ROC Holiday Village is back for the 2023 season!! It is a great event to enjoy the holidays in Rochester.
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 this year.
I am big on family holiday traditions and for the last few years we have done a Christmas Countdown calendar that focuses on family time during the month of December.
Finding ways to celebrate the season as a family and bring people together in our community was why I picked ROC Holiday Village to be our first activity of the season a few years back.
It is a great Christmas activity to do in Rochester and we are so excited to visit this year.
ROC Holiday Village Dates 2023
ROC Holiday Village will be open December 1-23 for the 2023 season.
Each weekend has special events and activities. A full calendar can be found here.
ROC Holiday Village Free Ice Skating
Free ice skating is available along with free skate rentals. This is from 4:00pm-10:00pm Wednesday-Friday, Saturday 10:00am-10:00pm and Sunday 10:00am-7:00pm.
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.
It was my daughters first time skating and a special moment for our family. The one thing I really loved was the holiday spirit I felt when we were on the ice.
The community was brought together and everyone had a little extra holiday spirit with them.
We arrived a few minutes before skating started and I was happy we did, the lines for skating became quite long.
I was happy to see the staff were prepared and had ways to control the lines and to make sure everyone had a chance to experience the skating.
There will also be a Hockey skills competition this year. Competitors must register.
ROC Holiday Village Family Activities
There are a few activities that require tickets or purchases. They are Winter Igloos. These sell out extremely fast. Sale starts November 4th.
Storytime with Santa tickets can be purchased here. Story time with Anna and Elsa is a new ticketed event this year. Ticket information can be found here. Tickets go on sale October 28th.
Meet Santa at ROC Holiday Village
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.
You can also have your photo taken with Santa and have it emailed for free. Santa’s Workshop hours can be found here.
If the line is long you can receive a text for a return time and enjoying walking around the shops.
Crafts for the Kids at ROC Holiday Village
We also stopped by the Gingerbread craft room to create some holiday crafts. There were many options in this area. From gingerbread house making, to paper crafts and bead crafts.
I loved that the craft options available were for all ages and there was something for everyone. This is also a free activity for families to enjoy.
ROC Holiday Village Eat + Shop
One of the best parts about the event is how the community is brought together.
This is not a Christmas event or a Hanukkah event, it is a holiday event to share and enjoy the holiday spirit with our community.
Throughout the duration of the event they will have celebrate different holiday traditions and support the community in different ways. You can check out the event page here.
When visiting ROC Holiday village you can enjoy numerous food vendors, shops, as well as live music in the Lodge. There will also be a Nativity and Petting Zoo.
ROC Holiday Village is doing the Winter Igloos again this year. Tickets go on sale November 4th and will sell out quickly. Check availability here.
As you weave through the village you will find places to eat and shop. A few places had special treats and hot chocolate. Another option for food is to stop in at The Lodge.
Restaurants and shops are still being announced for the upcoming season.
ROC Holiday Village has become a yearly tradition and we look forward to its return for the 2023 holiday 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.