Christmas Events in NYC, Westchester, Rockland and Long Island for 2022
The best Christmas events going on in NYC, Westchester, Rockland and Long Island for the 2022 holiday season.
Get the Best Winter Activities
Wander through a world inspired by Chinese myths and legends at the NYC Winter Lantern Festival. The festival’s theme this year is “Journey to the East” and features more than 1,000 illuminated displays of hand-made Chinese lanterns.
Breakfast & Bowling With Santa
Rab’s Country Lanes, 1600 Hylan Blvd.
December 18 from 9am-12pm
$22
Santa Claus is coming to the premier destination for fun! Visit Rab’s Country Lanes on Sunday, December 18 from 9 AM to 12 PM for a magical morning of Bowling & Breakfast with Santa. The experience includes 1 hour of bowling, breakfast buffet, a photo with Santa, and special treats. Reserve your spot at bowlatrabs.com.
A Christmas Show
St. George Theater, 35 Hyatt St.
Dec. 9, 7pm; Dec. 10 & 11, 3 pm & 7 pm
All ages
Tickets starting at $15
Now in its 19th year, this two-hour production is a high energy, rhinestone-studded series of songs and dances that the whole family will enjoy. Featuring an all-volunteer cast of over 100 performers, the show features performances from local favorites like Vinnie Medugno, Marcus Simeone, Bill Newstad, Jenny Kelly, and Carmen Stone, an excerpt from “The Nutcracker”, and the fabulous Richmondettes comprised of superstars from various dance companies across Staten Island.
Long Island - Nassau
A Christmas Carol - Experiential
Long Island Children's Museum, 11 Davis Avenue, Garden City
November 25-December 30, See website for schedule
Ages 5 and older
$9 with $15 museum admission; $12 performance only
Meet the Cratchit family, Mr. Scrooge, and the ghosts of past, present and future in this classic story of acceptance and understanding. The cast weaves music, humor, and puppetry into this interactive show. The audience helps tell the story! Celebrate the change of seasons through this classic literary tale. Limited seating available.
Santa's Magical Workshop
Rolling River Day Camp, 477 Ocean Avenue, East Rockaway
Saturday, December 10, 10am
All ages
$35 per child; $5 per adult
Advanced Registration Required
Santa Claus and his elves invite you and your family to his magical workshop. Ticket price includes a meet and greet with Santa, unlimited photos with Santa from professional family photographer Jodi Applebaum, holiday craft activities, cookie decorating, hot cocoa bar and more.
Festival of Games: A Holiday Shopping & Gaming Event
Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Garden City
Saturday, December 10, 10am-7pm
All Ages
$20 ($25 at the door); $15 kids ages 2-12 ($20 at the door)
Shop a variety of local small businesses for retro video games, toys, comics, and collectibles and enjoy a slew of unique retro gaming experiences. Admission includes free unlimited gameplay in the Arcade Age Exhibit featuring over 70 arcade classics plus dozens of retro gaming console setups with competitive tournaments and holiday-themed games.
Catch the Sleigh 5K
Cedar Creek Park, 3340 Merrick Rd, Seaford
Saturday, December 17, 9:30am, Kiddie Dash; 10am-12pm, Race
All ages
$30; free kiddie dash
Run the paved roadways of Cedar Creek Park for an unforgettable 5K! Catch up to Santa's sleigh and walk away with some jolly ol' treats from All Round Foods. FREE Kiddie Dash 30 minutes before.
Cookie Decorating with Santa
Broadway Commons, 358 N. Broadway Commons, Hicksville
Wednesday, December 21, 4-6pm
All ages
Price TBA
Advanced Registration Required
Join Broadway Commons for cookie decorating with Santa! What’s Cooking Culinary School will be there and provide delicious cookies.
Long Island - Suffolk
Winter Wonderland
Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden, 663 Wading River Road, Manorville
November 19-December 23, Wednesdays-Thursdays, 12-6pm; Fridays, 12-8pm; Saturdays, 10am-8pm; Sundays, 10am-6pm
All ages
$20; free admission for ages 2 and younger
This year the winter wonderland is bigger and better than ever. Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden has almost doubled the size of the airstream area and added more festive lights, the Ice Skating Rink is ready to go and they added more holiday photo opp out in the field for the entire family to enjoy. Visitors can warm up by the fire, roast marshmallows and sip on hot cocoa while listening to holiday music by the Vintage Airstreams. When it gets dark, cozy up by the fire and watch holiday movies on the big screen. Play a round of mini golf and visit the animals all while taking in the beautiful decorations at the farm. This year Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden is excited to introduce the Christmas Carol House of Lights in the greenhouse. Journey through Scrooge’s nightmare and visit with the 3 spirits and learn the true meaning of Christmas. After the House of Lights, guests can meet the Tortoises in the greenhouse and say hello to Finn and his friends in the Goat pen.
