Roc Holiday Village
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7th Annual Roc Holiday Village
Roc Holiday Village ranked fourth in Newsweek's
Best Christmas Market 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards
Roc Holiday Village opens Friday, Dec. 5, at 4:00 PM and runs for 16 days until Sunday, Dec. 28, at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park in downtown Rochester. All Cozy Igloos are sold out for the 2025 season. A limited number of Igloo Inn, Story Time, Paint & Sip and Holiday Floral Class tickets are available. Roc Holiday Village is proud to announce it has ranked fourth out of 10 in Newsweek's Best Christmas Market 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards, and second out of 10 Best U.S. Christmas Markets in TZR Readers’ Choice Awards. On Saturday, Dec. 6, beginning at 5 p.m., the City of Rochester's 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 the Roc Holiday Village, arriving at approximately 5:40 p.m. This year's Roc Holiday Village offers festive fun for everyone, including:
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: Roc Holiday Village Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park 353 Court St., Rochester, NY 14607 |
Village Dates and Hours Roc Holiday Village will be open: Friday, Dec. 5; Saturday, Dec. 6; Sunday, Dec. 7; Wednesday, Dec. 10; Thursday, Dec. 11; Friday, Dec. 12; Saturday, Dec. 13; Sunday, Dec. 14; Wednesday, Dec. 17; Thursday, Dec. 18; Friday, Dec. 19; Saturday, Dec. 20; Sunday, Dec. 21; Friday, Dec. 26; Saturday, Dec. 27; and Sunday, Dec. 28. The Village will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Santa’s Workshop: Wednesday through Friday: 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Triple-O Lodge & Frosty’s Food Court: Wednesday and Thursday: 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday: 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ice Rink (weather permitting): Wednesday through Friday: 4 to 10 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Shopping Village: Wednesday and Thursday: 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday: 4 to 10 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gingerbread House: Wednesday through Friday: 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
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20 Local Nonprofit Charities Participating in The Giving Cup – Hot Cocoa for a Cause The Giving Cup, brought to you by Tim Hortons, in the 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 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. Who & When
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Highlights and What’s New for 2025ESL Federal Credit Union joins Roc Holiday Village as the new presenting sponsor. Roc Holiday Village expands programming and adds new experiences for visitors of all ages. Evening entertainment returns inside the Gingerbread House, with a lineup of free trivia nights, paint and sip events, and the introduction of a new ticketed Holiday Floral Class with Hill Holiday Decor. Tickets are on sale now exclusively at rocholidayvillage.com. From Dec. 26 to 28, Santa’s Workshop will be transformed into the Rec Room, offering free-to-play arcade games during the final weekend of the festival. The Winter Wonderland Run, a 5K race in partnership with Wolfpack Multisport, returns Friday, Dec. 20, with the start and finish line located on Court Street near the Village entrance. Registration is open at rocholidayvillage.com/winter-wonderland-run. First responders from the Rochester Police and Fire Departments will volunteer as Red Kettle bell ringers this holiday season in a friendly “Battle of the Badges” to see which team can raise the most for The Salvation Army. Cozy Winter Igloos, the private heated geodesic domes that accommodate up to six people, are sold out for the 2025 season. Since its debut in 2018, Roc Holiday Village has welcomed more than 185,000 visitors each season to celebrate the holidays in the heart of downtown Rochester. |
A Limited Number of Igloo Inn Group Reservations Available, 30-person and Rink Side Igloo Inns Sold OutThe Rochester Area Community Foundation Igloo Village, featuring three Igloo Inns, will return to Roc Holiday Village in 2025, offering private spaces for large group gatherings. The reservable heated structures can be reserved for celebrations, team outings or private holiday events. Each Igloo Inn features festive lounge seating, seasonal decor and exclusive access to a private, enclosed space in the heart of the Village. Guests may choose between two, two-and-a-half-hour or three-hour blocks for groups up to 40 people. Optional catering and beverage packages are available for an additional cost. Tickets to reserve an Igloo Inn are open now exclusively at rocholidayvillage.com/igloo-inns. Igloo Inns sold out in 2024. |
