KidsOutAndAbout's weekly e-newsletter for the Rochester area
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Save the Date
Thu, Nov 27: Gratitude Run 5K, 1-Mile, and 50-Meter Kids Dash at OBF
Fri, Nov 28 - Sat, Dec 6: Pirate Toy Fund's holiday toy drive week 2025 - here's how to donate to help Rochester's neediest kids Fri, Nov 28: A Magical Christmas Adventure starts at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure Sun, Nov 30: Last day to see Hamilton at RBTL Fri, Dec 5 - Sun, Dec 7: Hadestown: Teen Edition at Stages Sat, Dec 6: Open House at Wunderville Preschool
Sat, Dec 6: Family Fun Day: Stars With Santa: Dec 6 & 13, 2025 at Strasenburgh
Planetarium
Sun, Dec 7: OrKIDStra: Frosty in Snowland at Eastman Theatre Fri, Dec 12: Christmas at RCCM 2025: FREE FAMILY FUN at Rochester's Greatest Indoor Christmas Spectacular! Mon, Dec 15: Entry deadline for giveaway to Disney on Ice Jan 1 |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
It's often said that parenting is a "thankless" job. In one sense, that's undeniably true, because it will likely be many years before the young humans you're raising—the ones who actually have a stake in the outcome of the excellent job you're doing—are in a position to thank you. So you don't hear that phrase often during the first couple of decades of parenthood.
My fervent wish
for the future is to live in a world filled with engaged, culturally literate, productive, happy people. This means that what I said above isn't precisely accurate: It's not only your kids who have a stake in your parenting success, we ALL do, because the path to that future starts NOW for the young people in your orbit. So I'm grateful that you care about getting them "out and about" to the wide variety of experiences available in your community: It will make all
the difference.
Our job here at KidsOutAndAbout.com is to help you do that as easily as possible. In 2001, I created the original version of this web platform that now connects 15 million people each year with their area's activities and resources. My team gets to see it all up-close and personal as local businesses post to KidsOutAndAbout through their free listings, and then we get to turn around and shout about them to y'all, bringing your community closer to you.
So I want to
step in for the rest of the world that's not (yet) thanking you, and say it to you today: Thank you so much for what you're doing. Raising kids is hard in any era, but no one could have anticipated all the roadblocks that a pandemic would toss onto our path.
As anyone who knows me knows, I'm endlessly looking for reasons to celebrate. So today, I'm celebrating YOU with my digital megaphone and pom-poms. You're doing a great job. Future Deb sends her thanks,
too.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Connect more. Do more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Hamilton, playing at RBTL's West Herr Auditorium Theatre Nov 18-30, 2025 is the perfect Thanksgiving family outing. It reminds us that each of us, no matter our age, has the power to build rooms where things happen. Read KidsOutAndAbout.com's review to learn how to prepare your kids to make the most of the performance.
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'Tis the season in Rochester! This is KidsOutAndAbout.com's annual 101 Holiday Events list of ways to make the holidays special in our area for 2025. Activities for Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve.
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Rochester NY's 2025 list of Christmas lights: 100+ houses: Includes Greece, Henrietta, Gates, Hamlin, Irondequoit, Pittsford, Fairport, the City of Rochester, Victor, Farmington, Penfield, Webster, Williamson, Ontario, Nunda, and more!
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Join us this Thanksgiving — November 27, 2025 — for the third annual Gratitude Run hosted at the Rochester Rotary Sunshine Camp. 5K Trail Run & Walk, 1 Mile Run & Walk, and FREE 50-Meter Kids Dash. Run or walk through the beautiful Sunshine Camp nestled in 157 acres in Rush, NY. Spend your morning moving your body, connecting with nature, and benefiting an impactful organization.
