A College of Charleston holiday tradition returns.

The fourth annual Cougar Night Lights holiday light show will kick off on Nov. 23, 2020, with a special showing for College of Charleston students.

Held in the Cistern Yard with the College’s iconic Randolph Hall, Cougar Night Lights captures the magic of the holiday season with dazzling light displays set to classic holiday tunes as well as popular contemporary songs.

The first show at 6 p.m. will be reserved for College of Charleston December graduates and graduate students. President Andrew T. Hsu will give brief remarks before the start of this year’s Cougar Night Lights show. Because this will be a socially distant event, there will be limits on the amount of people allowed in each show. All students are invited to the special 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. programs. Showings of Cougar Night Lights will be open to all students on Tuesday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Nov. 25, with shows on the half hour, starting at 5:30 p.m. and ending after the 9 p.m. viewing.  

Above: Cougar Night Lights in 2019. (Photos by Mike Ledford and Heather Moran)

Along with enjoying the over 43,000 lights on display, students will also be able to record greetings that will later be placed on the College’s social media channels.

Starting on Nov. 25, the program will be open to the public. The half-hour program will be held nightly beginning at 5:30 p.m. with the last show nightly at 9 p.m. Please note that all people attending Cougar Night Lights must adhere to the College of Charleston social distancing and face mask requirements while on campus.

The show was once again produced and designed by CofC alumnus John Reynolds ’97, a multi-Emmy award winning lighting designer who has done work for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Super Bowl.

Cougar Night Lights is free and open to the public, so join us at the College of Charleston’s Cistern Yard to celebrate the holiday season. Cistern Yard is located at the corner of George and St. Philip streets. Public parking garages are available at two locations, including the George Street Garage and St. Philip Street Garage.

Cougar Night Lights will run nightly through Jan. 1, 2021.