Fall gets most of the attention around here, but December in Upstate New York holds its own. There are Christmas markets with mulled wine, a whole village walking around in Victorian costume, and wine trails that hand you an ornament at every stop. Here's where I'm hoping to go this year, and where you might want to go too.
What You'll Find:
Small-Town Christmas
Dickens Christmas in Skaneateles: November 27–December 24
Image from the Dickens Christmas in Skaneateles Facebook Page.
This is the one I'd tell anyone to do first. For its 33rd season, Skaneateles turns into a Victorian Christmas card, with Charles Dickens, Queen Victoria, Scrooge, Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchit and Father Christmas walking around the village.
2018 I was dragging my mom around to do some holiday shopping and had decided Skaneateles was where we were going. It just happened to be on one of the Dickens Christmas days and it felt like magic!
It opens Friday, Nov 27, with the World's Smallest Christmas Parade at noon. After that, characters are out Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4pm through Dec 20, with a shorter Christmas Eve program from noon to 2:30. It's free, and there will be roasted chestnuts. Park for free at 1 Austin St. or the lower lot at Skaneateles High School and take the free shuttle in.
Christmas Open House at the Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural Museum, Auburn: December 13
More than 200 decorated trees fill the museum for its Festival of Trees, and the open house adds free horse-drawn wagon rides, free Model T rides (weather permitting), music, refreshments and kids' activities. Santa is there from 10 to 3:30. It runs 10am–4pm at 6880 E. Lake Rd. (Route 38A).
Cayuga Museum Holiday Party, Auburn: November 21
This is the dressy one. The Cayuga Museum's biggest fundraiser of the year takes over the Carriage House Theater from 7 to 9pm, with an open wine and beer bar, live music from the Honky Tonk Hindooz, and hors d'oeuvres from Pure Catering & Events. Cocktail dresses and suits encouraged.
Tickets are $95, or $85 for museum members, and have to be bought by Thursday, Nov 12. Space is limited and there are no physical tickets; you check in by name at the door.
Auburn Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting: November 28
The parade steps off at 4pm from the corner of E. Genesee and Fulton streets and heads west down Genesee Street toward the Cayuga County Courthouse. Right after, at 5pm, the downtown Christmas tree gets lit at the State Street Event Plaza.
Christmas at Lorenzo, Cazenovia: December 9
Image from Lorenzo State Historic Site
This is a quieter afternoon. Lorenzo's 1807 mansion is decorated for the holidays, and this year each room's theme comes from the volunteer decorators' favorite Christmas book, movie or cartoon. Tours run from 1 to 4pm and cost $6 for adults, $2 for kids 12 and under.
