Unite with the Rochester community for the holidays! Explore all the festive events in our guide. Whether you're rediscovering Rochester or seeing it with fresh eyes, this guide is your key to holiday magic.
Popular events to enjoy this season include the Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival, where the streets come alive with Victorian charm and festive market stalls. This delightful event captures the spirit of Christmas with carol singing and mulled wine. Another highlight is the Children's Christmas Village, which brings joy with enchanting rides and festive activities for little ones. And the Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime is something you definitely don't want to miss, offering a fun-filled experience for the entire family. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Rochester
- Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival
- Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime
- Children's Christmas Village
- Mistletoe Costumed Ball
- Dickens' Christmas Carol Performance
- Festive Tale with Victorian Father Christmas
- Lighting of The Liberty Pole (Rochester, NY)
- Roc Holiday Village (Rochester, NY)
- Geva Theatre Center’s A Christmas Carol (Rochester, NY)
- Roc Made Holiday 2024 (Rochester, NY)
See these and even more events listed below!
Rochester Holiday Markets and Shopping
Roc Holiday Village
What to Expect:
Family-friendly holiday activities with Santa, ice skating, and shopping.
Description:
Roc Holiday Village is an annual holiday festival in downtown Rochester, featuring visits with Santa, ice skating, a shopping village, food and drink, tree lighting, Santa’s workshop, hand-crafted goods, pop-up restaurants, winter igloos, special events, music, and more.
Where: Rochester, NY | More Info: Roc Holiday Village
Roc Made Holiday 2024
What to Expect:
Unique shopping village with local artisans and treats.
Description:
Roc Holiday Village is an annual holiday festival in downtown Rochester, featuring a unique shopping village, free visits and photos with Santa, free ice skating and skate rentals, an indoor and outdoor bar, food trucks, Santa's Workshop, outdoor seating and fire pits, live music, private winter igloos, free crafts for kids, and holiday celebrations.
Where: Rochester, NY | More Info: Roc Made Holiday 2024
Rochester Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival
What to Expect:
Victorian-themed festivities with guaranteed snowfall.
Description:
Step back in time to the Victorian era at the Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival, where you can explore the literary journey of Charles Dickens. Enjoy street entertainment, readings, song, and dance amidst the historic backdrop of Rochester. The festival features a parade of costume characters, a carol service, and a Christmas market.
Where: Rochester | More Info: Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival
Children's Christmas Village
What to Expect:
Interactive Christmas experience with craft-making and festive treats.
Description:
Children's Christmas Village at Rochester Castle Gardens offers a delightful experience where kids can meet Santa's elves, craft their own decorations, and enjoy festive treats. Mrs. Claus reads a Christmas story, and children can decorate their own sweet treats in the Elves' workshop.
Where: Rochester | More Info: Children's Christmas Village
Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime
What to Expect:
Classic pantomime with slapstick humor and suspense.
Description:
Join Jack on a thrilling quest as he trades his cow for magic beans, leading to a high-stakes adventure against a formidable giant. Enjoy hilarious antics with Silly Billy and Dame Trott, starring Mark Labbett, Leanne Jones, and Georgia Rowland Elliott.
Where: Rochester | More Info: Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime
Mistletoe Costumed Ball
What to Expect:
Dickens-themed event with live music and dancing.
Description:
The Mistletoe Costumed Ball is a Dickens-themed event at Rochester Corn Exchange, featuring live music, dancing, and a pay bar. Guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite Dickens character and enjoy complementary snacks. The evening includes a raffle to support the Dickens Chalet Restoration Fund.
Where: Rochester | More Info: Mistletoe Costumed Ball
Dickens' Christmas Carol Performance
What to Expect:
Live performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
Description:
Witness a timeless tale of redemption and kindness as Charles Dickens' iconic characters come to life in a live performance of A Christmas Carol. The classic story is brought to the stage with authenticity and passion, transporting audiences to Victorian London.
Where: Rochester | More Info: Dickens' Christmas Carol Performance
Festive Tale with Victorian Father Christmas
What to Expect:
Immersive storytelling with Victorian Father Christmas.
Description:
Gather round the fire and hear a festive tale about the mice of Eastgate House, read by Victorian Father Christmas in his green robes. Explore the house to find scenes from the story.
Where: Rochester | More Info: Festive Tale with Victorian Father Christmas
Geva Theatre Center’s A Christmas Carol
What to Expect:
Local actors and community involvement enhance the classic tale.
Description:
Geva Theatre Center presents a new adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, featuring Ebenezer Scrooge's transformative journey through visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The production includes a blend of local and professional actors, highlighting the true meaning of the holiday season.
Where: Rochester, NY | More Info: Geva Theatre Center’s A Christmas Carol
Bill Kirchen Holiday Show
What to Expect:
Unique blend of honky-tonk and holiday music.
Description:
Bill Kirchen's Holiday Show features a dynamic lineup of musicians, including Turtle Doves, Rick Richards, and Jack Saunders, performing a honky-tonk holiday tour with special guests and unique musical collaborations.
Where: Rochester, NY | More Info: Bill Kirchen Holiday Show
Rochester Other Holiday Activities
Lighting of The Liberty Pole
What to Expect:
Community-driven lantern parade and festive downtown celebration.