Free Events and Activities in 2025Roc Holiday Village will feature a full schedule of free programming for families and visitors of all ages throughout the season. Free ice skating and skate rentals, presented by Wegmans, will be available every day the Village is open, as well as during an extended winter break from Dec. 29 through Jan. 4. Skating will be closed on New Year’s Day. Santa’s Workshop, located in an indoor heated tent, offers free visits and photos with Santa, free cookies courtesy of Wegmans, and the Santa Text Express. Guests can check in with their name and phone number and will receive a text when it is their turn to visit. Black Santa will appear on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 3 to 6 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 20 from 3 to 8 p.m. Free crafts for kids will be offered throughout December inside the Gingerbread House. Participating partners include Brooklyn Robot Foundry, Central Rock Gym, the City of Rochester, Goldfish Swim School, Home Depot, Medline, the Memorial Art Gallery Creative Workshop, the Rochester Public Library and Scouting America. Holiday celebrations will take place in the Gingerbread House on the following dates:
Special ice rink activity schedule:
More activities throughout the season include:
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Shopping, Eating and DrinkingThe Triple-O Lodge is an indoor heated tent that features cozy lounge seating, communal tables, and a bar serving wine, beer, hard cider, hard seltzer, mulled wine, sparkling wine and soft drinks. Retail shopping available throughout the Village, sponsored by OneDigital, will feature 25 vendors each week totaling more than 40 different regional businesses over the course of the event. The complete list of retailers is posted online. Visitors can also shop official Roc Holiday Village merchandise, keepsakes and collector items. Food and drink vendors located in the Shopping Village throughout the festival include The Chai Guy, Duke’s Donuts, La Bola/Avvino, Tony Pepperoni and Wow Fudge, along with the Roc Holiday Village outdoor bar. Outdoor seating and fire pits, sponsored by the YMCA, will return this season, along with an outdoor bar. Guests are invited to warm up with a drink and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Rohrbach Brewing Company's Village Lager, a crisp German-style lager with a bready malt backbone and subtle hops, will return in 2025 after selling out in 2023 and 2024. The beer is also be available in select retail outlets. Two Mini Maker Markets will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10 and Wednesday, Dec. 17 inside the Gingerbread House, showcasing 32 different local artisans and handcrafted goods. Frosty’s Food Court, sponsored by The Buffalo News, will feature a rotation of food trucks located on Court Street with outdoor picnic table seating available. The lineup of food offerings will be posted online at rocholidayvillage.com/food. Tasting events will be held inside the Triple-O Lodge bar, offering guests the chance to sample seasonal drinks. The full tasting schedule will be posted at rocholidayvillage.com/the-lodge-bar. Private events can be booked at the Triple-O Lodge for groups of 50 to 250 guests. Catering options are available. To inquire about availability, email events@rocholidayvillage.com. |
About Roc Holiday VillageRoc Holiday Village is Rochester, New York’s favorite winter festival, delighting people of all ages with festive experiences in the heart of downtown. Roc Holiday Village 2025 celebrates its seventh season from Dec. 5 to 28, offering 16 days of holiday festivities at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The free, family-friendly festival features outdoor seating and fire pits, ice skating and skate rentals, a unique shopping village, indoor and outdoor bars, local food and drinks, visits with Santa, hand-crafted goods, cozy winter igloos, free crafts for kids, cultural celebrations, live music, private events 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. In 2024, the festival welcomed more than 185,000 visitors and was recognized by USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards as one of the top holiday markets and ice skating destinations in the country. |
2025 Roc Holiday Village Sponsors and partners |
Roc Holiday VillageDecember 5 – December 28, 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park 353 Court St. Rochester, NY 14607 |