Winter is the season to be jolly—at events all across New York. From the extravaganza of
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that kicks off the holiday season in
New York City, to the fresh-tapped sweetness of
Maple Syrup Weekends, held in late March at sugar houses upstate, there’s a full calendar of fun.
On the last Saturday in November, hustle off to
Buffalo, where you can dance the night away to ‘70s songs at the annual
World’s Largest Disco. Thousands groove at this Retro party listed as one of the Top 5 events in the US by Party Across America. Pucker up for the
Hudson Valley’s
International Pickle Festival, also held in late November. From sushi to sauerbraten, there’s something for everyone.
Step back into old-fashioned holiday celebrations in December.
Historic Hudson Valley homes welcome guests with 1800s-style refreshments and candlelight tours. Slow down and savor the season at street fairs like
Winter Walk on Warren Street that transforms Hudson's main street into a wonderland animated by dancers, musicians and giant puppets.
Troy’s annual
Victorian Stroll attracts nearly 20,000 visitors with over 100 family-friendly activities and performances by choirs, magicians and storytellers.
In the
Finger Lakes, the storybook-pretty village of
Skaneateles hosts a
Dickens Christmas festival, complete with carolers, carriage rides and chestnuts roasting on open fires. Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, it runs every weekend through late December. The picture-perfect community of
Seneca Falls is so sure it served as Frank Capra’s inspiration that they’ve created an annual
It’s A Wonderful Life Celebration. Fans enjoy a screening of the holiday classic, dinner with ZuZu, and horsedrawn wagon rides. Nearby wineries entertain with seasonal
food and wine pairings.
No place celebrates New Year’s Eve like New York. About one million people gather in New York City’s Times Square to see the famous Ball descend, and over a billion watch worldwide. Hundreds of cities and towns across the state host family-friendly celebrations. Some, like
Binghamton,
Buffalo and
Saratoga Springs, are part of the First Night network. First Day in
Lake George is celebrated with the Polar Plunge-New Year's Day swim and the surprisingly comfortable
Frostbite Cruise.
Every January at
Lake Placid, NASCAR drivers race in the Bodine Bobsled Challenge. You can watch world-class athletes compete in events at Olympic venues throughout the season.
Winter carnivals upstate feature skating,
cross-country skiing and
snowmobiling races, ice-fishing, ice-sculptures, concerts and parades.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, a tradition since 1897, runs for 10 days each February. It begins and ends with spectacular fireworks over the famous Ice Palace. In March, Mardi Gras and torchlight parades highlight the Winter Carnival at
Holiday Valley ski resort in
Ellicottville.
Check our listings for many more
events, including music festivals, holiday train rides, winter carnivals and spring flower shows. It’s always time to celebrate in New York State!