Holiday Laser Light Show at the RMSC
Visit the Strasenburgh Planetarium at the Rochester Museum and Science Center for an incredible holiday experience the whole family will love. Holiday music in coordination with colorful laser lights.
Open: November 11, 2023 – January 1, 2024
Address: 657 East Avenue, Rochester
Shortsville Reindeer Farm
Imagine being able to pet a real live reindeer. Well, you can. At the Shortsville Reindeer Farm, you can visit these majestic creatures during the holiday season. A visit includes the opportunity to feed and pet the reindeer.
Open: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from November 25, 2023 – January 7, 2024
Address: 4285 Shortsville Rd., Shortsville
Genesee Country Museum
Enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas at the largest living history museum in New York State with several holiday events. Kids can enjoy a pancake breakfast with Santa. Learn about how the holiday traditions and enjoy a tour of the museum all dressed up for the holidays.
Holiday Market & Preparing For Winter: November 18 & 19
Yuletide in the Country Tour & Holiday Dinner & Brunch: December 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15 & 16
Holiday Open House: December 17
Breakfast with St. Nick: December 16 & December 17
Holiday Afternoon Tea in the Village: November 21, December 13, 14, 20 & 21
North Pole Night: December 22
Address: 1410 Flint Hill Rd, Mumford
Christmas Wonderland at Casey Park
Enjoy winter Christmas scenes, fresh cookies, hot cocoa, and a visit with Santa.
Dates: Friday, December 15th (4 pm – 7:30 pm) and Saturday, December 16th (4pm – 8:30 pm)
Address: Casey Park Lodge – 6551 Knickerbocker Rd, Ontario
Annual Festival of Trees
Over 140 Trees of Different Sizes and Shapes are Decorated throughout the Museum. Museum Decorated For Holiday Season. Free Parking, Admission, Coffee, and Hot Chocolate.
Dates: Open 10 A.M. till 7 P.M. 7 Days a week from November 19th through December 30th. Open 10 A.M. till 4 P.M. December 31th thru January 31th. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
Address: Ward W. O’Hara Agricultural & Country Living Museum – 6880 E Lake Rd, Auburn, NY
Webster Parade of Lights
Parade of Lights – Presented by the Webster Fire Department. The parade route runs from Main Street to the Fireman’s Field.
December 2nd, 2023 – The parade begins at 6:30 pm.
Powers Farm Market
Experience the story of the birth of Jesus on a lighted path through the woods, where scenes from the story are highlighted. While you are there, stop and say “hello” to the resident animals, grab some hot cocoa, and maybe even pick out your Christmas tree.
Address: 161 Marsh Rd, Pittsford
Winter Festival of Lights
Although there are several light festivals this year, this one is in a category of its own. Take a horse-drawn wagon ride through a field full of festive light displays. There are days when visitors can walk the field instead of taking the wagon ride.
Open: Horsedrawn Wagon & Tractor Rides – Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays November 24th – December 31st (5:30 – 8:30 pm)
Walking Wednesdays – 5:30-8:30 pm
Address: 2445 W Walworth Rd, Macedon
Garden Factory Holiday Events
The Christmas season is a fantastic time to visit the Garden Factory. Train enthusiasts will adore the massive miniature train display. There is also a prehistoric park display that kids will love.
Train Display: November 24th – December 17th – Fridays – Sundays 10 am-4 pm
December 23rd, 10am -4pm, December 24th, 10am-2pm
December 26th-30th 10am-3pm
Prehistoric Park Display: November 24th – December 17th (Saturdays & Sundays)
December 26th-31st 10am-3pm
Address: 2126 Buffalo Rd, Rochester, NY
Winter Light Festival
Two weekends of Immersive, interactive, illuminated light sculptures will decorate downtown. Come shop, dine, and engage with these festive holiday lights and take part in the many festivities! Presented by Tompkins Trust Company.
Open: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays – December 1-9, 2023
Address: The Ithaca Commons
Gingerbread House Display at the George Eastman House
This is an annual event that families love and loyally return to year after year. In addition to gingerbread houses, there are also displays of wreaths and Christmas trees. The displays are all part of a silent online auction. Make sure to visit before they are shipped off to their new homes for the holiday.
