A Small Crowd of Santas Walk Into A Bar...

Highlights for December 5 - 7: Top 5? Nah. This weekend is a *Top 10* kind of weekend! Six holiday festivals, the Nutcracker, cookies, tipsy Santas, and banjo! Plus a special Christmas movie quote scavenger hunt in the next 4 newsletters!

Author

Amelia Cueva
December 05, 2025

TOP 10!

FRIDAY

32nd Annual Watkins Glen Village Christmas
5:00 - 8:00 PM
Franklin Street & surrounding area

Local Vendors with all your gifting needs!
Find Mr. & Mrs. Claus at the Lakeside Trolley from 5-6pm and after the parade.
Village Tree Lighting in Santa's Workshop at 5:30pm.
Parade starts at 6:30pm.
Fireworks start at 7:30pm off the pier!

Lights on the River
5:00 - 9:00 PM
Owego, NY

Enjoy shopping at local stores, meet Santa, and capture a special holiday photo. The night will end with a fireworks display lighting up the sky. Don’t miss this festive evening of fun and community spirit!

Spirit of Christmas
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Bath, NY

Santa, horse-drawn wagon rides, dancing elves, bell chorus, lighting of the trees, vendors, crafts, food, and more! And if that doesn’t sound like good old fashioned fun, then you’re off your nut about a mile and a half!

Holiday Celebration in Painted Post
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Painted Post Fire Station

Join us for a family night of holiday fun. This is a free event & open to the public.
Live music from Doc Possum playing holiday classics & family favorites.
Santa Claus will be here & available for photos with a gift for all kids.
Face painting & glitter tattoos with pizza & hot chocolate.

Béla Fleck & The Flecktones: Jingle All The Way
Doors at 7 PM, Show at 8 PM
State Theatre, Ithaca

This winter Béla Fleck & The Flecktones return to bring you Jingle All the Way, a reunion tour featuring the group’s beloved tunes – along with reinvented, jazz-infused holiday classics from their GRAMMY-winning album by the same name. Performing this music together for the first time in over 15+ years, the band reunites for a uniquely unforgettable evening as founding members Fleck, Wooten, Wooten, & Levy take the stage alongside former Flecktones bandmate and saxophonist, Jeff Coffin, and Tuvan throat singing ensemble, Alash – all of whom appeared on the studio album.

SATURDAY

Hammondsport Annual Cookie Walk
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Stroll through participating businesses, collect a variety of homemade cookies, and fill your festive tin to take home!

Rafael Grigorian Ballet Theatre presents The Nutcracker
2:00 PM
Clemens Center, Elmira

Bring the magic of the holidays to life this season with Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score and delightful story of the young princess Masha and her enchanted Prince, the victory over evil and triumph of beauty, friendship and love.

Trumansburg WinterFest
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Visit with Santa & Mrs. Claus and take your own photo. Plus, the firetruck will stay onsite for families to check out!

We encourage you to come earlier and stay later to check out the many other happenings in Trumansburg on Saturday, December 6th, and to get a drink or bite to eat at one of the amazing businesses right on main street.

3rd Annual Elmira SantaCon
Starting at 4:00 PM

Sign ups start at Rye at 4pm. Stop at each location to get a stamp for your passport! Each location will have a $10 drink + food special. Turn your passport in at the last stop ( ILL EAGLE) to be entered to win prizes! Dance party at ILL EAGLE with DJ Stro from 8-11pm.

1ST STOP: RYE 4-5PM
2ND STOP: PATRICK’S 5-6PM
3RD STOP: R3 6-7PM
4TH STOP: WMC NORTH 7-8PM

51st Annual Sparkle
4:00 - 8:00 PM
Market Street, Corning

Corning’s most magical holiday tradition is back, lighting up downtown with dazzling decorations, live performances, and festive fun for all ages! This beloved celebration brings the community together to share in the joy, warmth, and wonder of the season.

PLUS

“A Christmas Story” presented by the Ti-Ahwaga Community Players in Owego, Chili Cook Off at Corning ReStore, Cantata Singers Holiday Concert, Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers, Under The Dome Craft Fair, Press Bay Winter Artisan Market in Ithaca + many other holiday markets, and tons of live music! It’s a busy, busy weekend! Check out all of the events - or submit your own - at the link below:

COMING UP

Vienna Boys Choir presented by Corning-Painted Post Civic Music Association
December 9 at 7:30 PM | Corning Museum of Glass

The Polar Express presented by Nonnie Hood PRC
Thur, Dec 11 at 5:00 PM
Southeast Steuben County Library, Corning

Join us in the Community Room downstairs, as we partner with our wonderful friends from the Southeast Steuben County for a special showing of The Polar Express! Guests will enjoy pizza and popcorn while supplies last. Drop-ins welcome.

Christmas Movie Quote Scavenger Hunt 🎄

Not only am I really into movies—I especially love Christmas movies. So, for the next 4 newsletters, I’m embedding obscure quotes from my top 4 Christmas movies. And I mean obscure. I gotta keep it challenging! I know there have to be other folks out there who have these movies practically memorized like me!

How it will work:
- I’ll hide 1 quote from 1 movie into each newsletter
- After the 4th newsletter, hit reply with your answers listing all 4 quotes & 4 movies
- Fastest reply with the correct answers gets a gift of $50 to their favorite local restaurant!

So you better read back through this newsletter, because the scavenger hunt has already begun!! Good luck!

Reminders

Always check with the original event host for updates and cancellations.

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Have fun!