. For more information, please click the link below to visit our website. decaturwinefestival.com 

November 10 
Charleston, South Carolina 
28th Annual Holiday Festival of Lights 

Featuring over 750 displays and two million light, the Holiday Festival of Lights is a cherished holiday tradition for the whole family. James Island County Park comes alive with illumination, and is a great place to capture the magic of the holiday season. The lights stay on until New Year’s Day, so enjoy! ccprc.com 

November 10 
Shenandoah Uncorked 
Shenandoah Caverns – Quicksburg, VA 

Shenandoah Uncorked returns to the Yellow Barn at Shenandoah Caverns November 11, 2017. This will be the 8th year for this family friendly wine festival, and it gets better year after year.  Admission is free. Wine Tasting is just $15 and includes a souvenir wine glass. Uncorked will feature more than 10 Virginia Wineries, plus food, fine crafts and local agricultural displays including Antique Tractors. Free kids events and activities include mini Barrel Train rides, Magic Shows and Pedal Tractor Races!  Free Admission, Wine Tasting $15. shenandoahcaverns.com 

November 19 
National Gingerbread House Competition™ 
Asheville, South Carolina 

The winning creations will be on display until January 5, 2017. It all began with a small group of gingerbread houses built by community members in 1992 as another way to celebrate the holiday season with no plans to continue the following year. There was no possible way to know that more than two decades later The Omni Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition™ would be one of the nation's most celebrated and competitive holiday events. As the event grew, so did the caliber of judges and competitors. The panel of judges represents nationally renowned food, arts, and media professionals and the level of competition has attracted the highest quality of design, artistry and pastry expertise. The competition has merited broadcast coverage by ABC's Good Morning America, the Travel Channel, and the Food Network. Attracting close to 400 entries each year with more than 3000 entries from 26 states since 1993. Entries are judged on overall appearance, originality and creativity, difficulty, precision, and consistency of theme. Except for the base, the entries must be constructed of edible materials. omnihotels.com 

December 1 
Downtown in December 
Oklahoma City 

All month enjoy a series of holiday event and attraction right in the heart of the city. It’s a one-of-a-kind winter experience that features outdoor ice skating, a tree lighting festival, Santa Claus visits, snow tubing, performances, and parties all surrounded by holiday lights. Most of the events are free, so head downtown! downtownindecember.com 

December 3-18 
Charleston’s Holiday Market 
Charleston, SC 

Holiday Market is your complete holiday shopping experience! Offering foods and fashions, gifts and glitter, music and magic – everything to make the holidays bright. This exciting Christmas extravaganza kicks off the season with specialty gift stores, fashion jewelry, clothing, gourmet foods, decorations and ideas, home accessories and décor, food and wine sampling, arts and crafts, and of course, Santa! charlestoncvb.com 

December 8 
Mattamuskeet Swan Days Festival 
Swanquarter, NC 

Thousands of waterfowl on Lake Mattamuskeet will highlight the Swan Days Festival on Saturday. 

The largest natural lake in North Carolina attracts thousands of tundra swans, snow geese, Canada geese, and more than 20 species of ducks including mallards, wood ducks, widgeons and black ducks. 

The festival includes educational programs focusing on waterfowl, blue crabs, lake history, Native American history, photography, and arts and crafts. Historian Lewis Forrest will present a history of the 100-year-old pumping station that later became a hunting lodge. hydecountync.gov 

December 8-9 
Dickens Of A Christmas 
Franklin, TN 

Join the largest outdoor Christmas festival in Middle Tennessee! Step back in time with the Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County when Dickens of a Christmas returns to Franklin’s Main Street December 9-10, 2017. The 33rd annual free street festival will recreate the time of Charles Dickens using historic downtown Franklin’s Victorian architecture as the backdrop. Some 200 musicians, dancers and characters will fill the streets, including several from Charles Dickens’s stories. Expect to see and interact with the nefarious Fagin from Oliver Twist; Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim Cratchit with his parents from A Christmas Carol; and of course, a Victorian Father and Mother Christmas with treats for children. historicfranklin.com