Enjoy the holiday festivities at one of the most popular holiday places: ROC Holiday Village. Today we are sharing everything you need to know for the 2025 ROC Holiday Village season.
ROC Holiday Village is a family fun event that features free ice skating, Santa’s Workshop, a craft room, shopping, and food.
It is a great way to celebrate the holidays in Rochester, New York for families of all ages. Young kids will leave the crafts and meeting Santa. Older kids will enjoy the food and ambiance of the winter village.
ROC Holiday Village Dates 2025
ROC Holiday Village will be open December 5th-28th. Each weekend has special events and activities. It is free to enter and walk around the holiday village.
What to Do at ROC Holiday Village
There are free things to do at ROC Holiday Village as well as activities you want to book well in advance. However you plan your day will be great but if you want to do some of the more popular activities be sure to book as soon as possible.
- Free Open Skate that includes shoes.
- Visit with Santa where you can meet Santa, mail letters, and enjoy complimentary cookies.
- Storytime with Santa. (Ticketed event, on sale November 8th)
- Shop along the holiday village with over 25 vendors.
- Winter Igloos. (SELL OUT FAST!, Tickets on sale November 1st)
- Become a ROC Holiday Explorer with 3 unique adventures. I SPY is for younger guests, search for 9 polar bears, Adventure Map-follow clues to discover 9 different explorer locations, Photo Quest to find fun photo-ops. All maps can be picked up at Simcona Gingerbread House or ROC Holiday Village Merchandise booth.
- The Lodge: Drinks and live music
- Crafts and Activities: Free to visitors, learn more.
- Holiday Celebrations throughout the month
- Nativity & Liberty Pole Lighting
ROC Holiday Village Food Options
There are numerous options for visitors who want a holiday treat. This year food options include:
- The Triple-Lodge: bar type setting
- Frosty’s Food Court: Varied food trucks, check out line up.
Final Thoughts
We are so lucky to have a wonderful holiday market in Rochester NY. They have even been nominated for the Best Christmas Market for 2025.
I suggest starting your day with ice skating to beat the crowds. There is something special about ice skating outside with holiday lights around you and holiday music playing in the background.
We arrived a few minutes before skating started and I was happy we did, the lines for skating became quite long. After that we headed over to Santa’s Workshop.
Santa’s Workshop is a walk through exhibit that features model train sets, the original midtown monorail, meeting Santa, and a cookie + milk treat at the end. If the line is long you can receive a text for a return time and enjoying walking around the shops. This was so much fun when my kids were small.
Overall ROC Holiday Village is a great activity to do with your family. If you are looking to spend less this holiday season head over to skating and walk around to enjoy the ambiance of the season.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.