101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in the Capital District in 2022
by Katie Beltramo
KidsOutAndAbout is America's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families!
Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. 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!
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Santa Sightings
| Weekends beginning November 26 | Santa Cookies & Cocoa! |
| Most days beginning Nov 19, 2022 | Wintertime Wonderland |
| Beginning Saturday, November 19, 2022 | Santa is at Colonie Center |
| Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 26 to Dec. 18, 2022 | Santa's Magical Express |
| Saturdays in December | Pictures with Santa at Rocking Horse Ranch |
| Santa is at Crossgates although their website is outdated |
Christmas Community Events
| Saturday, Nov 19, 2022 | Daily Gazette Holiday Parade in Schenectady |
| Saturday, Nov 19, 2022 | Holiday Lighted Tractor Parade in Greenwich |
| Thursday, Dec 1 - Sunday, Dec 4, 2022 | Saratoga Victorian Streetwalk Weekend and Tree Lighting |
| Saturday, December 3, 2022 | Elves Day Out Canajoharie |
| Saturday, Dec 3, 2022 | Sinterklaas Festival Day in Rhinebeck |
| Saturday, Dec 3, 2022 | City of Albany Tree Lighting Ceremony and Open House |
| Saturday, Dec 3, 2022 | Winter Hangarland in Latham |
| Saturday, Dec 3, 2022 | Winter Walk in Hudson |
| Saturday, Dec 3, 2022 | Christmas Celebration and Open House in Esperance |
| Sunday, Dec 4, 2022 | Tree Lighting at the Empire State Plaza |
| Sunday, Dec 4, 2022 | Holiday on Jay Street with Santa |
| Sunday, Dec 4, 2022 | Holiday on the Avenue in Scotia |
| Sunday, Dec 4, 2022 | Troy Victorian Stroll |
| Sunday, Dec 11, 2022 | Winterfest in Altamont NY |
Holiday Theater (or just fun-for-the-family theater) Performances
Nutcrackers
| Thursday, November 17, 2022 | Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet! at the Palace Theatre |
| Sat. Nov. 26, Sat. Dec 3, and Fri. Dec 16, 2022 | New Paltz Ballet presents The Nutcracker at Rocking Horse Ranch |
| Sat, Dec 10 & Sun Dec 11, 2022 | Albany Berkshire Ballet's Nutcracker at The Egg |
| Sat December 17, 2022 | Nacre Dance Group -- Nutcracker at The Egg |
| Saturday Dec 17 and Sunday, December 17, 2022 | Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet's Nutcracker at U Albany |
| Saturday, December 3 & Sunday, December 4, 2022 | Northeast Ballet's Nutcracker at Proctors |
Holiday Concerts
| Saturday, December 2, 2022 | Poinsettia Pops with the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra at UPH |
| Sunday, Dec 4, 2022 | The Magic of Christmas at The Palace Theatre |
| Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | Lindsey Stirling Snow Waltz Tour at The Palace |
| Saturday, December 10, 2022 | Holiday Classics at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall |
| Sunday, December 11, 2022 | Holiday Classics Matinee at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall |
| Friday, December 16, 2022 | The Gibson Brothers North Country Christmas |
| Friday, December 16, 2022 | It's a JAZZY Christmas at UPH in Saratoga |
| Saturday, December 17, 2022 | It's a JAZZY Christmas at Proctors |
| Saturday, Dec 17, 2022 | The McKrell's Christmas Show at The Egg |
| Sunday, Dec 18, 2022 | The Many Moods of Christmas at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall |
Christmas Tree Experience
Holiday Lights
| Begins Nov 23, 2022 | Santa's Play Land Open House |
| November 25 to December 23, 2022 | A Frosty Fest |
| Tuesday, Nov 29, 2022 | Holiday Lights Drive-Thru Parade at BH-BL High School |
| First lit the evening of November 19, 2022 | Schenectady Illuminocity |
