101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Buffalo | What’s happening in Buffalo

101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Buffalo

KidsOutAndAbout is Buffalo & WNY's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families!

If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Helena Robin at helena@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!

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Santa Sightings

November 25 Winter Wonderland At Shea's
November 29, 30 Santa At the Botanical Gardens
November 29, December 22 Visit With Santa at Explore & More
Starting November 17* Visit Santa at Walden Galleria
Fridays-Sundays Starting Nov. 23 Santa's Wonderland Express
November 25* On Stage With Santa at the Historic Palace Theatre
November 30; Weekends in December Polar Express With the Medina Railroad
December 1 Breakfast With Santa At the Niagara Falls Convention Center
December 5 Santa Arrives By Helicopter in Lewiston (part of Lewiston Christmas Walk celebration)
December 7, 8, 14 Santa Is Coming To Akron Acres
December 8, 15, 21 Brunch With Santa At Salvatores
December* Cookies and Cocoa With Mrs. Claus At the Buffalo Zoo
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in December Santa's Christmas Cottage Snow Globe
December* Breakfast With Santa and the Animals at the Buffalo Zoo
Various dates in December* Santa On the Heritage Carousel
December 14 Santa Land At Chestnut Ridge Park
December Lunch With Santa at the Hard Rock Cafe

 

Hanukkah

December 8 Hanukkah On Ice
December* Celebrate Chanukah With the JCC
December*

Young Israel of Buffalo Gala Chanukah Dinner

 

Old-Time Christmas

November 30 Holiday Illumination at Old Fort Niagara
December 5, 12, 19, 26 Candlelight Behind-the-Scenes Tours at the Martin House
December 6, 7 Living Nativity at Kelkenberg Farm of Clarence
December 7, 14  Castle By Candelight at Old Fort Niagara 
Multiple Dates in December Yuetide In the Country 

 

Light Displays

Various Dates Nov 29 - Dec 30 Fairgrounds Festival of Lights
Saturday before Thanksgiving - January 5 Our Lady of Fatima Festival of Lights
November 30 Light Up Lockport 
December 1- 31 NY Power Authority Festival of Trees
Various dates in Dec., click to see calendar Gardens After Dark: Magical Pointsettias
Starting November *  Zoolights at the Buffalo Zoo

 

 

Holiday Theatre

November 7 Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet At the Historic Palace Theatre
November 30 Disney's The Muppet Christmas Carol: Film and Concert With the BPO
November 30 Free Holiay Movie At the Historic Palace Theatre: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
November 30 Free Holiday Movie At the Historic Palace Theatre: The Polar Express
December 6, 7, 8 The Nutcracker at Shea's
December 4 - 8

It's A Wonderful Life

December 9, 10* Classical Ballet of WNY Presents The Nutcracker
December 7 The Nutcracker at The Center For the Arts!

 

Holiday Concerts

November 23 Rocky Mountain High Experience: A John Denver Christmas At Shea's
November 23 Pentatonix: Hallelujua It's A Christmas Tour
December 1 Handel's Messiah at OLV Basilica
December 4 Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Key Bank Center
November 30 Disney's The Muppet Christmas Carol: Film and Concert With the BPO
December 8  Handel's Messiah at St. Mary's Swormville
December 15 Jingle Bell Jam at the BPO
December 12, 13 Joann's Classical Christmas 
December 19, 20, 21, 22 Holiday Pops With the BPO
December 14 Mighty Wurlitzer Christmas Concert
December 19 Hometown Holiday: A Merry Night Of Music With Josh Vacanti & Friends
December 12

Straight No Chaser – Top Shelf Tour at Shea's

 

Christmas Tree Experience

Weekends in November and December  Stokoe Farms 
Starting November 24 Christmas Tree Time at Crossens
Opens November 29 Christmas At Akron Acres
Opens November 29 Treetop Acres
November 29 - January 5 Christmas Around The World In Buffalo

 

Ice Skating

Rotary Rink At Fountain Plaza
Holiday and Leisure Rinks
Classic Rink 
Harborcenter 
Northtown Center at Amherst 
Brighton Ice Arena 
The Ice at Canalside 
Faletti Ice Arena

 

Shopping & Craft Fairs

November 30 - December 22 Buffalo Holiday Market At the Richardson-Olmsted Campus
Saturdays in December Holidays at the Broadway Market
November 16, 17 Holiday Market at Genesee Country Village & Museum
November 15 - 17th Holiday Market At the Kenan Center
December 7 Holy Ghost Christkindl Holiday Market
December 7 Cozy Crafters Artisan Market At the Botanical Gardens
December 21 Procrastinators Holiday Market At Riverworks

 

New Year's Eve

December 31 Countdown To Noon at Explore and More
December 31  New Year's Eve At Holiday Valley 
December 31 NYE at Splash Lagoon
December 31* NYE Buffalo Ball Drop

 

Miscellaneous

Various Dates in December Holiday Afternoon Teas
November 29 - December 1 Jingle Falls USA Festival
Weekends, December 7 - 15 Gingerbread Wonderland at the Niagara Culinary Institute
December 5-8 Lewiston Christmas Walk
Multiple dates in November/December  Polar Express at Medina Railroad Museum
Multiple dates in November/December Christmas Cookie Decorating Class At Buffalo Cake Pops
Multiple dates in December Holiday Magic at Explore & More 
December 13  Holiday Cookie Decorating at Clarence Public Library
   

 


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