BeyondTheNest: Weekly e-newsletter for Rochester | |
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Save the Date
Now through Dec 28: A Christmas Carol at Geva Theatre Tue, Dec 9 - Sun, Dec 14: & Juliet at RBTL
Wed, Dec 10: Holiday Afternoon Tea at Genesee Country Village & Museum
Wed, Dec 10: Fiber Art Enthusiast Meetup at Flight Wine Bar
Wed, Dec 10: Boozy Advent Calendar Workshop at Art Center of Rochester LLC
Thu, Dec 11: Rumors at Blackfriars Theatre
Thu, Dec 11: Thursday Night Contra at The Country Dancers of Rochester
Fri, Dec 12: Live & Local Holiday Market at Genesee Valley Council on the Arts
Sat, Dec 13: Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland at Kodak Center
Sat, Dec 13: 2 day craft and vendor fair at Holy Childhood
Sat, Dec 13: Free Holiday Studio Sale at Rochester Folk Art Guild
Sat, Dec 13: The Open Road Theatre -presents- The Servant of Two Masters By Carlo Goldoni at Multi-Use Community Cultural Center (MuCCC)
Sat, Dec 13: Merry & Bright: A Holiday Cabaret at Geva Theatre
Sat, Dec 13: The Days the Artists Spoke at RoCo at Rochester Contemporary Art Center
Sun, Dec 14: Penfield Symphony
Orchestra's "White Christmas" Concerts - Dec 14 and 15 at Penfield High School
Fri, Dec 19: Gala Holiday Pops at Eastman Theatre
Sat, Dec 20: Holiday Figure Skating Show at Genesee Figure
Skating Club
Mon, Dec 22: Seneca Park Zoo 2025 Holiday Magic Tours start at Seneca Park Zoo
Sat, Dec 27: Mindful MAGiC: Martyrs Water Meditation at Memorial Art Gallery
Tue, Jan 13: Spamalot: January 13-18, 2026 at RBTL |
Note from your publisher The light snowfall this week has covered Rochester in just enough sparkle to make even the most winter-phobic among us (me included) pause and take it in. Even though the temperature is about to plunge, the season’s warmth is starting to show up in all the best ways: in art, in tradition, and in the ways we show up for one another. Tomorrow marks the return of Roc Holiday Village, and with it, sixteen days of community and cheer downtown. It’s just one of many ways Rochester leans into the season: you’ll find stories on stage (A Christmas Carol, Persuasion, Rumors), and neighborhoods glowing with
creativity. The Genesee Keg Tree will light up once again, blending tradition with a touch of irreverent joy, and reminding us that the holidays here are anything but ordinary. Whether you’re sipping something warm under the lights or in an igloo in MLK Park or taking in the scent of gingerbread at the Eastman Museum, there's something grounding—and even a little magical—about how our area celebrates. Also: If you haven't yet donated a toy to the Pirate Toy Fund to help our area's neediest kids have a little more joy this holiday season, you can donate online
here or drop off a toy at many area locations when you're out and about. I've volunteered with them for over 20 years, and we're hoping to secure 30,000 toys donated for 2025 by Saturday. Thank you! —Debra Ross, publisher
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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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150 spectacularly-lit houses around Rochester Rochesterians are incredibly creative! Check out our annual list of 150 houses turned into holiday fairyland, organized by town. More houses are added every day for 2025 as reports come
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The Pirate Toy Fund's main toy drive for 2025, where they press hard to collect 30,000 toys, is November 28 - December 6. Go shopping with your kids and ask them to pick out a toy they know a child in need in our community would love. 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, or Mark's Pizzeria. ...and feel great that you're helping kids in our area at the time they most need comfort and joy. Click here to find out where the crew will be in person each day of the drive. CLICK HERE to donate toys online!
