The Roc Holiday village serves up the coziest vibes. Both evenings I visited it was freezing but there are various warming stations and fire pits for you to warm up around. The Roc Holiday Village offers plentiful food and shopping options. I enjoyed a tasty hot chocolate from laughing gull chocolates while browsing the shops. I stopped into The Lodge Bar on both visits and got to hear live music! It really put me in a festive and fun mood, having a drink while watching the musicians play Christmas songs. They have games and plenty of seating available in the lodge bar. We also tried out the free ice skating. You have to wait in line to get your free skates. The line moved quickly and we were skating in no time. They have skate mates available which helps to makes the rink accessible to all experience levels. I needed some help and used a skate mate. The city backdrop just added to the overall experience. The Roc Holiday Village was beaming with holiday magic and warmth. How lucky we are to have this attraction in our city. I felt like I was in a Christmas movie. read more

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What a spectacular holiday winter wonderland experience! It runs Dec 1-23 Wednesday through Sundays. This was my first year attending. Parking all around the event, a few garages or if lucky street parking.. read the meters and signs. So many free activities to do, family friendly. Free ice skating, at the MLK outdoor ice rink. Free skate rental too. Great overlook area to people watch. Visit Santa Claus, free picture and a cookie. Crafts and other kid stuff in the gingerbread house. You will need a ticket ahead time for story time w Anna and Elsa. A few rows to shop local vendors and find some treasures. Very unique and hand made items. Some food and beverage options around the shopping village too. Chai, hot cocoa, pizza and donuts to name a few. Lodge bar is huge and open to the public. Grab a table or seat fast. Inside stage with live music and karaoke. A bunch of free games to play as you enjoy a tasty drink at the bar. Cash and credit taken. There are a few bar tastings events.. check their website. My favorite area is the outdoor seating area, scattered with fire pits, chairs and stumps to sit on and enjoy the atmosphere. Nothing beats watching the snow come down with a beverage in hand by a warm fire. They have igloo inns to rent, they seem to sell out way ahead of time. Cozy igloos sit 6-8 people, for 90 minutes. You can preorder food and drinks. You get a server that will bring you drinks and food too. Larger igloos available for 30 or 40 people. All igloos are heated. I was super excited to see one of the monorail cars from midtown mall on display. A great throwback to so many of our childhoods. It wasn't the holidays until you visited magic mountain, sibleys and took a ride on the monorail with your kazoo! read more

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A holiday gem! My first time here and it blew me away. Lots of fun activities, food, shops, places to sit and hang and the ice skating was beautiful. Clean and safe. A wonderful family outing. I will be back. read more

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It's refreshing to see the Roc Holiday Village Fest keeps coming back! Ice skating, "snow igloos", warm drinks and food and all the local artisans. Cozy event during the holiday season in Rochester! read more

Roc Holiday Village - Festivals Near Me - Rochester, New York

Such a cute venue! Loved the outdoor patio area with firepits and blankets. Lots of vendors selling wintery items if that's you jam. Nice overlook to see all the ice skaters fighting for their life on the skates haha. Very nice to have free ice skating! I still have ptsd from busting my butt last year while skating so having the opportunity to watch and not do was great! There are a few food vendors as well in the ROC village and food trucks on the street. You can dine at the firepits, picnic tables near the food trucks, or take it inside at the Lodge and sing some karaoke! read more

Roc Holiday Village - Festivals Near Me - Rochester, New York

This was our second year renting an igloo. You have your own attendant that will grab whatever food and drink you would like. For our food we went with a pizza which was fab! We have the igloo for 90 minutes then you can walk around the festival. Our group decided to rent our igloo between Christmas and New Years to avoid the crowds. read more

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The ROC Holiday Village is BACK! I was so excited to make a stop right when the fest opened this wintery weekend. What an absolutely necessary and awesome addition to the Rochester festival circuit. We should be celebrating the great Rochester winters instead of hiding, and this is the perfect reason to get out of the house. Vendors, music, drinks, donuts, cozy fires, food, shopping, ice skating. Come on! We had a short but awesome time. We bought some treats for the dog's stocking, and enjoyed some donuts and cocoa sitting by the fire. An absolutely perfect date day or evening! Make sure you stop by and support these businesses and this awesome festival. read more

