Even More Free Events & Activities This Year! Santa’s Workshop is Back!
ROCHESTER, NY—Nov. 28, 2022—The fourth annual City of Rochester Roc Holiday Village presented by Five Star Bank opens this Friday, December 2 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park in downtown Rochester.
Visitors can enjoy 16 days of free events through December 23 including free ice skating and skate rentals, free visits and photos with Santa, a shopping village, private Cozy Winter Igloos (sold out), free ice rink events and activities, free live music, holiday celebrations, free crafts for kids, indoor and open-air bars, fire pits, food trucks, outdoor seating, and more.
On Saturday, December 3 at 5 p.m., the annual Lighting of the Liberty Pole will feature a new Lantern Parade to Roc Holiday Village held in conjunction with the City of Rochester and Downtown Definitely.
Roc Holiday Village continues Sunday, December 4; Wednesday, December 7; Thursday, December 8; Friday, December 9; Saturday, December 10; Sunday, December 11; Wednesday, December 14; Thursday, December 15; Friday, December 16; Saturday, December 17; Sunday, December 18; Wednesday, December 21; Thursday, December 22; and wraps up on Friday, December 23.
Village hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Triple-O Lodge indoor bar will be open for an extended hour until 10 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The ice rink will be open weather permitting on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Santa’s Workshop will be open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Each year since its start in 2018, Roc Holiday Village has welcomed more than 100,000 people of all ages for holiday magic.
Highlights & What’s New in 2022
- Live reindeer will make an appearance on Sunday, December 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be led around the Village for photo ops.
- “Frosty’s Food Court” will take over Court St., which will be closed to traffic during operating hours. All food will be located outside on the street and in the Village Shopping.
- Anna and Elsa, Disney’s Frozen characters, will meet and greet guests on Saturday, December 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in The Triple-O Lodge.
- Hot cocoa and coffee bar will be available inside The Triple-O Lodge where guests can purchase specialty hot and cold beverages.
- Lantern Parade will debut during the City of Rochester’s Lighting of the Liberty Pole event on December 3 at 5 p.m. in partnership with Downtown Definitely. Community members can make their own festive lanterns and carry their lit creations while participating in the popular family parade to Roc Holiday Village.
- Santa’s Workshop is back for the first time since 2019 featuring free visits and photos with Santa, free cookies courtesy of Wegmans, Santa Text Express, which means no waiting in line. When guests arrive, they can provide their name and number and will receive a text when it’s their turn with Santa. Plus, kids can also mail letters to Santa. Letters received by Sunday, December 11 will receive a reply. Santa’s Workshop is sponsored by Wellcare by Fidelis Care.
- Outdoor seating is back with the addition of an outdoor bar. Guests can meet up and warm up with friends around the fire pits with their beverages of choice. Outdoor seating is sponsored by the YMCA of Greater Rochester.
- Explore the Village is an all-new fun and festive way to discover the magic of Roc Holiday Village and enjoy winter’s festivities! Exploring activities are free and include a Scavenger Hunt, Adventure Map and Photo Quest. Activities are available to pick up from Santa’s Gift Shoppe merchandise booth in the Shopping Village. Sponsored by GreenSpark Solar.
- Ice rink theme days will include Ugly Sweater Day on Saturday, December 10, and Jersey Day on Sunday, December 18 where participants will be eligible to win a free Cozy Igloo booking.
- Special events in the Triple-O Lodge bar include Stella Artois chalice engraving on Friday, December 2 and Thursday, December 15 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Ellicottville Brewing Co. sampling on Thursday, December 8 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and 1911 Established Hard Cider tasting on Friday, December 16 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Even More Free Events & Activities This Year!
- 24 days of Free Ice Skating and skate rentals presented by Wegmans on the outdoor ice rink. A limited number of ice skate rentals and skate helpers are available. Participants are encouraged to bring their own skates.
- Ryan Callahan Foundation Skill Competition Sunday, December 4 from 10 a.m to noon for kids ages 11 to 16. Space is limited and advance registration is required. Sign up online by visiting rocholidayvillage.com/ryan-callahan-foundation-ice-hockey-event. The group for kids ages 10 and under is full. Rink will be closed to open skate during event.
