Southport's Holiday Tour of Homes Now Runs Two Days. Here's How the Tickets Work.
November 12, 2026
November 12, 2026
Public tickets for Southport's 2026 Holiday Tour of Homes go on sale Thursday, November 19, at 10 a.m. This year the tour runs over two days. Friday, December 11 is a new guided walking tour, and Saturday, December 12 keeps the traditional self-guided format. Buying online is the easy step. On Saturday, the deadline that decides whether you get in is a counter at Fort Johnston Southport Museum and Visitor Center, and it closes an hour before the tour does.
The tour is a joint fundraiser for the Southport Historical Society and Downtown Southport, Inc. Ticket money supports two Southport history museums, community education programs and a scholarship for a Brunswick County high school student.
The Friday group visits "all ten participating properties," and the Saturday ticket covers nine decorated homes and a historic church, which also comes to ten. The Society describes this year's homes as ranging "from traditional Southport cottages to contemporary residences." What changes from Friday to Saturday is how you move between them.
| Friday, Dec. 11 Guided Walking Tour | Saturday, Dec. 12 Self-Guided Tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $75 | $35 |
| Total tickets | 200 | 1,000 |
| Hours | Gather 1:00 p.m., tour 1:30 to 5:00 p.m., reception 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. | 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Format | Groups of about 20, each with a tour leader, on a set schedule | Your own route and pace, with a keepsake booklet and map |
| Ticket pickup | Issued at a private check-in; details arrive with your confirmation | In person at Fort Johnston, purchaser ID required |
The Friday tour is built around timed visits, so guests "enjoy the properties without waiting in long lines." It also asks more of your legs. The route covers about two miles over three and a half hours of walking or standing, and the Society states there are no chances to sit and rest and golf carts are not permitted. Friday ends with a reception featuring light refreshments, live music by Jabbertown Jazz Junction, and a drawing for the holiday wreath on the cover of the 2026 keepsake booklet. Every Friday guest gets one raffle ticket.
Southport Historical Society members whose membership was current as of September 30, 2026 had a presale. It set aside half of each day's tickets: 100 for Friday and 500 for Saturday, with a limit of two per membership. Presale tickets that members did not buy carry into today's public sale. That means the public sale opens with 100 to 200 Friday tickets and 500 to 1,000 Saturday tickets, depending on how many members bought.
The Society reports that 701 Saturday tickets sold during last year's public sale. If members bought every presale Saturday ticket, today's public allotment would be 500, which is 201 fewer than the public bought last year. The Society says the presale has never sold out so far, so some of those reserved tickets usually move into the public pool. On Friday, the most the public could get is 200 seats, the full capacity of a format that is brand new this year.
The ground rules for today:
The Society also includes a "buyer beware" note. Scammers try to sell tour tickets on social media every year, so contact the Society before buying from anyone else.
Saturday tickets are not mailed. They come as a keepsake booklet with a map, and the purchaser has to collect them in person, with ID, at Fort Johnston Southport Museum and Visitor Center before starting the tour. If someone else buys your tickets and resells them through the waitlist, the original purchaser still has to pick them up.
This changes who should place the order. If you are buying four Saturday tickets for family arriving from out of town, buy them under the name of whoever will be in Southport during pickup week.
The pickup calendar works out this way:
That leaves six full pickup days before the tour, and most of them fall during Winterfest. If you are at the tree lighting at Whittler's Bench on Friday, December 4, or at the Cookie Contest on December 9, you are already downtown and can stop at Fort Johnston on a weekday. Anyone who waits for tour day is limited to a 4 p.m. cutoff on the busiest Saturday of the season.
According to WWAY's November 3 rundown of Winterfest 2026, the self-guided tour falls on the last and fullest day of the festival. Here is the full day:
The order of events can help you plan. The tour ends at 5 p.m. and the flotilla starts at 6 p.m. along the same waterfront, so one Saturday can include the homes, an early dinner and the boats. Downtown Southport, Inc. says this year's flotilla route runs from Old American Fish to a lighted buoy near Kingsley Street Park and back, weather permitting. The buoy is new this year. The parade is sponsored by Cape Fear Yacht Club, Downtown Southport, Inc. and the City of Southport. DSI suggests bringing chairs and blankets, and Cape Fear Radio will broadcast the parade live. Students from the Southport Elementary School Art Program judge the sail and power boats, and their artwork will be on display at the NC Maritime Museum at Southport through December.
Construction on the waterfront is still underway. The City's Southport Shorefront Improvements Project schedules work in the western segment from October 1, 2026 through February 8, 2027. The City warns that parts of the project area may have temporary parking restrictions or limited public access, and it posts updates on the project page.
The tour has a few practical rules that apply on either day. It runs rain or shine. If a December thunderstorm hits, the doors close until the storm passes. Wear comfortable, soft-soled shoes. High heels, strollers, food, beverages and pets are not allowed inside the homes. The homes' restrooms are not open to guests, but public restrooms are available at the Southport Visitor Center and at the city restrooms on Nash Street.
Friday, December 11 has its own full evening. The guided tour's reception ends at 5:30 p.m., and the Light Up the Night Christmas Parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. along Moore and Howe streets, then returns to the Southport Fire Station, where children can visit Santa. The Once More Bookstore Holiday Open House also runs that day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you choose the $75 guided tour, you get the homes, a jazz reception and the parade in one afternoon and evening, and your Saturday is free for the craft festival and the flotilla.
Moore Street has one more date to keep in mind. As the StarNews reported on October 15, Blue Cow Grille at 108 E. Moore St. will close December 17 as owner Sheila Barbee retires. The closing comes five days after the flotilla, so Winterfest week is the last stretch of holiday dinners at the restaurant. In a note on social media, Barbee thanked "our local community, loyal customers and great staff for supporting Blue Cow Grille."
You can still vote for the decorations once the tour is over. The City's sixth annual Storefront Showcase holds online voting from Friday, December 4 through Sunday, December 13, across five categories, and announces winners on Tuesday, December 15.
Holiday house guests coming to see Southport's decorated cottages are a good reason to think about the coast year-round. If seeing these homes lit up for December has you thinking about a place of your own on this stretch of shoreline, the team at Better Beach Sales would be glad to talk it through. Schedule a Consultation: Experience Oak Island.
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