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The Pirate Toy Fund's main toy drive for 2025 is Fri, November 28 - Sat, December 6. Take your kids shopping this week; have each choose a toy for a child in need in our community. Then drop off the NEW, UNWRAPPED TOYS at any area Wegmans locations, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, Eastview Mall, Marketplace Mall, the Mall at Greece Ridge, Howard Hanna Real Estate, Mark's Pizzeria, or Boscov's at Greece Ridge Mall. You'll be helping our area's kids when they most need comfort and joy! It's super-easy to donate toys online at https://ptftoystore.com/store/koaa We need to raise 30,000 toys this week... thanks in advance and hugs from your publisher!
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Enter today to win tickets to Disney on Ice: FROZEN and ENCANTO, performing at Blue Cross Arena January 1-4, 2026. The drawing will be held Monday, December 15 for four tickets to the 4pm show on Thursday, January 1. Click to see the entry details--you'll submit an email with a special subject line.
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November 26, 28, 29, and 30, 2025: Your Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Rochester City Ballet celebrate 26 years of a holiday tradition: The Nutcracker at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre! Be whisked away to a magical land of sparkling snow and delectable sweets as Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score pairs with beautiful ballet. This story of a young girl’s Christmas Eve dream never fails to touch the heart! Click here for tickets.
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Stokoe Farms is the ultimate destination for creating cherished holiday traditions, offering the largest selection of REAL Christmas Trees in the area. Opening on November 22nd, the farm provides a magical experience for families, complete with tractor-drawn wagon rides, festive activities, a charming Country Gift Shop, and a variety of freshly cut and pre-cut trees. This year, visitors can enjoy the new Cocoa & Cookie Corner, serving deluxe hot chocolates, cider, and freshly baked cookies. Beyond trees, the farm features giant slides, a straw fort, a Live Nativity, and the popular Hillbilly Hen House Chicken Show. Unique attractions include a mob of kangaroos, a Nature Trail, and Christmas Animal Encounters, where guests can meet joeys, armadillos, and more.
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Celebrate the holiday season with Genesee Country Village & Museum, where festive traditions and cozy moments come to life. Explore our 19th-century Historic Village during Yuletide in the Country Tours & Dinners, featuring immersive scenes, warm hearths, and all-new storytelling. Savor a comforting Holiday Afternoon Tea beside a crackling fire, complete with finger sandwiches, sweets, and time to browse the Flint Hill Store. Families can enjoy a seasonal favorite at Breakfast with St. Nick, and wander candlelit homes during our Holiday Open House. With so much to discover, GCV&M offers something special for every visitor this winter. Reserve your tickets early.
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Weekends Nov 28 - Dec 21, 2025: Another Magical Christmas Adventure awaits at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure in Varysburg! The Lodge, in full holiday splendor, will host Santa’s Wonderland where you’ll decorate cookies, write letters to the North Pole, take holiday photos, and more before boarding your trolley for a journey through Hidden Valley’s Mystical Forest. There you’ll see herds of bison and elk, Randy the camel, llamas, and blackbelly sheep roaming the wintery terrain. Upon your return, pet and feed a variety of live animals in open-air stalls. Four consecutive weekends starting Black Friday, November 28 – December 21, 9am-4:30pm. Reservations Required. Book online at hiddenvalleyadventure.com. Allow 3 hours for the full experience.
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November 22 - December 27, 2025: A Tale of Hope, Humor, and Heart. Rochester’s favorite holiday tradition returns with an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic story that begins with a wish made by young Tim Cratchit. Over the course of one night, notorious grump Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by four ghosts. But will their intervention prompt him to change his “humbug” ways? A Christmas Carol reminds us that it is never too late to have a change of heart. Geva welcomes patrons ages 5 and up to A Christmas Carol. Click here for tickets.
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Load up the car, grab some cocoa, and get ready for the most festive tour in town, The RG&E Holiday Lights Tour! Your Holiday Lights Tour Kit is your all-access pass to a sparkling lineup of homes decked out in dazzling displays of holiday cheer. Follow your tour map, check out the NEW activity book, and share your bright moments on social media using #HLT2025 to spread the sparkle. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the season—fun, family, and giving all wrapped up in one unforgettable experience!
