Katherine Dhurandhar

Latest posts by Katherine

Top New Year's Eve Celebrations in Westchester and the Hudson Valley for Kids and Families

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on Sun, 12/22/2024 - 7:44pm

Celebrate New Year's Eve in daylight hours at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

Looking for kid-friendly New Year's Eve celebrations Westchester and the Hudson Valley? Look no further, because we have rounded up an assortment of family-friendly New Year's Eve celebrations in the area. Many are FREE and end at a reasonable hour.

Our picks for family-friendly New Year's Eve celebrations include Noon Year's Eve at Legoland Discovery Center, which includes a dance party with the Lego characters and a Lego balloon drop, and the FREE New Year's Eve Fireworks at Hunter Mountain, featuring early fireworks and a torchlight parade.

For more fun, bookmark our guide to Christmas vacation activities in Westchester and the Hudson Valley, and keep close tabs on our Family Activities Calendar for more fun things to do. Happy New Year!

Christmas Weekend 2024 in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: Best Things To Do

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on Fri, 12/20/2024 - 9:57am

A Frosty Fest in Ulster Park features a drive-thru display of holiday lights and animations with music and actors. Photo courtesy of the fest

Looking for the best things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for Christmas weekend.

Families can enjoy pre-Christmas celebrations at Shake it Off's Cookies and Cocoa with Santa, which also includes a dance party, and at Santa's Workshop at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, where kids can decorate cookies, do holiday crafts with Santa, and enjoy a holiday lights drive-thru afterward.

Other festivities this weekend include Kwanzaa 2024 at Hudson Hall, featuring African dancing, drumming, and crafts for kids, and a Winter Solstice Celebration at Olana State Historic Site, featuring sun-gazing activities and more.

Christmas Vacation in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: 40 Things To Do with Kids

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on Fri, 12/13/2024 - 5:39am

Cross County Center’s popular pop-up ice skating rink is located right in the heart of the center. Photo courtesy of Cross County Center

Stave off holiday break boredom with these fun picks for local kids.

Best Things To Do with Kids this Weekend in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on Fri, 12/13/2024 - 4:43am

Elsa and Anna are the special guests at FASNY Museum of Firefighting's Snow Ball this weekend. Photo courtesy of FASNY

Looking for the best things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

Kick off the weekend with Shake it Off's Grinchmas celebration, where kids can meet and take photos with the Grinch and enjoy a dance party, crafts, pizza, and a hot cocoa station.

Other festive holiday fun this weekend includes Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow's Winter Stroll, Skate with Santa at Hommocks Park Ice Rink, and Westchester's own Jessica Lynn in A Very Merry Classic Christmas at the Paramount Hudson Valley benefiting Toys for Tots.

Read on for lots more standout events happening this weekend in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.

32 Free Holiday and Christmas Events in Westchester and the Hudson Valley for Kids

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on Sun, 12/01/2024 - 5:52am

Enjoy the free holiday parade and drone show at the Galleria at Crystal Run in Middletown. Photo courtesy of the event

Looking for FREE Christmas events in Westchester and the Hudson Valley? Read on for dozens of options.

From holiday lights and parades to visits with Santa, we've got the goods on free holiday events in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Grab a free hot chocolate and marvel at the spectacular holiday light display at the Grand Holiday Illumination at Untermyer Gardens or enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, flame throwers, ice sculpture carvings, a tree lighting by Santa, and more at Kingston's Snowflake Festival.

Read on for more free family-friendly holiday events, and bookmark our Holiday Guide for more ways to savor this holiday season.

24 Best Things To Do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley December 2024 with Kids

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on Fri, 11/29/2024 - 9:45am

Celebrate the holiday spirit at the Snow Ball with the Snow Sisters at FASNY Museum of Firefighting. Photo courtesy of FASNY

Christmas lights and holiday activities are back this December, and that's just the beginning of all there is to see and do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this month.

Westchester and the Hudson Valley absolutely sparkle during the holiday season, with light displays and fun celebrations for the whole family. We are kicking off the month with Frosty Day in Armonk, the birthplace of the song "Frosty the Snowman," featuring a parade, tree lighting, entertainers, and kids' activities.

Other festive celebrations this month include Tuckahoe's Winterfest, the Kingston Snowflake Festival, and plenty of opportunities to meet Santa, including at Brunch with Santa at the Bear Mountain Inn.

Be sure to bookmark our Holiday Activity Guide, which features tons of articles on things like our favorite Christmas and holiday events.

Thanksgiving Day Weekend 2024 in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: Best Things To Do

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on Fri, 11/29/2024 - 9:41am

Enjoy a drive-thru experience and visit Santa at A Frosty Fest in Ulster Park. Photo courtesy of A Frosty Fest

Looking for the best things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this Thanksgiving Day weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this weekend.

Families are invited to get a pre-turkey workout at one of the many turkey trots held on Thanksgiving Day throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley, including the Westchester Turkey Trot in Valhalla, which also includes a kids' dash and free donuts at the finish line.

Other awesome things to do this Thanksgiving weekend include Frosty Day in Armonk, Rye's Mistletoe Magic, and the weekend-long Holiday Kickoff at the Hudson River Museum, with storytelling, a magic show, and a special holiday planetarium show.

Looking for more holiday options? Browse our Westchester Kids Guide to Christmas and the Holidays, which is full of our top picks for holiday events.

Holiday Craft Fairs and Christmas Markets in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on Fri, 11/15/2024 - 9:11am

Stroll by the booths of the lovely White Plains Holiday Market. Photo courtesy of the market

Holiday craft fairs and Christmas markets in Westchester and the Hudson Valley are a fun way to shop for seasonal gifts, offering handmade and one-of-a-kind items not found in most stores. Booths are often staffed by the maker, allowing insight into the creative process, and many benefit a charitable cause.

We've rounded up some of the wonderful holiday fairs in the region that are well worth visiting this November and December. Enjoy festivities for the entire family at the White Plains Winter Village and Holiday Market, which also features outdoor fire pits, ice sculpting demonstrations, and visits from Santa and other holiday characters. Or indulge in apple strudel and other authentic German food and baked goods at Germania of Poughkeepsie's Christkindlmarkt, a German-style Christmas market featuring vendors, caroling, and holiday activities.

Looking for more ways to enjoy the holiday season? You can find plenty more holiday happenings in our Holiday Guide and constantly updated activities calendar.

Katherine Dhurandhar

Latest posts by Katherine

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