50 Shopping Vendors in 2024
21 Local Charities Participating in The Giving Cup
Rohrbach Brewing Co. Village Lager in Stores
Limited Number of Story Time With Anna & Elsa Tickets
New Photo Experience
WHAT
City of Rochester Roc Holiday Village, presented by Five Star Bank, Rochester’s signature holiday celebration, kicks off its sixth season today. The family-friendly event offers festive fun for everyone, including free visits and photos with Santa, free ice skating and skate rentals, unique holiday shopping, free crafts and activities for kids, free live music, delicious food and drinks, outdoor fire pits and seating, ice rink events and activities, and much more.
Opening Weekend Schedule:
Friday, December 6
4 to 8 p.m. – Visit Santa Claus in Santa’s Workshop
4 to 8 p.m. – Crafts for Kids hosted by The Home Depot
4 to 8 p.m. – Explore the Village presented by Visit Rochester (Free I Spy Scavenger Hunt, Adventure Map, and Photo Quest)
4 to 10 p.m. – Shopping Village
4 to 9 p.m. – The Giving Cup hosted by Verona Street Animal Society
4 to 10 p.m. – Free Ice Skating and skate rentals presented by Wegmans
4 to 11 p.m. – Drinks, seating, live music and free arcade games in Rochester Area Community Foundation & Triple-O Lodge
4 to 11 p.m. – Frosty’s Food Court food trucks on Court St. (Eat Greek Truck, Neno’s Gourmet Mexican, Rob’s Kabobs, The Meatball Truck,
Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck)
7 to 9 p.m. – NÜTRL & Cutwater Bar Tasting
7 to 11 p.m. – Free Live Music by Daniel Atkinson Trio on The Buffalo News Stage in the Rochester Area Community Foundation & Triple-O Lodge
Saturday, December 7
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. – Free Ice Skating and skate rentals presented by Wegmans
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Curling Demo to Rochester Curling Club
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. – Visit Santa Claus in Santa’s Workshop
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. – Explore the Village presented by Visit Rochester (Free I Spy Scavenger Hunt, Adventure Map, and Photo Quest)
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. – Crafts for Kids in the Simcona Gingerbread House
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – The Giving Cup hosted by Ronald McDonald House Charities
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. – Shopping Village
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. – The Rochester Area Community Foundation and Triple-O Lodge Bar
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. – Outdoor Seating presented by the YMCA of Greater Rochester
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. – Frosty’s Food Court food trucks on Court St. (Melt Food Truck, Roc Dilla, The Meatball Truck, Vasko’s On Wheels
Wraps On Wheels)
2 to 4 p.m. – NÜTRL and Cutwater Bar Tasting
4 to 9 p.m. – The Giving Cup hosted by Hillside Children’s Center
5 to 6 p.m. – Liberty Pole Lighting and Parade to Roc Holiday Village
6 to 8 p.m. – Live Music by Prime Time Brass Band on The Buffalo News Stage in The Rochester Area Community Foundation and Triple-O Lodge
8 to 11 p.m. – Live Music by The Isotopes on The Buffalo News Stage in The Rochester Area Community Foundation and Triple-O Lodge
Sunday, December 8
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. – Free Ice Skating and skate rentals presented by Wegmans
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Sled Hockey Demo to Rochester Sled Hawks
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Shopping Village
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Visit Santa Claus in Santa’s Workshop
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Crafts for Kids in the Simcona Gingerbread House
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Hanukkah Celebration
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – The Rochester Area Community Foundation and Triple-O Lodge Bar
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Frosty’s Food Court food trucks on Court St. (Cookie Coma, Edgemere Coffee, Melt Food Truck, Rob’s Al Dente, Rob’s Kabobs, Steve and Al’s Steakout)
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Outdoor Seating presented by the YMCA of Greater Rochester
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – The Giving Cup hosted by Rochester Accessible Adventures
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Explore the Village presented by Visit Rochester (Free I Spy Scavenger Hunt, Adventure Map, and Photo Quest)
noon to 12:45 p.m. – School of the Arts Choir on The Buffalo News Stage in The Lodge Bar
Roc Holiday Village opens today, Friday, December 6, at 4 p.m. and runs for 17 days until Sunday, December 29, at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park in downtown Rochester. All Igloos, Paint and Sip events and Story Time With Santa events are already sold out for the 2024 season. A limited number of Story Time With Anna and Elsa tickets are available.
