Last year, A Snowy Kingsland Christmas lasted two hours on a weeknight. The City of Kingsland held it on Thursday, December 11, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It was free and came with snow, cocoa, cookies, cider, dance performances, and photos with Santa.
This year it lasts five hours on a Saturday. The 2026 listing on Visit Kingsland puts the event on Saturday, December 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's still free, and this year's listing names a parade, a holiday market, and business open houses.
Two other holiday events were already planned for that Saturday on the same downtown street. With the new date, December 12 becomes the fullest day of Kingsland's holiday season, from early morning until after dark.
Three Events, One Street
A Snowy Kingsland Christmas is organized by the Kingsland Downtown Development Authority, and its listing gives the location as 107 S Lee St.
The Jingle Jog 5K is held downtown the same morning. It's hosted by the Camden Charlton Association of REALTORS® Community Service Committee and uses the same 107 S Lee St address. Check-in opens at 7:30 a.m. and the race starts at 8. The course runs through historic downtown Kingsland.
Further down the same street, at 440 S. Lee St., is Kingsland Station. That's where the Santa Special Christmas Train boards, and December 12 is one of its scheduled days. The station is home to the Florida-Georgia Railway Heritage Museum, a nonprofit that the station's website says is "powered by the Georgia Coastal Railway."
Last year's Thursday-evening event never lined up with a morning race or a weekend train. On a Saturday, all three overlap.
December 12, Hour by Hour
| Time | What's happening | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 a.m. | Jingle Jog 5K check-in | Downtown Kingsland, 107 S Lee St |
| 8:00 a.m. | Jingle Jog 5K race start | Historic downtown Kingsland |
| 10:00 a.m. | A Snowy Kingsland Christmas opens | Downtown Kingsland, 107 S Lee St |
| 12:00 p.m. | Santa Special departure | Kingsland Station, 440 S. Lee St. |
| 2:00 p.m. | Santa Special departure | Kingsland Station, 440 S. Lee St. |
| 3:00 p.m. | A Snowy Kingsland Christmas closes | Downtown Kingsland |
| 4:00 p.m. | Santa Special departure | Kingsland Station, 440 S. Lee St. |
| 6:00 p.m. | Santa Special departure | Kingsland Station, 440 S. Lee St. |
The schedule splits the day into three parts. The race is over before the festival opens. The noon and 2 p.m. trains leave while the festival is still running. The 4 and 6 p.m. trains leave after it closes at 3, so a family could spend the middle of the day at the festival and still catch a train in the late afternoon or evening.
The Jingle Jog costs $45 per person, and the listing on RunSignup gives the same price and the same 8 a.m. start. Registration includes a T-shirt, holiday swag, awards, post-race refreshments with hot cocoa, and photo opportunities. Proceeds benefit communities across Camden and Charlton counties.
Visit Kingsland's Snowy Kingsland listing still says "More details to come," so the full program will fill in closer to the date.
The Train Has Quieter Days, and Some Rules That Apply Every Day
December 12 is one of 11 days the Santa Special runs. The operator's 2026 schedule starts the weekend after Thanksgiving and then switches to daily rides the week before Christmas:
- Friday, November 27: 12, 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
- Saturday, November 28: 12, 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
- Saturday, December 5: 12, 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
- Saturday, December 12: 12, 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
- Friday, December 18: 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
- Saturday, December 19 through Wednesday, December 23: 12, 2, 4 and 6 p.m. each day
- Thursday, December 24: 12, 2 and 4 p.m.
That gives families who want the train without the crowds two kinds of options. They can ride on the two days after Thanksgiving or on December 5, or they can choose a weekday ride from December 21 to 23 once school lets out. Families who want the full Saturday downtown should pick December 12.
The same rules apply every day. All sales are final, there are no refunds, and trains run rain or shine. Each ride starts with a short preshow in the station's theater. This season, passengers ride in open-air rail cars with a roof, wooden benches facing the center, no restrooms, and limited ADA accessibility. The operator suggests dressing for cooler weather and using the restroom before boarding. Santa, his elves, Frosty the Snowman and others visit each car during the ride.
There's no food or drink service on board, and coolers and outside food or drinks aren't allowed. The station sells popcorn, beer, wine, cocktails and snacks before departure, and passengers can take those on the train.
Open-air tickets are $24.50 plus tax and fees for adults ages 13 and up and $12.50 plus tax and fees for children ages 3 to 12. Children 2 and under ride free on an adult's lap. Active-duty military and veterans can use the promo code MILITARY at checkout, and first responders can use 911. Private caboose bookings start at $350 plus tax and fees for groups of up to ten.
The Catfish Festival Comes First
Three weeks before December 12, the Kingsland Downtown Development Authority holds the Kingsland Catfish Festival downtown on Friday, November 20, and Saturday, November 21. The KDDA produces the festival as part of its work on historic preservation and the downtown economy.
The 2026 schedule has two parts. The Catfish Street Block Party runs Friday from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and the main festival runs Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. It's set up downtown near the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 17 and GA Hwy. 40. Admission and parking are both free. Visit Kingsland describes more than 200 vendor booths with seafood, beer and wine, live music, original art, crafts, antiques and collectibles, plus a children's amusement area.
The City's announcement last year described the Friday block party as new for 2025. With A Snowy Kingsland Christmas now running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a Saturday, both of the KDDA's downtown events this season have long Saturday daytime hours.
Five Dates for the Fridge
- Friday, November 20, 5:30 to 8 p.m.: Catfish Street Block Party, downtown Kingsland.
- Saturday, November 21, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Kingsland Catfish Festival, near U.S. 17 and GA 40, with free admission and parking.
- Friday, November 27, and Saturday, November 28: The first Santa Special rides from Kingsland Station, 440 S. Lee St.
- Saturday, December 12: The Jingle Jog 5K at 8 a.m., A Snowy Kingsland Christmas from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and trains at noon, 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
- December 18 through December 24: Daily Santa Special rides, ending with three departures on Christmas Eve.
Train tickets are sold through the operator's 2026 ticket link, and because every sale is final, it's a good idea to settle on a date before booking.
At Beach + Main, we enjoy the weekends when Kingsland's downtown fills up as much as anyone. If you're thinking about how close you'd like to live to South Lee Street on a Saturday like December 12, we're happy to talk it over. Let's Find Your Place Together.