Description:
Join us for the Lighting of the Liberty Pole, a cherished Rochester tradition where Santa, elves, and costumed characters greet kids as Prime Time Brass plays holiday favorites. The event culminates in a family parade from the Liberty Pole to the Roc Holiday Village, featuring free ice skating, visits with Santa, local artisans, and more.
Where: Rochester, NY | More Info: Lighting of The Liberty Pole
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Chatham (1 miles)
- Strood (1 miles)
- Gillingham (2 miles)
- Gravesend (7 miles)
- Maidstone (8 miles)
- Stanford-le-Hope (10 miles)
- Canvey Island (10 miles)
- Grays (10 miles)
- Sittingbourne (10 miles)
- South Benfleet (12 miles)
- Pitsea (12 miles)
- Basildon (13 miles)
- Dartford (13 miles)
- Southend-on-Sea (14 miles)
- Rayleigh (14 miles)
- Swanley (14 miles)
- Wickford (15 miles)
- Sevenoaks (16 miles)
- Bexley (16 miles)
- Tonbridge (17 miles)
- Billericay (17 miles)
- Hornchurch (17 miles)
- Welling (18 miles)
- Brentwood (18 miles)
- Dagenham (18 miles)
- Thamesmead (18 miles)
- Romford (19 miles)
- Becontree (20 miles)
- Eltham (20 miles)
- Royal Tunbridge Wells (20 miles)
- Barking (21 miles)
- Ilford (22 miles)
- Blackheath (22 miles)
- Whitstable (23 miles)
- Canning Town (23 miles)
- Beckenham (23 miles)
- Catford (23 miles)
- Stratford (24 miles)
- Canary Wharf (24 miles)
- Chelmsford (24 miles)
- Bow (24 miles)
- Leytonstone (25 miles)
- Maldon (25 miles)
- Peckham (25 miles)
- Woodford Green (26 miles)
- Canterbury (26 miles)
- South Croydon (26 miles)
- Croydon (26 miles)
- Caterham (26 miles)
- Walthamstow (27 miles)
- Purley (27 miles)
- Herne Bay (27 miles)
- Brixton (27 miles)
- Crowborough (27 miles)
- Chingford (27 miles)
- Streatham (28 miles)
- Stamford Hill (28 miles)
- Islington (28 miles)
- Coulsdon (28 miles)
- Highbury (28 miles)
- London (28 miles)
- Wallington (28 miles)
- City of Westminster (29 miles)
- East Grinstead (29 miles)
- Tottenham (29 miles)
- Carshalton (29 miles)
- Mitcham (29 miles)
- Witham (29 miles)
- Battersea (29 miles)
- Edmonton (29 miles)
- Holloway (29 miles)
- Camden Town (30 miles)
- Chelsea (30 miles)
- Chalk Farm (30 miles)
- Archway (30 miles)
- Morden (30 miles)
- Wood Green (31 miles)
- Sutton (31 miles)
- Wimbledon (31 miles)
- Redhill (31 miles)
- Fulham (31 miles)
- Banstead (31 miles)
- Muswell Hill (31 miles)
- Enfield Town (31 miles)
- Cheshunt (32 miles)
- Putney (32 miles)
- Harlow (32 miles)
- Kilburn (32 miles)
- Horley (32 miles)
- Shepherds Bush (32 miles)
- Reigate (32 miles)
- Ewell (33 miles)
- Barnes (33 miles)
- New Malden (33 miles)
- Cricklewood (33 miles)
- Willesden (33 miles)
- Finchley (34 miles)
- Chiswick (34 miles)
- Epsom (34 miles)
- Braintree (34 miles)
- Hoddesdon (34 miles)
- Surbiton (35 miles)
- Acton (35 miles)
- Hadley Wood (35 miles)
- Crawley (35 miles)
- Barnet (35 miles)
- Richmond (35 miles)
- Folkestone (36 miles)
- Potters Bar (36 miles)
- Wembley (36 miles)
- Bishops Stortford (37 miles)
- Brent (37 miles)
- Leatherhead (37 miles)
- Hastings (37 miles)
- Isleworth (37 miles)
- Bexhill-on-Sea (37 miles)
- Esher (38 miles)
- Haywards Heath (38 miles)
- Hertford (38 miles)
- Hounslow (38 miles)
- Margate (38 miles)
- Greenford (38 miles)
- Harrow (38 miles)
- Borehamwood (38 miles)
- Hanworth (38 miles)
- Heston (39 miles)
- Colchester (39 miles)
- Southall (39 miles)
- Northolt (39 miles)
- Dover (39 miles)
- Saint Peters (39 miles)
- Clacton-on-Sea (39 miles)
- Ramsgate (40 miles)
- Walton-on-Thames (40 miles)
- Feltham (40 miles)
- Sunbury-on-Thames (40 miles)
- Deal (40 miles)
- Broadstairs (40 miles)
- Burgess Hill (41 miles)
- Hatfield (41 miles)
- Hayes (41 miles)
- Ashford (42 miles)
- Welwyn Garden City (42 miles)
- Ruislip (42 miles)
- Horsham (42 miles)
- Watford (43 miles)
- Staines (44 miles)
- Eastbourne (44 miles)
- St Albans (44 miles)
- Uxbridge (44 miles)