Open: November 11, 2023–Sunday, December 31, 2023
Address: 900 East Ave, Rochester
Christmas at RCCM
FOR BOTH THE YOUNG & YOUNG AT HEART… Christmas at RCCM is truly a magical place! It’s a place filled with wonder, excitement, and Christmas cheer! Christmas at RCCM consists of 4 major attractions:
Miracle: the thrilling and inspiring 4D motion ride; The Name: brand new and incredible “spoken word”, multi-sensory experience; Raffadali’s Great Adventure: our exciting and interactive family show starring Raffadali the donkey; and Star’s Yuletide Workshop: where cast members assist kids in making their very own Star-themed ornament! And all-new for the 2023 season… Don’t miss RCCM’s Musical Light Show Spectacular! Tens of thousands of color-changing lights animated all across the RCCM campus will leave you in awe! There’s nothing else like it!
Dates: December 15th -17th & 19th-23th, 2023
Address: RCCM International – 3177 Lyell Road. Gates
Holiday Display at Lamberton Conservatory
Get out of the cold and enjoy some colorful lights and lots of poinsettias. The Lamberton Conservatory has been carefully and lovingly decorated to reflect the joy of the Season.
Open: 7 days a week, 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. During the Holiday Show it is open until 9 pm on Fridays and Sundays.
Address: 180 Reservoir Ave, Rochester
Cookies With Santa and Horse Drawn Carriage Rides
It the most wonderful time of the year! Visit Duvall Farms for the 2nd Annual Cookies with Santa and Horse drawn Wagon Rides around the farm! Santa will be here to visit with families and take photos. The market will be open with food, gifts decor and more! Grab a complimentary cup of hot cocoa and enjoy live Christmas music from 11:00-12:30 from Jon Lewis and Laura Wolanin 
Stock up on decorated Christmas cookies for holiday parties and Christmas Eve night!
Date: December 9th & 10th from 10:00-1:00pm
Address: 6555 State Route 5&20, Bloomfield, NY
Medina Old Tyme Christmas & Parade of Lights
Spend the day engaged in all sorts of family fun and festive activities in the historic village of Medina, such as cookie decorating, ornament making, Christmas tree lighting, and culminating in the 14th annual Parade of Lights. There is a competition in the town of Medina for the best-decorated house. Take a drive through town and see for yourself.
Date: Saturday, November 25th, 9 am-6 pm (Parade begins at 6 pm)
Live Nativity Hayride
This unique hayride will take you on a narrated journey to experience some of the key events before and after the birth of Jesus Christ. You will travel back in time and encounter these scenes:
- The angel Gabriel visiting Mary
- The Roman soldiers taking a census of people
- Joseph and Mary traveling to the City of David
- The shepherds in the fields and their visit by the angels
- Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus in a stable
This outdoor event features live drama and animals that will provide a memorable experience for you and the whole family. There will also be an area where people can get up close and feed animals. Afterward, enjoy free hot cocoa and cookies in our indoor Bethlehem village.
Dates: December 15th, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM & December 16th, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Address: Avon Wesleyan Church – 4 Corners Campus, 4277 Avon Caledonia Rd, Avon
Holiday Light Tour
Bivona Child Advocacy Center has partnered with Rochester Gas & Electric and some of our area’s brightest and most festively decorated homes to bring you a fun, family-centered event. Holiday Lights Tour presented by Montage Wealth Management is a great way to celebrate the holiday magic while supporting children in our community. Purchase a Sleigh Box for $50.
SLEIGH BOX PICK-UP EVENT WITH SANTA
Saturday, December 9, 5pm – 8pm – Drive-thru, pick up your Sleigh Boxes and say hello to Santa & Mrs. Claus.
What does the Sleigh Box include?
- The Sleigh Boxes come with a tour guide that includes maps with various routes of decorated homes to visit.
- Sleigh Boxes will also include games, toys, holiday treats, and festive activities for the family to enjoy while on the drive.
