Special thanks to our 2026 partner MassMutual South Carolina — we couldn't build it without you.

Event Details | Build for Joy 2026 | Going Places
Going Places  •  Charleston, SC  •  December 8, 2026

Everything you need to know about The Big Build

That's 1,200 bikes built in a single day.

Here is exactly how the day works!

10am – 4pmDoors open at ten.
We finish at four.
Building 64Charleston Navy Yard,
North Charleston.
Free ParkingPlenty of it,
right on site.
Register a Team See the build floor
Volunteers in Going Places shirts assembling decorated children's bikes under a Building Joy banner

December 8, 2026

10:00am – 4:00pm

Building 64, Charleston Navy Yard

2301 Noisette Blvd, North Charleston, SC

Build Hope. Build Joy. Build Together.

Let's make this the most joyful season yet!

The

Essentials

Everything you need to know for a day that builds joy and changes lives.

Date Tuesday,
December 8, 2026
Time 10:00am – 4:00pm
Location Building 64, Charleston Navy Yard
2301 Noisette Blvd,
North Charleston, SC
Parking Plenty of free
parking on site
The Reveals Three schools —
December 10–16
Tax Status Going Places is a registered 501(c)(3), EIN 81-5267546. Every table and sponsorship is 100% tax-deductible.
❤
Thank you for helping us Build Joy for Children in Need!
❤
How the day runs

Turn up, build, be fed, go home happy

Doors open at 10 and we finish at 4. In between there is no rigid running order — your crew builds at its own pace while the day happens around you.

10:00am — Doors

Check in at the Welcome Desk, find your table, meet your Head Elf. The cocoa is already on.

Through the day

Build at your own pace. Lunch is staggered by zone so the floor never stops. Santa, the choir and the bake-off happen around you.

4:00pm — The count

Final bike count called from the stage, awards presented, and the last bikes head for the loading bay.

All included

Food and drink, on us. All day.

Every table includes everything you eat and drink from 10 until 4 — including an open bar. Nobody pays for anything on the floor.

Cocoa and Cheer Cafe emblem - free hot chocolate, coffee and cider served all day at the Build for Joy bike build

Cocoa & Cheer Café

Free hot chocolate, coffee and cider running all day.

Frosty Falls Hydration emblem - still and sparkling water for builders at the Build for Joy bike build

Frosty Falls Hydration

Still and sparkling water to keep the builders going.

Mistletoe Lounge emblem - the open bar and social space at the Build for Joy bike build

Mistletoe Lounge

The open bar and social space where the day winds down.

Santa's Smokehouse emblem - BBQ and chili lunch served at the Build for Joy bike build

Santa's Smokehouse

BBQ and chili lunch, staggered by zone so the floor keeps moving.

Entertainment

A whole winter wonderland, while you build

You are not just assembling bikes in a warehouse. There is a lot going on around you.

The Merry Carolers crest

The Choir

A school choir sings mid-afternoon. Reliably the moment the room goes quiet.

Snapshots with Santa crest

Photos with Santa

Santa roams the floor all day, then sits for photos. Every crew gets a framed one with Katie.

Wonderland Wishing Trees crest

The Wishing Trees

Fund a lock, a helmet or a whole bike and take home a dated ornament.

Mrs Claus's Bake Off crest

Mrs Claus's Bake Off

Home-bake your best Christmas cookies and enter. Judged on the floor, announced on stage.

Mrs Claus's Bake Off
Mrs Claus's Bake Off

Entering the Bake Off?

Cookies must be home-baked, and the minimum entry is 60 cookies. Judging happens on the floor and the winner is announced from the stage.

Running all day

Games, raffles and the auction

Four fundraisers run from open to close. Every dollar goes back into bikes.

Vacation Raffle

$10 tickets for a holiday prize, promoted for six weeks and drawn live on the day.

Joy Pot 50/50

A cash raffle. The pot grows all day and the winner splits it with Going Places.

The Bell Jar

Guess how many bike bells are in the jar. $5 a guess, and every bell ends up on a child's bike.

Silent Auction

Donated packages on display all day. Bidding closes at the social.

The Awards Ceremony

Six awards, called from the stage

At the end of the day the MC calls the room together and hands out six awards. Presented by MassMutual.

01

Best Bike Building Team

Most bikes built to standard. Straight off the big board.

02

Best Dressed Crew

The most festive team on the floor. Jumpers, antlers, full elf.

03

The Golden Wrench

Fastest table to get a bike through Quality Check — speed and getting it right.

04

Flawless Finish

Fewest callbacks from Quality Check. The crew Santa's Repair Shop never had to visit.

05

Team Spirit

Loudest, most joyful crew in the room. The MC's pick.

06

Best Christmas Cookies

Winner of Mrs Claus's Bake Off, judged and announced on stage.

The Build for Joy build floor, laid out as Santa's workshop: unpacking, the build tables, four compressor stations, four quality-check points, Santa's Repair Shop, the Packing Depot, Runners, and the Loading Bay.
Days later

Then comes
the best part

We roll into three Charleston schools across December 10–16, pull back a giant cover, and every child walks out with a bike, a helmet and a lock of their own.

The schools are a secret. We are not naming them until closer to the day — the children have no idea this is coming, and we would like to keep it that way.

Sponsor a reveal
Children cheering as the cover comes off a room full of bikes at a school reveal
The moment the cover drops
Before you come

Practical questions

The logistics. For everything else — sponsorship, tiers, what happens to the bikes — see the full FAQ.

What time should we get there?
Doors open at 10:00am and we wrap at 4:00pm. Come when it suits you, but the earlier you arrive the more bikes your crew will get through.
Where do we park?
There is plenty of free parking on site at the Charleston Navy Yard. Head for Building 64.
What should we wear?
Something festive and something comfortable. Closed-toe shoes are sensible on a build floor. Jumpers, antlers and full elf are all encouraged — there is an award for it.
Do we need to bring anything?
No. Bikes, parts and tools are all provided, and so is every meal and drink. Just bring your team.
What if we are entering the Bake Off?
Bring your cookies with you on the day. They must be home-baked and the minimum entry is 60 cookies.
Is food really included?
Yes — everything from 10 until 4, including the open bar at the Mistletoe Lounge. Nobody pays for anything on the floor.
Can we come without building?
Volunteers are always needed and sponsors are invited to attend. Get in touch and we will find you a spot.
Which schools get the bikes?
We are keeping that quiet until closer to the day. The children have no idea this is coming.

Ready to claim a table?

36 tables, and the big ones go first.

Register a team Sponsor the event
A festive green and red Going Places children's bike, decorated with a red bow, ribbon streamers and snowflakes
Register a Team