For the first time since 2019, Roc Holiday Village will be open after the Christmas holiday.
On Saturday, December 7, beginning at 5 p.m., the annual Lighting of the Liberty Pole will feature Santa, elves, and music by Prime Time Brass. The festivities include a family parade from the Liberty Pole to Roc Holiday Village, arriving at approximately 5:40 p.m.
Since its start in 2018, Roc Holiday Village annually welcomes more than 185,000 people of all ages to experience holiday magic. For more information, visit rocholidayvillage.com.
WHERE
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park
353 Court St., Rochester, NY 14604
WHEN
Friday, December 6
Saturday, December 7
Sunday, December 8
Wednesday, December 11
Thursday, December 12
Friday, December 13
Saturday, December 14
Sunday, December 15
Wednesday, December 18
Thursday, December 19
Friday, December 20
Saturday, December 21
Sunday, December 22
Thursday, December 26
Friday, December 27
Saturday, December 28
Sunday, December 29
Note to editors: For interviews and photo ops, please contact Amanda Antinore at 585-729-7533. To download the official Roc Holiday Village 2024 logo visit: rocholidayvillage.com/news
Rohrbach Brewing Co. Village Lager Available in Stores
Visit Roc Holiday Village every Wednesday through Sunday, beginning December 6, to explore Village Lager alongside a variety of festive bar offerings. For the first time, Village Lager will also be available for purchase in select retail outlets throughout the greater Rochester area, allowing fans to bring the magic of Roc Holiday Village home. Village Lager can now be found at the following retail locations:
Wegmans (Brockport, Calkins Rd, East Ave, Eastway, Holt Rd, Irondequoit, Latta Rd, Marketplace, Mt. Read, Penfield, Perinton, Pittsford, Ridge-Culver, Ridgemont)
7-Eleven (E. Main St, Monroe Ave)
Aman’s Farm Market (2458 East Ridge Rd, Rochester)
Beers of the World (2599 E Henrietta Rd, Rochester)
Little Theatre (240 East Ave, Rochester)
Steamer’s Basin Trading Co. (640 Pittsford Victor Rd, Pittsford)
Unwine’d (260 E Broad St, Rochester)
21 Local Nonprofit Charities Participating in The Giving Cup – Hot Cocoa for a Cause
The Giving Cup in The Community Foundation & Triple-O Lodge is a hot cocoa counter for a cause, hosted by a different nonprofit daily. Visitors can enjoy a warm cup of cocoa or coffee with fun toppings where each day a different local charitable organization will be running the show. Proceeds and gratuity from The Giving Cup will go directly to that day’s charity.
When & Who:
Friday, December 6 – Verona Street Animal Society
Saturday, December 7 – Ronald McDonald House Charities; Hillside Children’s Center
Sunday, December 8 – Rochester Accessible Adventures
Wednesday, December 11 – East House
Thursday, December 12 – Homesteads for Hope
Friday, December 13 – Gian Ortiz Memorial Fund
Saturday, December 14 – Make-A-Wish of Western NY; Fairport-Perinton Dollars for Scholars
Sunday, December 15 – Families Thrive
Wednesday, December 18 – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester
Thursday, December 19 – The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester
Friday, December 20 – Renaissance Academy Charter School of the Arts
Saturday, December 21 – IACKids; C.U.R.E.