The 26th Annual Charles Dickens Festival
Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council, 121 W. Broadway, Port Jefferson
Saturday, December 3, 11am-8pm and Sunday, December 4, 12-5pm
All ages
Free
Gather to celebrate the beloved author as this quaint seaport village is transformed into a living Dickens stage. The Artisan Square, shows how hand-crafted works were made in Victorian England. The restaurants offer Dickensian-inspired fare, while the wide range of shops in the village stays open for extended hours for holiday shopping. The Village, once again, will be rich with their troupe of Dickens’ Street Characters and alive with a host of musical, magical, and theatrical presentations sure to delight the Scroogiest of curmudgeons.
Story Time with Mrs. Claus
Walt Whitman Shops, 160 Walt Whitman Rd, Huntington Station
December 7-20, Wednesday, December 7, 10:30-11am; Wednesday, December 14, 4-4:30pm; Tuesday, December 20, 10:30-11am
All ages
Free
'Tis the Season! Gather 'round for a special Christmas story, read by Mrs. Claus herself.
The Riverhead Holiday Bonfire and Parade
Downtown Riverhead, Main Street, Riverhead
Saturday, December 10, 3pm, Parade; 4-6pm, Bonfire and Santa House
All ages
Free
Frosty temps are no match for Downtown Riverhead’s Annual Holiday Parade + Bonfire. No matter what holidays you celebrate, all are welcome! Watch the Riverhead Lions Club 70th Annual Holiday Parade then head to Riverhead BID’s 22nd Annual bonfire. Enjoy free hot chocolate and a community campfire that crackles, pops and lights the winter sky. Santa awaits in the town’s Gingerbread House, stop by to hand him your wish list and snap a photo with the jolly fella! BYOT (bring your own thermos).
Medford Christmas Parade
143 Tremont Ave., Medford
Saturday, December 10, 4:15pm
All ages
Free
See the Medford Christmas Parade with grand marshal Anthony Pelella of Axis Church Medford, and Head Elf Vinny of Vinny’s Minis. After the parade, head to Medford Memorial Park for live entertainment provided by Elegant Dance Studio, Christmas caroling, tree lighting, menorah lighting, vendors selling goods, cookies, hot chocolate, awards, photos with Santa and more!
Holiday Princess Tea Party
Ballet Long Island, 1863 Pond Road , NY, Ronkonkoma
Saturday, December 10, 1pm
All ages
$20
Performing live on stage Cinderella, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Santa and more. Bring your camera to take your own photos with the Princesses and Santa. After the performance, join the Princesses and their friends for a Tea Party. Refreshments included.
Snacks with Santa
Southold American Legion Hall, 51655 Main Road, Southold
Monday, December 12, 4-6pm
All ages
Free
The Southold American Legion Auxiliary Griswold Terry Glover Post 803 invites North Fork children to enjoy afterschool snacks and activities with Santa. In addition to snacks and a visit and photo opportunity with Santa, the event will feature a story time, a holiday craft activity and coloring.
Westchester
The Great Holiday Train Show
New Castle Historical Society - Horace Greeley House, 100 King Street, Chappaqua
November 19-January 8, Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-4pm; Closed 12/25; Open 12/26-12/30
All ages
$15; $10 members; $8 ages 2-8
Discover the historic 19th-century summer residence of Horace Greeley, festively decorated for the holidays with running train displays in each of the period rooms.
Holiday on the Hill Train Show
Lasdon Park & Arboretum, 2610 NY-35, Katonah
November 26-December 31, See website for schedule
All ages
$20; $15 seniors 62 and older; $10 children 2 – 12; free admission for children younger than 2
Celebrate the season with these iconic and immersive exhibits that will delight audiences of all ages. This year, visitors will be surrounded by the magic of the season as they stroll by colorful characters and enchanting holiday scenes. With more than 5,000+ square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibit space that begins with a stroll through whimsical holiday exhibits leading to the Conservatory. Once inside, you will be surrounded by trains chugging along twelve multi-level tracks, over bridges, through tunnels, under waterfalls and by quaint holiday scenes all framed with colorful seasonal plants and decorations!
Cookies & Cocoa with Santa
The Westchester, 125 Westchester Ave., White Plains
Friday, December 2, 5:30-7:30pm
All ages
Free
Come out for a Cookies & Cocoa event with Santa on Retail Level 1 near Nordstrom. The event will feature a DJ, live entertainment, cookie decorating, LEGO building, giveaways, and more!