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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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November 8 - January 4: The George Eastman Museum's annual Sweet Creations Gingerbread display is a beloved Rochester family tradition! Check out the dozens of cleverly designed and deliciously decorated gingerbread houses that fill the mansion... it's a visual and aromatic treat for visitors of all ages, and is sure to put you in the holiday spirit! All of the gingerbread creations are available in an online silent auction. Free to members; included with museum admission.
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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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Blackfriars Theatre presents Rumors, Neil Simon’s uproarious farce about a dinner party gone spectacularly wrong. When the first guests arrive to find their host unconscious and no sign of his wife, the evening spirals into a frenzy of cover-ups, confusion, and laugh-out-loud moments. Performances run December 11–28, Thursdays through Sundays (no show on Christmas Day). Tickets: $39.50 regular, $36.50 for seniors (60+), $20 for students with valid ID. Don’t miss this sharp, high-energy comedy—perfect for a night out this holiday season! Tickets at https://www.blackfriars.org/rumors.
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To coincide with the 250th birthday of author Jane Austen, The Company Theatre of Rochester presents an adaptation of her novel PERSUASION December 5-21 at their new home at 28 Lawn St. downtown Rochester. Performances run Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors 60+ and students and may be purchased on The Company Theatre’s website: www.thecompanytheatreroc.org/box-office. Special group rates are available by contacting info@thecompanytheatreroc.org.
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Sat, Dec 13: Experience the magic of cirque like never before with the all-new Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland! A thrilling blend of world-class circus artistry and your favorite holiday music, this spectacular production will transport you to a winter wonderland of awe and enchantment. With breathtaking acrobatics, soaring aerial performances, and an all-new production for this year, Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland delivers an unforgettable holiday experience for the whole family. Feel the holiday spirit come to life with heart-pounding feats and beloved seasonal melodies.
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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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Don’t miss the annual keg tree lighting, where thousands of lights shine over a towering tree made from beer kegs. Join us as we ring in the holiday season with fresh beer, local food trucks, and more! This is a family friendly event, so dress warmly and bring everyone! It’s a festive celebration you won't want to miss!
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Continuing its holiday tradition, the New York Museum of Transportation, in Rush, will welcome Santa Claus on December 7, 13 and 14. He's eager to meet the kids and pose for pictures. A ride in the heated trolley, holiday decorations, complimentary cookies and hot chocolate, and the fondly remembered Midtown Plaza Monorail all add to the fun in this unique celebration of the holidays. Admission including the trolley ride is $18 adults, $14 age 3 - 14. Rides depart at 11:00, 11:45, 12:30, 1:15, 2:00, 2:45 and 3:30. Reservations are required: www.nymtmuseum.org/Christmas The New York Museum of Transportation is located just 20 minutes south of Rochester at 6393 East River Road in Rush, and can be reached from I-390 exit 11.
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Weekend highlights: Free Events in the Rochester area December 5-7, 2025First Friday Rochester -
Rochester Contemporary Art Center, 137 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14604, 6-9 pm 2025 Genesee Keg Tree Lighting - Genesee Brew House, 25 Cataract
Street, Rochester, NY 14605, 5 pm - 9 pm RoCo's Annual Members Exhibition - Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo), 137 East Ave,
Rochester, NY 14604, 6pm - 9pm Museums on Us at MAG - Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607, 11 am-5 pm Words in Progress with Jen Case (Rochester Writes) - Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, South Avenue, Rochester, NY, 10AM Ornament Decorating - Ogden Farmers' Library, 269 Ogden Center Road, Spencerport, NY 14559, 10:00am11:00am Get Your FREE Grinch Family Photo at Messner Flooring! - Messner Flooring in Greece, 2695 West Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14626, 11am - 1pm Festival of Trees at the Power Vista - Niagara Power Vista Visitors Center, 5777 Lewiston Rd, Lewiston, NY 14092, 9 am - 5 pm Holidays at the Market - City of Rochester Public Market, Union Street North, Rochester, NY, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Wishing you and yours good health and happiness! |
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