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Thursday, Dec 4, 7pm at Kodak Center: This critically acclaimed holiday celebration that the whole family can enjoy brings Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the rest of the Peanuts gang together live on stage as they uncover the true meaning of Christmas and perform songs from the unforgettable musical score of legendary composer Vince Guaraldi. The Broadway-style production complete with immersive sets, lighting, choreography, and colorful costumes has sold more than 300,000 tickets over the prior holiday seasons. Children under 2 years of age do not need a ticket to sit on an adult's lap.
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This December, CountryMax stores are spreading cheer with FREE family-friendly holiday events that support local charities and animal organizations close to our hearts. From pony rides and therapy animal meet-and-greets to craft stations and holiday treats, every event brings joy while raising donations for community partners. Find a FREE event at one of the following CountryMax Store locations. Dec. 5 at Webster benefiting Heritage Christian Stables; Dec. 6 at Baldwinsville benefiting Purpose Farm; Dec. 6 at Auburn benefiting Finger Lakes SPCA; Dec. 7 at Oswego benefiting Brayhope Farm; Dec. 13 at Brockport benefiting Pirate Toy Fund. Click for details: https://www.countrymax.com/2025-holiday-events/
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December 5-7, 2025: Stages presents Hadestown, Teen Edition. Following two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and lady Persephone — Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Performs in Stages' 3rd floor theater at the Auditorium. This show is suitable for audiences age 10 and up. Get your tickets now!
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Sunday, December 7, 2pm: Join your RPO at Hochstein Performance Hall for a magical winter wonderland featuring music celebrating all winter holidays and sparkling seasonal surprises! With festive fun and a snow adventure on stage, this heartwarming event is the perfect way to celebrate the season with live music together! Join us one hour before the concert for fun, holiday themed crafts!
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The seventh annual City of Rochester Roc Holiday Village, presented by ESL Federal Credit Union, returns December 5–28 at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park with sixteen days of free holiday fun. Enjoy free ice skating and skate rentals, visits and photos with Santa, kids’ crafts, and festive holiday celebrations. Take on the I Spy Scavenger Hunt and Adventure Map, or catch special ice rink events like sled hockey, curling lessons, and figure skating performances. Warm up by the fire pits, sip hot cocoa for a cause at The Giving Cup, and soak in the lights, music, and cheer of Rochester’s favorite winter festival.
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Dec 12-14 and 17-23: Gates open at 6pm nightly. Christmas at RCCM is filled with light, wonder, and the true joy of the season! This year features five inspiring attractions: Miracle 4D, the thrilling motion ride; The Name, a holographic multi-sensory experience; Raffadali’s Great Adventure, an interactive family show starring Raffadali the Donkey; Star’s Yuletide Workshop, where kids create their own ornaments; and illumiNATIONS: Tapestry of Earth, a campus-wide spectacular with an original film, uplifting music, and The Living Tree, a 30,000-light centerpiece synchronized to thousands of colorful lights. Come anytime—shows run continuously and are completely free! For details or advance tickets, visit RCCM.org or christmas@rccm.org. RCCM (Rochester Christian Church) is located at 3177 Lyell Road in Gates.
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Now registering for the 2026-27 school year! The Discovery Academy of Science & Art (DASA) Preschool is located at 597 East Ave. in Rochester. Students learn through play with our science, technology, engineering, art and math and inquiry-based curriculum, and can take advantage of our connections to local museums and cultural institutions. Teachers nurture the development of the whole child by providing a caring environment rich in discovery and imagination. Whether in the classroom, exploring local cultural institutions or the outdoors, DASA Preschool makes learning exciting and enriching, with impressions that last a lifetime. For details, visit www.dasapreschool.org. We offer a limited number of partial needs-based scholarships. Please contact us for more information.
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Events this weekend, November 28-30: |
Wishing you and yours good health and happiness!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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