Why do Lake Hartwell's two biggest late-fall events on the South Carolina side both pass through the same Anderson County ramp? Green Pond Landing and Event Center hosts a national bass championship in mid-November. About two weeks after it ends, a fleet of lighted sailboats and powerboats passes the landing twice on two December nights.
The water level is why that one spot matters so much this year. On October 25, 2026, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dashboard showed Hartwell at 648.37 feet, which is 7.63 feet below the 656-foot guide curve. At that level, the ramps and shoreline that can still handle a crowd are the ones built for it.
A Ramp Designed for the Lake We Have Now
The 656-foot figure is the lake's new normal. The Corps' Hartwell Lake Level Restrictions page says the guide curve has been lowered to 656 feet year-round while seepage at the Clemson Lower Diversion Dam Saddle Dike is addressed. It also says that once the drought ends, the lake will not go back to its historical 660-foot summer full level. For now the Corps says recreational users will see no immediate change to boat ramp or swim beach availability from the restriction, because the water is already below 656 feet.
Ramps were already feeling the drought. In the Corps' boat ramp status table, Broyles Recreation Area had only its middle lane open, with the left and right lanes closed.
Green Pond was built for exactly these conditions. According to Anderson County's parks page, it has a three-lane concrete ramp more than 280 feet long, designed for both high and low water. It also has 166 truck-and-trailer parking spaces and 113 more for spectators and co-anglers, and it is ADA-accessible. The county's 2026 comprehensive plan adds four fishing docks, two boat ramps and an amphitheater to the facility inventory.
That combination of a long ramp and a big parking lot is what lets a national tournament and a holiday parade both use the same stretch of shoreline in a dry year.
November 18 to 21: A National Title Launches From Green Pond
The 2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance runs Wednesday through Saturday, November 18 to 21, with competition launching from Green Pond Landing. The anglers are club-level qualifiers from B.A.S.S. Nation events across the country and abroad. The overall champion earns an invitation to the Bassmaster Elite Series, and the top three qualify for the 2027 Bassmaster Classic.
This is a familiar event in Anderson County. In the B.A.S.S. announcement, Neil Paul, executive director of Visit Anderson, said this is the fourth time the B.A.S.S. Nation title has been decided in the community. The Independent Mail and the Anderson Observer both covered the announcement when it was made last February.
B.A.S.S. said it would post daily takeoff and weigh-in times on Bassmaster.com later. As of the tournament page in mid-October, it listed Green Pond Landing and Event Center as the venue without a daily schedule. If you plan to watch a weigh-in, or just want to know when trailer traffic will fill the Green Pond lot, check that page the week of the event.
If you fish the lower lake yourself, keep in mind that a championship field will be running out of this ramp all four days. Broyles and other Corps access points are listed on the Corps day-use page. Broyles is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. except for active fishing or boat launching, with a $7 vehicle fee.
December 4 and 5: The Parade That Passes Green Pond Twice
Two weeks after the anglers leave, the same water fills with string lights. The Western Carolina Sailing Club's 12th Annual Parade of Lights runs Friday, December 4, and Saturday, December 5, 2026. Both nights start at the club at 5200 Westwind Drive in Anderson and run from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
The club's planned route explains why Green Pond is the best place to watch from shore:
- Boats leave the club docks and line up outside the breakwater by 6:30 p.m.
- The parade heads up to Green Pond Landing and Event Center, where the club says it is expected around 7 p.m.
- The fleet makes a big loop and passes Green Pond Landing a second time.
- Boats go on to the eastern end of the double bridges, turn, and head west toward Portman Marina.
- The parade officially ends near the east side of Portman Marina.
The low lake shows up in the route plan. The club writes that boats "may or may not go through the marina due to water levels," which is why the official finish sits outside Portman rather than inside it. Green Pond gets two passes no matter what the water does.
"We will be doing the Best Decorated Boat Contest again this year in the both the Sailboat and Powerboat categories with trophies for the top 3 in each category."
The parade benefits Toys for Tots and The Good Neighbor Cupboard, a local food pantry. Volunteers collect new, unwrapped toys and canned goods at Green Pond Landing on both nights, and the club also accepts donations in its clubhouse lobby. The club hopes to see boats from Portman Marina, Hartwell Marina and Big Water Marina, and it notes that more than 12 powerboats came from Portman's Dock 6 last year.
If you want to put your own boat in the parade, the club asks you to register even for a single night. It also asks participants to bring a VHF radio if they have one, and it will monitor Channel 69. The listing doesn't cover spectator parking or admission, so contact the club through its event page before you go.
That Friday Is Also Downtown Anderson's Busiest Night
December 4 is busy on land too. The City of Anderson's Christmas calendar puts several events downtown on the same evening the parade leaves the sailing club, so you can choose between lake and town or do some of both.
| Date | Time | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Dec. 4 | 5–9 p.m. | Downtown Anderson | Holiday Market |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | 6 p.m. | Courthouse Plaza, 100 S Main St. | Anderson County Tree Lighting |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | about 7 p.m. | Green Pond Landing | Parade of Lights, first pass |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Carolina Wren Park | Figure skating performance by Olivia Pellerin |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | about 7 p.m. | Green Pond Landing | Parade of Lights, second night |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | 3 p.m. | Main Street | City of Anderson Christmas Parade, free |
Because the tree lighting and the first pass at Green Pond are about an hour apart, it makes sense to give each its own night. Saturday's run past Green Pond follows the same route as Friday's, which frees Friday for downtown. Sunday's Main Street parade is already full, with the city reporting it hit its limit of 100 participating units.
Ice in the Park opens before all of this. The real ice rink at Carolina Wren Park, 111 E. Whitner St., runs from November 30 to December 20. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $5 for ages six and up, skate rental included, and free for ages five and under. Free Santa Night follows at Carolina Wren Park on Saturday, December 12, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Dinner Within Sight of the Finish
The parade ends near Portman Marina, and The Galley at Portman Marina, 1629 Marina Road, serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. That covers both parade nights and all three weekday dates of the championship. The restaurant suggests calling ahead on weekends and holidays, and the first weekend of December is both. Portman Marina describes The Galley as open year-round.
Before You Put In This Season
Ramp conditions on Hartwell change with the water, and the Corps' status table carries that warning itself. A few things to check for a late-fall outing:
- Corps ramp status. Look at the status page the day you go. In the latest table, Broyles had one lane open and both Twin Lakes lanes were open.
- Twin Lakes. The ramp is open year-round, but the park around it is open only from May 1 to Labor Day. Expect a $7 vehicle fee.
- Lake Hartwell State Park. From November through March, the park office is open only from 11 a.m. to noon and 4 to 5 p.m. daily.
- Green Pond's calendar. For dates that aren't on Anderson County's events calendar, the county parks page lists a contact at the facility.
At Cooper Dalrymple, we sell lake homes and build the decks and porches that look out on nights like December 4. If watching the parade from Green Pond has you thinking about a place with its own view of the lights, sign up for Be the First to See It and we'll let you know as soon as new Lake Hartwell listings go public.