Take the tour
December 9 – January 1, 2024
Drive Thru Live Nativity
Experience a re-enactment of the original Christmas Eve from the comfort of your vehicle. Drive through the church parking lot, and view shepherds and their sheep as they receive the angels’ message of “glory to God”. Roman soldiers will be ready to direct you through the town where you will see the busy Bethlehem market place, the Inn which had no room, and the stable where Mary and Joseph had to stay. This event is free.
Dates: December 16th & 17th ~ 6 PM – 8 PM
Address: First United Methodist Church of Canandaigua -100 North Main Street, Canandaigua
Dicken’s Christmas
A Dicken’s Christmas has been a long-time Skaneateles tradition. Each year beginning Thanksgiving weekend, a large cast of Dicken’s clad performers fill the downtown area of Skaneateles. The holiday weekends leading up to Christmas are filled with activities, music, and fun.
Open: The day after Thanksgiving (November 24) runs every Saturday and Sunday until Christmas.
Address: Main Street, Skaneateles
It’s a Wonderful Life Festival
Did you know that Seneca Falls celebrates the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” every year with a festival? That is because Seneca Falls is the real-life Bedford Falls. This year is the 77th Anniversary of the movie, so the festival will be bigger than ever this year.
Open: December 8-10, 2023
Address: 32 Fall St, Seneca Falls
Festival of Lights in Clifton Springs
Festival of Lights in Clifton Springs – Victorian-era downtown is transformed into a winter wonderland! Horse-drawn wagon rides, refreshments, live entertainment, shopping and dining specials, ice sculpting demonstrations, kids activities, street vendors, and visits with Santa.
Date: Friday, December 1st ~ 5PM – 8 PM
Address: Downtown Clifton Springs, NY
Christmas Tree Season at Stokoe Farms
Visit Stokoe Farms during the Christmas Tree season. Family and friends will all enjoy a beautiful day in the country. Take a wagon ride through our picturesque Christmas Tree fields, straw fort and slides, Live Nativity, animals, a warm bonfire, and of course, the hilarious antics of our Hillbilly Hens Chicken Show as they sing the carols of the Season.
Open: Open Daily from 9 am – 5 pm.
Address: 656 S Rd, Scottsville
Christmas Family Walkthrough: Step Into A Story
Visit Perinton Community Church for a walk through our indoor and outdoor areas with interactive scenes and characters from your favorite Christmas movies and books! Enjoy crafts, cocoa, games, music, and more! Complete your journey at our Live Nativity and enjoy the Mini-Ark Petting Zoo.
Open: Saturday, December 9 from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Address: 636 High Street, Ext., Fairport
Medina Railroad Museum Themed Train Rides
The Polar Express
Once onboard, hot chocolate and treats are served as passengers read along with the classic children’s book, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, passengers will relive the magic of the story as they are whisked away on THE POLAR EXPRESS™. Santa and his helpers greet passengers at the North Pole and then board the train, where each child is given the first gift of Christmas – a silver sleigh bell. Chefs aboard each car lead passengers in singing Christmas carols on the ride back to Medina. Families can explore the railroad museum’s exhibits and interactive model train layout and take a Christmas photo in Santa’s sleigh.
Open: November 25th & 26th December 2nd-3rd, 9th-10th, 16th -17th, 2023 TRAIN TIME DEPARTURES:
11:20 a.m., 12:40 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:20 p.m., 4:40 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Address: 698 Gwinn St. Medina
ROC Lights at Victor Hills
With over 20-holiday light display installations along a mile-and-a-half path through the rolling hills of Victor Hills Golf Club in the northern Finger Lakes region, visiting this drive-thru display is destined to become your family’s new favorite holiday tradition. These trails have been transformed by the magic of scenic lights and displays into a festival of lights designed for your family’s entertainment. Set out on a journey among the dinosaurs, around elegant figure skaters, through a portal to Santa’s workshop, along the sweet treat of Candy Cane Lane, and much more!