Sunday, December 22 – Nativity Preparatory Academy
Thursday, December 26 – The Center for Youth
Friday, December 27 – Best Buddies
Saturday, December 28 – Ryan Callahan Foundation; House of Mercy
Sunday, December 29 – Dimitri House
Roc Holiday Village Named a Best Ice Skating Rink Nominee and Best Holiday Market for USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Award
Voting for Best Ice Skating Rink is open now and ends on Monday, December 9 at 11:59 a.m. EST. The top 10 winners, as ranked by USA TODAY 10Best readers, will be announced on Friday, December 13 at noon EST.
The link to vote is: 10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-ice-skating-rink-2024/roc-holiday-village-ice-rink-rochester-new-york.
The contest for Best Holiday Market is closed. The top 10 markets, as chosen by USA TODAY 10Best readers, will be revealed today at noon EST.
USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards celebrate the best in attractions and businesses across the country, spotlighting destinations that readers trust and love. This annual program is designed to help travelers discover noteworthy experiences and places, with all nominations carefully selected by experts and editors to ensure credibility and quality.
There is no cost to participate in the USA TODAY 10Best program, and nominations cannot be bought—making it a truly people-powered competition. Voting is open to the public for the next four weeks, allowing everyone to participate in crowning the top holiday markets.
For more details on USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards and award rules, please visit their official website: 10best.usatoday.com.
New Photo Experience Design to Debut
The Roc Holiday Village Photo Experience Brought to You by Rochester Regional Health will feature a unique and festive backdrop and scene-setter that’s perfect for creating lasting memories. A fun activity for the whole family. To learn more visit rocholidayvillage.com/photo-experience.
Village Hours
- Santa’s Workshop will be open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- The Lodge bar and Frosty’s Food Court will be open Wednesday and Thursday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- The ice rink will be open weather permitting Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Shopping Village will be open Wednesday and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m, Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m, Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Simcona Gingerbread House will be open Wednesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, the Simcona Gingerbread House will extend its hours during special events, remaining open until 10:30 p.m. on Friday, December 13 and December 27 for Trivia Night, Saturday, December 14 and Saturday, December 28 for Paint and Sips, and Movie Night on Friday, December 20, and Saturday, December 21.
Highlights & What’s New
- The Simcona Gingerbread House will host evening holiday festivities, including free trivia, paint-and-sip nights, and screenings of A Christmas Story and Elf. A full bar will be available during events. Paint-and-sip tickets are sold out.
- This is the first time Roc Holiday Village will be open after Christmas since 2019.
Canned cocktails will be added to the bar menus and will be available for purchase from the Lodge, outdoor bar, and the bar in the Simcona Gingerbread House during Holiday Hangouts. - Cheese & Charcuterie inside the Lodge features a “build-your-board” bar to purchase a selection of premium cheeses, fresh fruits and artisan meats.
- Winter Wonderland 5K Run, organized in partnership with Wolfpack Multisport, will take place on Saturday, December 21, at 7:30 p.m. The race’s starting and finishing lines will be on Chestnut St. between Woodbury Blvd. and Court St. Registration is open now at rocholidayvillage.com/winter-wonderland-run.
- The Rec Room will feature a selection of free-to-play arcade games that will take over Santa’s Workshop after Christmas from December 26 to 29.
More Free Events & Activities This Year!
- Free ice skating and free skate rentals will be presented by Wegmans all 17 days of Roc Holiday Village’s operating hours, plus 6 days from December 30 to January 5 (skating is open on Christmas eve; closed New Year’s Day)
- Santa’s Workshop – The indoor heated tent features free visits and photos with Santa, free cookies courtesy of Wegmans, and Santa Text Express for guests when they arrive to provide their name and number and they will receive a text when it’s their turn with Santa. There will be an African American Santa on Thursday, December 12 from 4 to 8 p.m., Sunday, December 15 from 2 to 6 p.m. and Sunday December 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Crafts for kids in the Simcona Gingerbread House – an indoor heated tent – presented by Home Depot, Girl Scouts of Western NY, Scouting America, Brooklyn Robot Foundry, Compeer, Memorial and Art Gallery Creative Workshop, Rochester Museum and Science Center and Rochester Pipeline.
