ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The holiday season is almost here. With the holidays come the return of Rochester traditions, including Roc Holiday Village, Holidays at the Market, the annual keg tree lighting and more. Here’s your guide.
Roc Holiday Village
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in downtown Rochester will soon once again be full of holiday shopping, ice skating, visits with Santa, and winter treats.
The seventh annual Roc Holiday Village gets underway on Friday, Dec. 5. After that, it will stay open from Wednesdays through Sundays, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, through Sunday, Dec. 28.
Since its debut in 2018, over 185,000 people have visited the free holiday village. This year, entertainment returns to the Gingerbread House, including free trivia nights, paint and sip events, and a new ticketed Holiday Floral Class. You can get tickets to the class online. The Winter Wonderland Run 5K also returns this year. The race starts at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20. The starting line and finish line are on Chestnut Street between Woodbury Boulevard and Court Street. You can register here.
Roc Holiday Village is also bringing back Story Time with Santa and Story Time with Anna and Elsa. It’s happening at the Triple-O Lodge. You can get tickets here. There will be opportunities for photos. Also for children, there will be free crafts inside the Gingerbread House, in partnership with groups including the Boy Scouts, Brooklyn Robot Foundry, the City of Rochester, and more.
The Gingerbread House will also host holiday celebrations. It begins with the Hanukkah celebration, presented by PJ Library and the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester on Sunday, Dec. 7. Then, there will be a Kwanzaa celebration, presented by the Rochester Kwanzaa Coalition, on Sunday, Dec. 14 and a Christmas celebration on Sunday, Dec. 21. There will also be a Three Kings’ Day celebration on Sunday, Dec. 28.
This year, the Rochester Police and Fire departments will volunteer as Red Kettle bell ringers in a friendly “Battle of the Badges”. First responders will see which team can raise the most for The Salvation Army.
You can see a full schedule here. Once again, the winter igloos at the village have already sold out. Here are the hours for some areas of the village:
Santa’s Workshop: Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Triple-O Lodge & Frosty’s Food Court: Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday from 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ice Rink (weather permitting): Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Shopping Village: Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gingerbread House: Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Roc Holiday Village (WHEC file photo)Holidays at the Market
The Rochester Public Market will soon be full of holiday gifts and activities. Holidays at the Market returns for three straight Sundays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, and Dec. 14 and one Thursday night, Dec. 18.
Shoppers can find fresh-cut Christmas trees, wreaths, handcrafted items, specialty foods and drinks, clothing, jewelry, and other items. There will also be visits with Santa in the market’s indoor “B” shed from 9 a.m. to noon on all three Sundays. Santa will also be there from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Thursday market. Guests can also enjoy carriage rides from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the three Sundays and 6 to 9 p.m. on the Thursday market.
The holiday cookie contest also returns this year. Amateur and professional bakers can enter their best baked goods for a chance to win Market Gift Tokens. To participate, deliver one dozen cookies with a list of ingredients to the market office on Saturday, Dec. 6, between 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or Sunday, Dec. 7, between 8 and 11 a.m. Local bakers and food critics will sample the community’s entries and winners will be announced on the Market’s website and social media.
Holidays at the Market runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays and 6 to 9 p.m. on the special Thursday market. You can learn more here.
Holidays at the Market (WHEC file photo)Keg tree lighting
Genesee Brewery will light its annual keg tree on Friday, Dec. 5 and hold a holiday party. The party will run from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Genesee Brew House on Cataract Street with food trucks, music, donuts, and, of course, beer. This year’s beer will be the signature Keg Tree Ale, a cinnamon twist on the classic Genesee Cream Ale. Admission is free.
The tree lighting will take place at 7 p.m. The three-story keg tree is built from more than 650 empty beer kegs and wrapped in over 25,000 twinkling lights.
Keg tree lighting at the Genesee Brew House (WHEC file photo)Liberty Pole Lighting
The City of Rochester will kick off the holiday season with its annual Liberty Pole lighting on Saturday, Dec. 6. It starts at 5 p.m. After that, there will be a parade to Roc Holiday Village.
Liberty Pole lighting (Photo: WHEC)Ice rink at MLK Park
The ice rink at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park is officially open for the season. The rink will stay open through Sunday, March 8, weather permitting. Last year, USA Today ranked the rink at MLK Park as the third-best outdoor ice rink in the nation, based on votes from readers and a panel of experts.
The rink will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. During Roc Holiday Village, the rink will operate under special hours with free admission and rentals. For more information about the rink, call 428-7541 or click here. Here is the skating schedule for the rink:
Monday through Friday schedule:
Noon to 1:30 p.m. 1:50 to 3:20 p.m. (Adults only, except during school recess) 3:40 to 5:10 p.m. 5:30 to 7 p.m. 7:20 to 8:50 p.m. (Rink is occasionally rented out during this session, call 428-7541 to confirm open skate availability)Saturdays schedule:
Noon to 1:30 p.m. 1:50 to 3:20 p.m. 3:40 to 5:10 p.m. 5:30 to 7 p.m. 7:20 to 8:50 p.m.Sundays schedule:
Noon to 1:30 p.m. 1:50 to 3:20 p.m. 3:40 to 5:10 p.m. 5:30 to 7 p.m. Ice Skating at MLK Park (WHEC file photo)Holiday season guide: Roc Holiday Village, Holidays at the Market, keg tree, and more WHEC.com.
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