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!
Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for the Buffalo area, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun in 2024!
Santa Sightings
Hanukkah
| December 8 | Hanukkah On Ice |
| December* | Celebrate Chanukah With the JCC |
| December* |
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 | |
| 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 |
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 |
Web Service