- Holiday celebrations in the Simcona Gingerbread House include Hanukkah presented by PJ Library and the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester on Sunday, December 8; Kwanzaa presented by the Rochester Kwanzaa Coalition on Sunday, December 15; Christmas presented by the First Bible Baptist Church on Sunday, December 22; and Three Kings’ Day presented by the Puerto Rican Festival on Sunday, December 29.
- Curling Demonstration and Instruction presented by Rochester Curling Club on Saturday, December 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Sled Hockey Demonstration presented by Rochester Sled Hawks on Sunday, December 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Two free Silent Disco events will take place on the ice rink on Thursday, December 12, and Thursday, December 19 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. In case of inclement weather, the Silent Disco rain date is Thursday, December 26.
- Thomas Creek Figure Skating Club will be performing on Saturday, December 14 from noon to 12:30 p.m., followed by a free open clinic to learn to skate from 12:30 to 12:50 p.m.
- Genesee Figure Skating Club will be performing on Sunday, December 15 from 1 to 1:30 p.m., followed by a free open clinic to learn to skate from 1:30 to 2 p.m.
- Live music is featured on The Buffalo News stage inside the Lodge on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and select Sundays.
- Band Karaoke will be held on the stage inside the Lodge on Wednesday, December 11 and Wednesday, December 18 from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
- Arcade games inside the Lodge are free.
- Explore the Village – I Spy Scavenger Hunt, Adventure Map, and Photo Quest is free and sponsored by Visit Rochester.
- Farewell Santa Parade on Sunday, December 22 at approximately 5:45 p.m. a brass band will perform around The Village and parade with Santa before he returns to The North Pole.
More Shopping, Eating and Drinking
- The Rochester Area Community Foundation & Triple-O Lodge – The indoor heated tent includes cozy lounge seating and communal tables plus a bar with wine, beer, hard cider, hard seltzer, mulled wine, sparkling wine and soft drinks. Each day to raise proceeds, a rotation of local charities will take over The Giving Cup hot cocoa bar.
- Shop, eat and drink from 26 retail vendors each week for a total of 46 different regional businesses over the course of the 17-day event. The complete list of retailers is posted online at rocholidayvillage.com.
- Shop Roc Holiday Village official merchandise, one-of-a-kind keepsakes and collector items.
- Outdoor seating sponsored by the YMCA and an outdoor bar are back. Guests can meet up with friends and warm up around the fire pits with their beverage of choice.
- Two Mini Maker Markets – Wednesday, December 11 and Wednesday, December 18 from 4 to 9 p.m. in the Simcona Gingerbread House.
- Frosty’s Food Court – A rotation of food trucks will be located outside on Court St. Outdoor picnic table seating will be available. The lineup of food offerings is posted online at rocholidayvillage.com/food.
- Special tasting events in the Rochester Area Community Foundation & Triple-O Lodge bar – The full schedule of bar tastings is posted online at rocholidayvillage.com/the-lodge-bar
Private Events – Private events can be booked for large parties in the Rochester Area Community Foundation & Triple-O Lodge for 50 to 250 people. Additional catering options are available. To book a private event, contact Roc Holiday Village by email at events@rocholidayvillage.com.
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, 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 at The Strong Museum of Play is $10 in their parking garage. For visitors attending both The Strong Museum of Play and Roc Holiday Village, enjoy discounted parking at $7 in the garage. On Friday, December 27 and Saturday, December 28, the rate increases to $30 for the day.
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About Roc Holiday Village
Roc Holiday Village is Rochester, New York’s favorite, magical winter festival delighting people of all ages. Roc Holiday Village 2024 is celebrating its sixth season from December 6 to 29 and presents 17 days of enchanting festivities. The annual downtown festival features outdoor seating and fire pits, free ice skating and skate rentals, a unique shopping village, indoor and outdoor bars 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. Roc Holiday Village is owned and 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. Roc Holiday Village 2023 drew more than 185,000 people of all ages to the heart of downtown Rochester at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Park.