Holiday Music Festival
Hoff-Barthelson Music School, 25 School Lane, Scarsdale
Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4, 10am-4:15pm
All ages
Free
Hoff-Barthelson Music School ushers in the holiday season with the annual Holiday Music Festival – a weekend of music and fun for the entire family featuring performances by more than 265 students of all ages in ensembles large and small.
Santa Needs Your Help
The Picture House Pelham, 175 Wolfs Lane, Village of Pelham
Saturday, December 10, 10am
All ages
$16
Santa Claus needs you to help him get ready for Christmas! You pick the clips from Santa’s video library. You help Santa with live games and songs. You ask Santa anything you want during the Q&A. And after the show, you get your photo with Santa. It’s a one-of-kind show with you in a starring role! This family-friendly event is hosted by Emmy-nominated writer Kevin Maher, who will share his new book Santa Doesn’t Need Your Help.
Holiday Music, with Harp & French Horn
St. Paul's Church National Historic Site, 897 S. Columbus Avenue, Mt. Vernon
Saturday, December 10, 1pm
All ages
Free
A performance of Holiday music, with Alyssa Reit on Harp and Peter Reit on French Horn, featuring a talk, at intermission, exploring the centuries-old history of the site.
Holiday Howls
Wolf Conservation Center, 7 Buck Run, South Salem
December 17-26, Saturday 12/17, 11am, 2pm and 5pm; Sunday 12/18, 11am and 2pm; Monday 12/26, 11am and 2pm
All ages
$14; $11 children younger than 12
Advanced Registration Required
Learn about the mythology, biology and ecology of wolf families and discover why this season is such a magical time for packs in North America. Guests will enjoy watching gray wolves Alawa and Nikai tear open “wolfy” presents! Guests will also potentially behold some of the WCC’s critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves.
Rockland
LGBTQ+ Family Holiday Craft Workshop
Creative Arts Workshop, 171 Main Street, Nyack
Saturday, December 3, 10:30am-12pm
All Ages
Free
Advanced registration required
Celebrate the holiday season with Joe Garreffa and other LGBTQ+ families, make crafts, and play games!
Village of Suffern Holiday Parade
Lafayette Avenue, Suffern
Saturday, December 3, 6:30-8:30pm
All ages
Free
Celebrate the season at this Holiday Parade!
2022 St. Nicholas Day
Jacob Blauvelt House, 20 Zukor Road, New City
Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4, 10:30am, 12pm, 1:30pm, and 3pm
All ages
$5; $10 per box for at-home/pickup program
Advanced Registration Required
The Historical Society of Rockland County is opening the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House to welcome children of all ages to celebrate Saint Nicholas as they've done since 1961. This traditional program is a highlight of the holiday season, and many adults who enjoyed this event in the past, as children, now bring their own families. Join in the traditional Dutch celebration: see shoes magically filled with goodies; hear wondrous and joyful stories; enjoy holiday refreshments; meet Saint Nicholas and his beautiful horse! Each child receives a special treat in his or her shoe from Saint Nicholas, and everyone can visit with Saint Nicholas and his horse!
Holiday Open House at the Historic Salyer House
Orangetown Historical Museum & Archives, 213 Blue Hill Road, Pearl River
December 4-18, Sundays, 1-4pm
All ages
Free
The Historic Salyer House is the perfect venue to grab some holiday cheer in this beautifully decorated homestead. With carols, Mary's mulled cider and the friendliest Santa in town, join them for a special look at the magnificent additions to the museum's collection of Dutch masterworks.
Holiday Gift Bazaar & Kids Gift Workshop
Palisades Community Center, 675 Oak Tree Rd., Palisades
Saturday, December 10, 12-6pm
All ages
Admission is free
Enjoy shopping and eating under twinkly lights when the sun goes down. Shop inside and out for hand-crafted items and a wide range of vintage offerings. Jewelry, pottery, candles, soaps, knitwear, vintage totes, jewelry and household items, hand-made cards, crystals, and much more. Kids will have their own special market inside where they can buy, make, and wrap gifts that they can pick out for mom, dad, and family members. Gifts range from $1-$5. Santa will make a visit at 3:30-4pm for photos and join in on the Carols Sing-a-Long for all ages. Sheet music supplied.
Beary Merry Holiday
Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park, 3006 Seven Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain
Saturday, December 17, 10am-4pm
All ages
Suggested donation of $1 per person
Visit the Bear Den at 10:30am to make tasty snacks for the black bears. Celebrate the holiday season at 11am when the bears come out to unwrap their gift boxes full of delicious treats!