York County Highlights (Fort Mill • Rock Hill • Tega Cay • Lake Wylie)

❄️ Ice Skating (Rock Hill)

• Founders Holiday Ice Rink (Old Town Rock Hill) — Open through Jan 19, 2026. Hours vary. Details & tickets.

🎉 Winter Festivals & Seasonal Fun

• Carowinds WinterFest — Through Jan 3, 2026 (select days). A short hop from Fort Mill. What’s new this season.
• Winter at Whitewater (USNWC) — Ice skating & Winter Trail from Nov 14, 2025–mid-Feb 2026. Know before you go.

🎶 New Year’s Concerts (Easy drive from York County)

• Charlotte Symphony: Strauss’s Blue Danube — Jan 9–10, 2026 at Belk Theater. Program & tickets.
• Opera Carolina: Puccini’s Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi — Jan 16–18, 2026 at Belk Theater. Details.

🖼️ Museum Exhibits & Family Learning

• Museum of York County — Permanent exhibits including Ice Age Carolinas plus the Settlemyre Planetarium. Exhibit info.
• Mint Museum (Charlotte) — Last chance through Jan 4, 2026 for select exhibitions (e.g., Future Now; Randolph). What’s on view.
• Bechtler Museum of Modern Art — ArtBreak lunchtime talk on Jan 8, 2026. Event page.

📚 Library Events for Kids

• Family Storytime (Fort Mill Library) — Sat, Jan 3, 2026; 10:30–11:15 AM. Registration required. Register.
• Preschool Storytime (Clover Library) — Tue, Jan 13, 2026; 10:30–11:15 AM. Event info.
• YCL Winter Reading Challenge — Dec 15, 2025–Jan 31, 2026 for all ages. Join.
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Storytime (Atherton, South End) — Sat, Jan 17, 2026; 11:00 AM. Details.

🍳 Restaurant Specials & Brunches

• New Year’s Day Brunch & Open Restaurants (Charlotte region) — Curated list for Jan 1, 2026 (examples include Fleming’s, Hello, Sailor & more). See the list.
• Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week — Jan 23–Feb 1, 2026. Prix-fixe dining across metro Charlotte (great excuse for a dinner out from Fort Mill/Lake Wylie). Dates & info.
• The Pump House (Rock Hill) — Scenic weekend brunch on the Catawba River. Brunch hours.
• Tiff’s Lakefront (Lake Wylie) — NYE dining & celebration options. Event post.

🥾 Fitness Challenges & Hikes

• Charlotte Running Co. Trail Race — Sat, Jan 17, 2026, at Anne Springs Close Greenway (Fort Mill): multiple distances. Event page.
• USNWC: Frigid Trail Race & Plunge — Sat, Jan 31, 2026, Charlotte. 5K & 10K plus the polar plunge. Race details.
• “Ring in the New Year” Trail Run — Thu, Jan 1, 2026, Anne Springs Close Greenway. 5K/10K. Registration.

More January Fun in Charlotte

• Light the Knights (Truist Field) — Ice skating, lights & tubing through Jan 4, 2026. Event reel.
• Speedway Christmas (Concord) — Massive drive-thru lights through Jan 4, 2026. Schedule.
• Monty Python’s Spamalot — Jan 20–25, 2026 at Belk Theater. Tickets.

Make a Day of It

Try this winter combo: morning skate in Rock Hill, late-afternoon museum time in Charlotte, then finish with a Restaurant Week reservation—or a cozy local brunch in York County.