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Brand new hidden Gem! While I was familiarizing myself to the Rochester area and getting lost in the .2 mile radius of an restaurant event I was intentionally looking for I stumbled upon this little gem. Come to find out this 3 story bar/cocktail lounge just opened and is intended not to draw attention.The place has a unique niche being both a breakfast cafe in the morning and cocktail lounge at night. Super upscale and classy with a huge open 3 story cafe/lounge/nightclub feel. With purple lighting, disco ball and eclectic/urban decor spot on to match its vibe intended. I walked in curious what I was really walking into and was right away greeted by the most fabulous friendly bar tenderers. I wanted to explore the cool venue but found myself too busy enjoying conversing with them instead. Although I wasn't there for as long as I would have liked I was very entertained talking with the bartenders Adam, Anthony and Curtis. They serve very light horderves at night but the reason to go there is for their delicious drink menu. Happy Hour they have 2 dollars off all wine and beer. I am unsure about the breakfast menu. I will be sure to frequently visit this new hot spot :) read more

Roc Holiday Village - Festivals Near Me - Rochester, New York

Wood floors, white tents, igloos, heaters all around. Pretty setup and rustic decor for ROC village. We stopped by to see what the village was all about. The event was open every Friday - Sunday throughout December until Christmas. We saw a few shop and food vendors, a chance to take pics with Santa and free ice skating. They also offered a Breakfast with Santa event for a fee. Ice skating was packed in the afternoon so I suggest going earlier or bringing your own skates if you have any. Santa's workshop was enclosed and had small train displays to view while waiting in line to see the man in the red suit. The line moved steadily and we were able to take a pic (with our phones) of the kids with Mrs. Claus right before the photo with Santa, which was complimentary and emailed to us. Right after, there was a little cookie stand giving out milk and cookies to the kids. Excluding the ice skating, we toured the small village in about an hour. A free/inexpensive event to enjoy with the family. Another option offered to our community in celebration of the holidays. read more

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This has got to the best addition to Rochester for the winter time. It's been a long time coming for a nice place to go to during the holidays, I remember going to sibley center when I was younger with the family so having this is in its place is genius. I love the outdoor indoor options, great food that changes up throughout the month, cute igloo tents for a more personal intimidate hang out, the bigger tent for the food drinks and music, shopping, ice skating, and other tent for various events like meeting Santa or silent disco. The only thing that probably can't be changed is the price point for the shopping. Maybe have more shops that aren't as expensive but I love seeing places that aren't at the festivals during the summer time. The ice skating was free which is great and brings so many more people downtown which is what we need. I would've liked to go everyday but maybe next years. I loved being able to keep up online if the events each day and seeing what time things were happening. Not sure if they had that last year but great to have! I know they didn't have the bigger igloos last year and I know that was a great hit that sold out before the village opened for the month. I would've hoped to have TVs in there for nye to watch the ball drop though. Maybe an add on for next year? Anyway I can't wait to see what next year brings, this is a great place to go each weekend of December read more

Roc Holiday Village - Festivals Near Me - Rochester, New York

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This was a spectacular addition to downtown Rochester during the holidays! It was beyond what I could have imagined. The event and setup brought so many people downtown throughout December. The free ice skating, Santa, shopping, drinks and food, and Igloo hangs. All around spectacular! I loved the local wines we got to sip from Living Roots in the bar area and the sliders we had from Native. It was so cool to be a guest in the Igloo too. We sat for cozy chats (West Elm... next year include barcodes or a table sign so we can purchase or bookmark your goods... I want that chair!) and had drink service from a lovely bartender (who also brought us snacks). The whole vibe of the experience made winter and Christmas time so fun and festive. Afterward, we did some walking around, shopped, and checked out a few new vendors. Plus, Duke's Donuts. Don't forget the donuts! I can't wait to see what they do next year! Looking forward to having this downtown again. read more

It's a great event for the city. Free ice skating (including free skates) and my kids have never had to wait for ice skates. Food trucks, pop up restaurants, local crafters, free visits with Santa, free craft events for the kids. They have igloos that can be rented but they sell out within minutes. They do have small seating areas with portable fires set up as well. Parking can be hard but If you drive up a few blocks, there are spots. Strong museum had their lot blocked off on a Sunday (the nerve!). Support local, get a chai nog from the chai guy and walk around or skate around. Just don't forget your gloves! read more

What a nice holiday addition to Rochester for the winter of 2018. Wegmans supported skating there's food and drink and stocking stuffer options. Other free ideas for festivities, music and visiting Santa. read more

