85 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit

Everyone has their own way of connecting with their inner holiday spirit. Thankfully, Rochester has plenty of ways to embrace the season wherever the spirit moves you!

Many of these events take place every year, but to ensure you have the most current information, please know this is updated for 2019. Some event dates are yet to be determined, and we keep adding more events as we hear of them, so check back as the holiday season grows closer, and contact us if you know of one we should add!

Holiday-themed displays & events

1. Holiday Laser Shows at the RMSC Planetarium
   November-January
2. Sweet Creations Gingerbread House Display at Eastman House
   November 8-December 15
3. Canandaigua Christkindl Market
   November 8-10
4. Granger Homestead Festival of Trees
   November 8-December 1
5. Glass Holidays at the Corning Museum of Glass 
   November 10-January 5
6. Garden Factory Holiday Music & Lights Show
   Saturdays & Sundays, November 23-December 22
7. A City Sings for the Season presented by the Rochester Oratorio Society
   November 24
8. A Magical Cirque Christmas at Kodak Center
   November 26
9. A Charlie Brown Christmas at NAZ
   November 22-24
10. Frank’s Rat Pack Special Holiday Show at Kodak Center
    November 30 & December 1
11. Holidays at the Rochester Public Market 
    Sundays, December 1, December 8, December 15
12. Holiday Pet Photos at Lollypop Farm
    December 6-8
13. Candlelight Christmas 2019 at the Morgan-Manning House
    December 6
14. Lighting of the Genesee Brew House Keg Tree 
    December 6
15. RIT Orchestra & RIT Singers: Advent Lessons & Carols
    December 6
16. Celtic Yuletide Concert at Caledonia First Presbyterian Church
    December 14
17. CLA Performing Arts Ensembles: Annual Holiday Concert
    December 7
18. Deck the Town
    December 7
19. The Penthouse Presents: 2nd Annual Holiday Bash Featuring DIAL UP
    December 7
20. Movie Night Out Matinee Special: The Muppet Christmas Carol with Out Alliance
    December 7
21. Sparkle in Corning’s Gaffer District 
    December 7
22. The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Musical at Kodak Center
    December 7
23. Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus presents Treasured Traditions
    December 7 & 8
24. Roberts Wesleyan College Christmas Gala
    December 7 & 8
25. 5th Annual German/American Christmas Market
    December 7 & 8
26. The Piano Bar: Holiday Edition with Out Alliance
    December 8
27. Celtic Christmas Concert at Parkminster Church
    December 8
28. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas at the Auditorium Theatre
    December 11
29. Handel’s Messiah at Eastman Theatre
    December 12
30. The Holidays at Schutt’s
    December 12
31. Rooftop Holiday Party During the Full Moon & Most Prolific Meteor Shower of the Year
    December 13
32. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at The Little
    December 14
33. Celtic Yuletide Concert at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Victor
    December 14
34. Rochester Tuba Christmas at Eastman Theatre 
    SOLD OUT, December 15
35. Movie Night Out: White Christmas with Out Alliance
    December 18
36. Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Blue Cross Arena
    December 18
37. Wrapping Around the Christmas Tree: The Musical at Lyric Theater
    December 20-22
38. Gala Holiday Pops 
    December 21, 22, 23
39. A BARRY Little Christmas with the Celtic Cross Duo
    December 21

Holiday homes, neighborhoods, and villages

1. Neighborhood Holiday Lights around Rochester 
   Daily, Thanksgiving weekend through New Years Eve
2. Candlelight Night in Pittsford 
   December 3
3. Park Ave Holiday Open House 
   December 5
4. Winter Light Festival in Ithaca
   December 5-15
5. Festival of Lights in Clifton Springs
   December 6
6. Yuletide in the Country Tours at Genesee Country Village & Museum
   December 6-8, 13-15 & 19-21
7. Cobblestone Museum Holiday Tour of Homes
   December 7
8. Eastman Museum Holiday Homecoming
   December 12
9. Holiday Open House at Genesee Country Village & Museum
   December 21

In case you were wondering, the annual Cobb’s Hill Holiday Tour of Homes was cancelled this year. Hopefully we’ll add them back to the list in 2020!

The Nutcracker

1. The Nutcracker at Eastman Theatre
   November 27, 29, 30, and December 1
2. Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker at the Auditorium Theatre
   December 12
3. NYS Ballet presents The Nutcracker at Roberts Wesleyan
   December 13-15

“It’s a Wonderful Life”

1. …in the South Wedge 
   December 7
2. …Live From WVL Radio Theatre at Nazareth College
   December 7
3. …the Movie at The Cinema Theater
   December 7
4. …the Movie at Dryden Theater
   December 12 (same night as Holiday Homecoming!) and December 15
5. …in Seneca Falls
   December 13-15
6. …The Radio Play at Auburn Public Theatre
   December 21

“A Christmas Carol”

1. … at Geva
   November 7-December 29
2. … in Skaneateles “Dickens Christmas” 
   Weekends through December 22, starting the Friday after Thanksgiving
3. … at Sonnenberg Gardens “Dickens Christmas”
   December 8 & 9
4. Plus, Sonnenberg Gardens “A Christmas Carol”
   December 14
5. Scrooge at Dryden Theater
   December 20 & 22
6. 47th Annual Carolcade in East Aurora
   December 21
7. …or just go Christmas Caroling!

Roc Holiday Village

1. Roc Holiday Village
   December 6-31
2. Official Liberty Pole Lighting
   December 7

Roc Holiday Village is Rochester, New York’s annual holiday festival bringing magic downtown for people of all ages. Enjoy 14 weekend days of enchanting festivities December 6-31 including visits with Santa, ice skating, a shopping village, Santa’s workshop, hand-crafted goods, and pop-up restaurants. 

Holiday train rides and displays

1. Edgerton Model Train Room Holiday Open House 
   Saturdays in December, plus a few weekdays during the break
2. Garden Factory Holiday Family Fun Model Train 
   Weekends beginning Thanksgiving weekend through mid-December
3. Aman’s Farm Market Model Train
   Thanksgiving through New Years Eve
4. Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum Santa Trains 
   SOLD OUT! Saturdays in December
5. New York Museum of Transportation Holly Trolley Rides 
   Sundays in December
6. Medina Railroad Polar Express 
   Saturdays beginning Thanksgiving weekend through mid-December
7. Arcade & Attica Railroad Polar Express
   Weekends in November & December, but ALMOST SOLD OUT!

‘Tis the season of giving

1. Volunteer your time and talent
2. Trees for Troops
3. Pirate Toy Fund
4. Salvation Army
5. Buy your holiday pie from Special Touch Bakery
6. Rochester experiences that make great gifts

Fun on the farm

1. Pick Your Own Tree 
   From Thanksgiving weekend through mid-December
2. Winter at Powers Farm Market 
   Daily, with extended hours the week leading up to Christmas

Let it snow!

1. 9 Places to Rent Snowshoes
2. 15 Places for Downhill and Cross-Country Skiing
3. 22 Sledding Hills
4. 19 Ice Skating Rinks

How do you get into the holiday spirit?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!