Runs from November 24th through December 30th
Address: 1450 Brace Road, Victor, NY
Festival of Trees & Candlelight Tours at the Granger Homestead Museum
Get into the Holiday Spirit at the Granger Homestead Museum, the mansion has been dressed up for the holiday season.
Festival of Trees: November 15th – December 2nd
Candlelight Tours: November 14th-28th (Reservations Required – Also includes Admission to the Festival of Trees)
Fresh Holiday Swag DIY: November 21st – Sign up for a festive holiday DIY class. Cost is $55 per person, and advance registration is required, included is your fresh swag and all materials as well as admission to enjoy the Festival of Trees the night of the event.
The Night Before Christmas: December 16th – Come enjoy the reading and puppet show of “The Night Before Christmas”. Sampling of sugar plums too! – Showtimes are 11am and 2pm. $2 Adults, $1 for Children (Reservations required)
Address: 295 North Main Street, Canandaigua, NY
ROC Holiday Village
Roc Holiday Village is Rochester, New York’s favorite, magical winter festival! Delighting people of all ages, Roc Holiday Village 2023 will present 17 days of enchanting festivities on varying dates from December 1 to December 23. The downtown festival features outdoor seating and fire pits, free ice skating and skate rentals, a unique shopping village, an indoor bar with tasty food and drinks, free visits with Santa, hand-crafted goods, cozy winter igloos, free crafts for kids, holiday celebrations, live music, private events, nightlife and more.
Dates: December 1st – December 23rd, 2023
Address: Dr. Martin Luther King Park, 353 Court St., Rochester, NY
Hammondsport’s Christmas in the Park
Hammondsport’s Christmas in the Park is an old fashioned Christmas celebration with live music, food, vendors, horse drawn wagon rides, raffles, Santa & Mrs. Claus, storytelling, and fun for all!
Date: December 9, 2023 ~ 4 PM -8 PM
Address: Village Square, Hammondsport, NY
StarShine 2023
The 38th Annual StarShine will take place in the Village of Penn Yan on Saturday, December 2nd, from 4-7pm.
The Village of Penn Yan comes to life each winter where local and visitors gather and celebrate “StarShine, Christmas in the Village”. This popular event started over three decades ago and has grown to become one of the most popular community Christmas celebrations in the Finger Lakes.
The evening hosts a variety of music, entertainment, colorful lights, treats, historic displays, an elf school, special sales, the arrival of Santa, and the crowning of Miss Penn Yan. The Chamber works with the Village of Penn Yan, Keuka College, multiple organizations, and gracious volunteers around the County to bring a memorable Christmas event great for all ages.
The Lights on Wheels Parade will take place on Friday night at 6:00pm to kick off StarShine weekend.
Date: Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 4pm -7pm
Address: Downtown Penn Yan
Sea Breeze Christmas Parade and Fireworks
2023 Sea Breeze Christmas Parade takes place on Saturday at 5:30pm and runs down Culver Road from Durand Blvd. to the Sea Breeze Firehouse. Fireworks start 20 minutes after parade.
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 5:30pm
Address: Sea Breeze Fire Department – 4657 Culver Rd. Irondequoit, NY
3rd Annual Marion Holiday Parade
Come join the Marion Fire Department, local businesses, our neighboring fire departments, ambulances and law enforcement as we escort Santa through Marion!
For the third year in a row we will be hosting the Holiday Parade, the parade will start at 6pm December 16th and proceed down Mill Street to Main Street ending at The Town park.
Date: December 16th at 6 pm
Manchester Shortsville Holiday Celebration
Manchester Firehall Open House – 3pm -5:30pm
- Selfies with Santa and Mrs. Claus
- Meet the Reindeer
- Fire Truck Tours
- Free Hot dogs, Cocoa, S’mores, Popcorn & Baked Goods
Lighted Tractor Christmas Parade – 5:30pm -Followed by Community Tree Lighting
Date: Saturday, November 18th
Illuminated Light Parade
Join Santa and his elves for the community tree lighting shortly following the parade. Caroling, music and fun as we officially kick off the season!
Parade begins at 6PM at City Hall and ends at Antis Street.
Date: Saturday, November 25th