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I had been hearing positive buzz about this new holiday attraction in downtown Rochester so we checked it out. It was a relatively warm Friday evening compared to the recent weather which made it pleasant for wandering around the compact "village". They have done a pretty good job of making the plain white tents more festive and the wood walkways were very nice (otherwise we'd be ankle deep in mud). There is free ice skating - though it looked a bit crowded. In addition you can see Santa or have a drink or some food in one of the heated tents. They also have some small plastic igloos where a group of 8 or so can relax out of the elements. There are also some shops. Overall a nice addition to the holiday scene. Hopefully they will do it again next year. read more

There's nothing that says Christmas more than the carol's that we all loathe before Thanksgiving and cherish in the warmth of our souls after. That was until the ROC Holiday Village was established in downtown Rochester a couple years ago. Over the years I've been resistant to the festival scene in the ROC; fights and bag searches at the Lilac fest, shoulder to shoulder waves in the heat of the summer with a heavy police presence and slightly tense situation. But time has evolved the Downtown scene and I allowed myself to be swept up in the holiday spirit. Starting at the lighting of the Liberty Pole, to marching on the Village at Manhattan Square, all with Santa and Mrs Claus in tow, I found a winter wonderland awaited. The warm tents, aroma of poutine wafting through the air, the comfort of strangers laughing around the fires set up with chairs to sit. This place created a sense of magic that only a child's belief in Santa could create. I didn't hear one person complain it was cold, or crowded and it was a balmy 10° outside. The mood was jovial and jolly. I went a total of 4 times this year, and my children loved santa, they even noticed he was the real santa, not one of his helpers with his fake beard. He was the real deal. The cookies by Wegmans and free photos were a thoughtful addition to make this a festival for everyone. I look forward to spending year after year at this event that brought an entire community together. read more

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Ok I came here twice and reviewed it under the other about the Bar or whatever it is.. no matter.. Rochester's decision to do this was an excellent one.. lots of other cities like Toronto (their Christmas Market) Chicago's Criskindlemarket to name a few is for the same time frame a month. Although this is a smaller venue it's still a fun visit. They had Santa for you and the kids to visit, activities for the kids, free skating and yes pop up restaurants for everyone and yes a BAR. Vendors to pick up all sorts of things. You could also rent an igloo for $40 an hour, this is a trend an igloo type of inclosure that's either temporary (like here) or like in London and Chicago it's part of the space. It's a cool chic way to have some cocktails with friends and chill in a cool space. Since this worked very well for the organizers they will do this again next year and hopefully will have more space and maybe more vendors. Hopefully next year with the pop up food the counter service might be tweaked so your not standing around for your orders as the seating can become limited. If your in the area next year give it a visit. read more

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My family and I had a fantastic time at the Roc holiday village this past weekend! So many things to do... ice skating, artisan shopping, eating, drinking, Santa village, socializing all with gorgeous decorations and tents. We also had the opportunity to rent one of the fantastic igloos for an hour. Such a neat idea with heaters inside, beautiful decorations and furniture all with our own server who fetched our beverages and food. The wooden boards in the village were such a smart idea which could have been an otherwise muddy mess. You can tell the effort and imagination that went into all of the details in creating this truly wonderful event! Can't wait to she this a family tradition for years to come! read more

Roc Holiday Village - In the igloo - Festivals Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Had an amazing time shopping, eating, drinking, and kicking back in our private igloo!! Can't wait till next year!! The ROC holiday village was a blast that we hope will continue for years to come!! read more

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I have heard about Roc Holiday Village for a couple years now. I never had the time to go and, man, did I miss out. When we first arrived we had to find parking. That's always an adventure. There is a parking garage or street parking, which ever you can find. There are so many lights and decorations up to really get you in the holiday spirit. There is a large beer tent that has a nice bar and some food options. You can bring the alcohol out to the outside area but not off the deck. The deck is filled with a ton of vendors. There are so many little shops selling all sorts of knick knacks and food. I got myself a chai from The Chai Guy. 10/10 recommend. There are also little igloos you can rent for a fun private event. They fit up to ten people and you can order alcohol or food right to them. We tried to get one but they booked out in 15 minutes. Once you get off the deck there is a skating rink. I wanted to skate but no one else would go with me. I heard the skates were free rentals too! Overall, this was a great holiday outing that I want to make a true tradition. read more

This new festival was the perfect addition to the Rochester during the holiday season. It was so beautifully decorated and the tents were full of little local, handmade gifts. I loved that each week the event hosted different restaurants, and also had the igloos available for rent. The best part about this event was that you didn't have to come and spend a lot of money. Instead you can come to enjoy the scenery. Families and kids are able to ice skate for free, there's opportunities to meet santa, and take pictures with the Christmas trees and large snowflake photo props. I highly recommend making a visit to roc holiday village. read more

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