- Curling demonstration presented by Rochester Curling Club on Saturday, December 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Sled hockey demonstration presented by Accessible Adventures with the Rochester Sled Hawks on Saturday, December 17 from 4 to 6 p.m.
- Amerks Spin & Win with Moose & Choppers appearance on Saturday, December 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Amerks Scoro Contest and Moose appearance on Sunday, December 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Thomas Creek Figure Skating Performance on Saturday, December 10 from 2 to 2:30 p.m.
- Genesee Figure Skating Club Performance on Sunday, December 18 from 2:30 to 3 p.m.
- Live music on The Buckingham Properties Stage inside The Triple-O Lodge on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
- Crafts for Kids inside the T-Mobile Gingerbread House presented by Goldfish Swim School, Girl Scouts of Western New York, Home Depot, Macaroni Kid, and Boy Scouts of America Seneca Waterways Council.
Holiday Celebrations include Kwanzaa on Sunday, December 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Hanukkah on December 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Three Kings’ Day on Saturday, December 17 from 3 to 8 p.m.; and Christmas on Sunday, December 18 from 12:30 to 6 p.m. - Bar Karaoke is back after its popular debut in 2021. Singers will take the Buckingham Properties Stage inside The Triple-O Lodge every Wednesday evening along with a live band.
- Full calendar of events by visiting rocholidayvillage.com/events/2022-12.
More Shopping and Eating in The Village
- Shop, eat and drink from more than 20 retail vendors; a complete list of retailers is posted online at rocholidayvillage.com/shopping-village.
- Shop Roc Holiday Village’s official merchandise, one-of-a-kind keepsakes and collector items.
- Mini Makers Market featuring local artists, crafters, designers, DIYers, and confectioneries will sell their goods on Wednesday, December 14 from 4 to 9 p.m. inside the T-Mobile Gingerbread House. A list of Mini Makers is posted online at rocholidayvillage.com/mini-makers-market.
Frosty’s Food Court – A rotation of various food trucks and vendors will be located outside on Court St. Outdoor picnic table seating will be available. The lineup of daily food offerings is posted online at rocholidayvillage.com/food. Court St. is closed to traffic during Roc Holiday Village operating hours.
The Triple-O Lodge – The indoor heated tent will feature a bar with wine, sparkling wine, beer, hard cider, hard seltzer, mulled wine, juice, soda and water from the bar. The Lodge also features a new Hot Cocoa & Coffee Bar. Free live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings on the Buckingham Properties Stage will feature local musicians. Bar Karaoke will take place every Wednesday evening. The Triple-O Lodge also features a mini arcade with free games and TVs. Tables are first come first served. Reservations are not needed.
2022 Hours
Parking
Roc Holiday Village does not operate any parking but there are many surface lots and ramp parking garages conveniently located nearby. Metered parking will be available on area streets, plus at the Washington Square Garage, Allpro Parking Garage at the Five Star Bank Building, Court Street Garage, Midtown Garage, and Fairway Parking. Court St. between Chestnut St. and Manhattan Square Dr. will be closed to thru traffic during the hours when the Village is open. Parking is available in The Strong’s Parking Garage, which may be accessed off of Howell Street, at the daily parking rate for non-museum visitors of $10. For more information on parking visit rocholidayvillage.com/getting-around.
About Roc Holiday Village
Roc Holiday Village is Rochester, New York’s favorite, magical winter festival! Delighting people of all ages, Roc Holiday Village 2022 will present 16 days of enchanting festivities on varying dates from December 2 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. In its third year in 2021, Roc Holiday Village drew more than 100,000 people of all ages to the heart of downtown Rochester at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Park. 2022 will be Roc Holiday Village’s fourth year. It is produced by Rochester natives Jenna Manetta Knauf, owner of Bella Events Group; Kelli Marsh, owner of Kelli Marsh photography; and Sean McCarthy, owner of McCarthy Tents & Events and Nolan’s Rentals Inc.
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