Crafty Christmas
Festive Flicks
| Thursday, December 1, 2022 | Love, Actually at Proctors |
| Thursday, December 8, 2022 | Christmas in July at Proctors |
| Saturday, December 10, 2022 | Elf is at Proctors |
| Monday, December 12, 2022 | The Muppet Christmas Carol at the Palace Theatre |
| Thursday, December 15, 2022 | Rise of the Guardians at Proctors |
| Monday, December 19, 2022 | National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at the Palace Theatre |
| Thursday, December 22, 2022 | Remember the Night at Proctors |
| Friday, December 23, 2022 | A Christmas Story |
| Wednesday, December 28, 2022 | The Princess and the Frog - Family Fun Day at the Palace Theatre |
| Thursday, December 29, 2022 | Krampus at Proctors |
Ice Skating (mostly indoor facilities and shows)
| Limited public skate on weekends | Bethlehem YMCA |
| Public Skate every Saturday and Sunday from 2 pm-3:50 pm | Capital Arena in Clifton Park |
| Public Skate on Sundays from 2-3:30 pm | Messa Rink at Union College |
| Check monthly schedule | Schenectady County Recreational Facilities |
| details not yet online for 2022 | Empire State Plaza |
| Opening December 10th | Schenectady River Rink - new outdoor rink at Mohawk Harbor |
Chanukah
| Sunday, December 4, 2022 | Home Depot Menorah Workshop |
| Sunday, December 18, 2022 | Chanukah on Jay |
| Monday, December 19, 2022 | Friends, Fondant, & Cookie Decorating |
Kwanzaa
| Saturday, December 17, 2022 | Kwanzaa - Operation Unite NY in Hudson |
| Kwanzaa Celebrations by the Capital Region Kwanzaa Coaltion - not yet confirmed |
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
| Nov 25, 26, 2022 | Thanksgiving at The Farm - Farmers' Museum |
| Sunday, December 4, 2022 | Holiday Traditions for Children at Clermont |
| Wednesday, December 14 or 21, 2022 | Holiday Stockade Stroll with Schenectady County Historical Society |
| Friday, December 2 and Saturday, December 3, 2022 | Holiday Lantern Tours at the Farmers' Museum |
| Saturday, December 10, 2022 | Candlelight Evening at the Farmers' Museum |
| December 10- 11, 2022 | Christmas in Museum Village |
| Begins the day after Thanksgiving and runs every Saturday and Sunday | Dickens Christmas at Skaneateles |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Sat Nov - Sun Nov 13, 2022 | Holiday House and Shop at Old Austerlitz |
| Friday November 18 - 20, 2022 | Country Folk Art Craft Show at HVCC |
| Sat Nov 26 - Sun Nov 27, 2022 | Indoor Craft Fair at Samascott's Garden Market |
| through Dec 18, 2022 | Shaker Holiday Market |
| Nov 26, 2022 | Saratoga Annual Holiday Craft Fair |
| Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4, 2022 | Artisan's Market at Brookside Museum |
| Saturday, December 3, 2022 | Holiday Market at Irish American Heritage Museum |
| Saturday, December 3, 2022 | Holiday Bazaar at Thacher Nature Center |
New Year's Eve
| First Night Saratoga | |
| First Night Bethlehem | |
| Saturday, December 31, 2022 | Ring in the New Year at Rocking Horse Ranch |
| Saturday, December 31, 2022 | Torchlight and Fireworks Show at Stowe |
| New Year's Eve Celebration at Windham Mountain |
Miscellaneous
| Sunday, December 4, 2022 | Holiday Jan-Boree at the Albany Institute |
| Great Train Extravaganza at Empire State Plaza | |
| Model Train Show at miSci | |
| Albany Last 5 K Run | |
| Winter Solstice Celebration at Olana | |
| Saratoga County Convey for Tots | |
| Rock for Tots in Waterford |
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, Communications Director of KidsOutAndAbout.com, at katie@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
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