101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in the Capital District in 2021
by Katie Beltramo
KidsOutAndAbout is America's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! Typically we list (MORE than) 101 ideas for holiday family fun, but. . . it's 2021, which means a bit less is happening than usual. The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and events can be canceled due to COVID, so click through to make arrangements.
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Santa Sightings
| Wednesdays to Sundays in December | Santa is at Crossgates |
| Nov 27-Nov 29, Dec 5-6, Dec 12-13, 2021 | Meet Santa at Bob's Trees |
| Thursdays - Sundays beginning Nov 20, 2021 | Wintertime Wonderland |
| Beginning Saturday, November 20, 2021 | Santa is at Colonie Center |
| Saturdays & Sundays, Nov 28 - Dec 20, 2021 | Photos with Santa at Christmas Land |
| Saturdays and Sundays at 4 pm in December | Santa's Magical Express |
| Saturdays in December | Pictures with Santa at Rocking Horse Ranch |
| Saturday, December 11, 2021 | Outdoor Photo Opportunity with Santa at Pruyn House |
| Sunday, December 19, 2021 | Santa Brunch at Bountiful Bread in Schenectady |
Christmas Community Events
| Saturday, Nov 20, 2021 | Daily Gazette Holiday Parade in Schenectady |
| Saturday, Nov 20, 2021 | Holiday Lighted Tractor Parade in Greenwich |
| Friday, Nov 26, 2021 | City of Amsterdam Tree Lighting |
| Thursday, Dec 2 - Sunday, Dec 5, 2021 | Saratoga Victorian Streetwalk Weekend and Tree Lighting |
| Saturday, Dec 4, 2021 | Sinterklaas Festival Day in Rhinebeck |
| Saturday, Dec 4, 2021 | Winter Hangarland in Latham |
| Saturday, Dec 4, 2021 | Winter Walk in Hudson |
| Sunday, Dec 5, 2021 | Holiday on the Avenue in Scotia |
| Begins Sunday, Dec 5, 2021 | Troy Victorian Stroll |
| Saturday, Dec 11, 2021 | Christmas in Esperance |
| Sunday, Dec 19, 2021 | Annual Victorian Holiday Celebration, Altamont NY |
Holiday Theater (or just fun-for-the-family theater) Performances
| Wed, Nov 24, 2021 | The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Musical at The Palace Theatre |
| Dec 3-5, 2021 | It's a Wonderful Life Live Radio Play at Theatre Institute of Sage |
| Dec 6, 2021 | Santa' Sing-a-Long at Cohoes Music Hall |
| Sun Dec 12, 2021 | Christmas Oratorio at UPH |
| Dec 17, 18, 19, 2021 | A Christmas Carol - The Farmers' Museum (Check in Nov to see if Virtual or in Person) |
| Weekends in December, depending on location | Princess Holiday Caroling Visits |
Nutcrackers
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Sat, Nov 27 & Dec 4 and Fri, Dec 10 & 17, 2021 |
New Paltz Ballet presents The Nutcracker at Rocking Horse Ranch |
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Sat, Dec 11 & Sun Dec 12, 2021 |
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Sat Dec 18, 2021 |
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Sat Dec 18, 2021 |
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Wed Dec 22 & Thurs Dec 23, 2021 |
Holiday Concerts
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Sat, Nov 27, 2021 |
Poinsettia Pops with the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra at UPH |
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Fri, Dec 3, 2021 |
Jonathan Antoine's ChristmasLand Live! at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall |
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Sun, Dec 5, 2021 |
The Magic Christmas at The Palace Theatre |
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Tue, Dec 7, 2021 |
Cherish the Ladies 'Celtic Christmas' at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall |
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Sat, Dec 11, 2021 |
Albany Symphony - The Nutcracker |
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Fri, Dec 17, 2021 |
It's a JAZZY Christmas at Proctors |
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Sat, Dec 18, 2021 |
It's a JAZZY Christmas at UPH in Saratoga |
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Sat, Dec 18, 2021 |
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Sun, Dec 19, 2021 |
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Sun, Dec 19, 2021 |
Christmas Tree Experience
Holiday Lights
| Fri Nov 26, 2021 - Sun Jan 2, 2022 |
Price Chopper/Market 32 Holiday Lights in Washington Park
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| Begins Thanksgiving Nov 25, 2021 |
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| Tuesday, Nov 30, 2021 |
Holiday Lights Drive-Thru Parade at BH-BL High School
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| Fridays Nov 26, Dec 3, Dec 10, Dec 17 |
Lighting the Blue Lights at Rocking Horse Ranch
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| Saturday, Nov 20 - Monday, January 3 |
Crafty Christmas
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Sat Nov 6, 2021 |
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Fri Nov 12, 2021 |
Woodland Stroll Paint and Sip at Art in Mind |
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Sat Nov 13, 2021 |
Cedar, Seed Pods, and Sumac: Crafting Winter Centerpieces at Clermont |
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Sat Nov 27, 2021 |
Holiday Wreath Making at CREATE Community Studios in Schenectady |
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Sat Nov 27, 2021 |
Decorating with Native Greenery at Landis Arboretum |
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Sun Nov 28, 2021 |
Starry Night Light-Up Bottle Paint and Sip at Art in Mind |
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Sat Dec 11, 2021 |
Sinterklaas Gourds Workshop at Schenectady County Historical Society |
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Sat Dec 11, 2021 |
Yule Log Class |
Festive Flicks
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Sat Nov 27, 2021 |
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Mon Dec 6, 2021 |
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Sat Dec 11, 2021 |
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Mon Dec 13, 2021 |
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Wed Dec 15, 2021 |
An Evening with Chevy Chase and a screening of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation |
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Sat Dec 18, 2021 |
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at select Regal Cinemas |
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Sun Dec 19, 2021 |
Bolshoi Ballet's The Nutcracker (2021 Encore) at select Regal Cinemas |
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Mon Dec 20, 2021 |
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Thurs Dec 23, 2021 |
Ice Skating (mostly indoor facilities and shows)
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limited public skate on weekend |
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Public Skate every Saturday and Sunday 2 pm-3:50 pm |
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Public Skate on Sundays from 2-3:45 pm |
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Check monthly schedule |
Schenectady County Recreational Facilities |
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Opening Friday, December 3, 2021 |
Empire State Plaza |
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Opening December 10th |
Schenectady River Rink - new outdoor rink at Mohawk Harbor |
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Sunday, December 19, 2021 |
Holiday Happiness Ice Skating Show |
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Fri Jan 14 - Mon Jan 16 |
Disney on Ice (not technically holiday, but family fun!) |
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still closed this 2021-2022 season: |
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closed |
Chanukah
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Tue Nov 30, 2021 |
Kwanzaa
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Kwanzaa Umojo Community Celebration in Hudson (not confirmed) |
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Sunday December 26, 2021 - Saturday, January 1, 2022 |
Kwanzaa Celebrations at different venues held by the Capital Region Kwanzaa Coaltion |
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
| Nov 26, 27, 2021 | Thanksgiving at The Farm - Farmers' Museum |
| Nov 28-29, Dec 5-5, Dec 12-13, Dec 19-20, 2021 | Christmas Land at the Vineyard |
| The first three weekends of December 2021 | Holiday Lantern Tours at the Farmers' Museum |
| Dec 11 - 12, 2021 | Christmas in Museum Village |
| Begins the day after Thanksgiving and runs every Saturday and Sunday through Dec 23, from noon to 4 pm, plus Dec 24 from noon - 2:30 pm | Dickens Christmas at Skaneateles |
| Tues Dec 28, 2021 | A Mabee Christmas Carol |
| Tue Dec 14 & Fri Dec 18, 2021 | Holiday Stockade Stroll with the Schenectady County Historical Society |
| Awaiting confirmation for 2021 | |
| Christmas at Clermont Open House | |
| Winter Wonderland: A Children's Walking Tour of Clermont | |
| Pruyn House Holiday Open House | |
| Holiday American Girl Tea with Samantha Parkington |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Fri Nov 19 - Sun Nov 21 | Country Folk Art Craft Show at HVCC |
| through Dec 19, 2021 | Shaker Holiday Market |
| Nov 27, 2021 | Saratoga Annual Holiday Craft Fair |
| Sat Nov 27 - Sun Nov 28, 2021 | Holiday Express Gift Show at Colonie Center |
| Thursdays to Sundays beginning Nov 27, 2021 | Artisan's Market at Brookside Museum |
| Dec 3 - 12, 2021 | Rotterdam Christmas Market at Viaport |
| Sat Dec 4, 2021 | Holiday Market at Irish American Heritage Museum |
| Sat Dec 4 - Sun Dec 5, 2021 | Holiday Bazaar at Thacher Nature Center |
| Sat Dec 11, 2021 | Indoor Craft Fair at Samascott's Garden Market |
| Unconfirmed for 2021 | |
| Christmas Open House at The Garden Bug in Amsterdam | |
| Holiday Art & Craft Fair at Arkell Museum | |
| Faddegon's Holiday Open House | |
| Home for the Holidays Show at Colonie Center | |
| Taste NY Holiday Market at the NY State Museum | |
| Rudolph's Runway at Colonie Center |
New Year's Eve
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Dec 31, 2021 |
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Dec 31, 2021 |
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| Dec 31, 2021 | |
| Unconfirmed for 2021 (so far) | |
Miscellaneous
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Beginning Friday, Nov 26, 2021 |
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Sun Dec 5, 2021 |
Great Train Extravaganza at Empire State Plaza |
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Sat Dec 11, 2021 |
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Sat Dec 18, 2021 |
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what typically happens |
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If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there...it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Katie Beltramo, Albany editor of KidsOutAndAbout.com, at katie@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!