5. Empire State Plaza Tree Lighting and Fireworks Festival (early December)

Between the 4th of July, Hispanic Family Day, African American Family Day, and other great family events hosted by the New York State Office of General Services, I’ve spent several a Saturday and Sunday afternoon at the Plaza working on crafts with families over the past seven months as a Tulip.

A craft organized for us to complete with small children by the Empire State Plaza gang that does not involve glitter is always a good one. The glitter this time around for our Santa Claus bookmarks, clothespin angels, and stand up paper stars were minimal, although the presence of permanent markers when our target age group of crafting participants was between 3-10 years old was somewhat questionable. (No worries: the tables were expertly lined with tablecloths).

Me, Tara, and Kassie met Santa!

An a capella group from RPI that was awesome!

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Besides our craft station, the concourse was filled with vendors selling toys, food, local crafts, and holiday gifts, various local businesses giving away freebies, games, mini-concerts on stages and traveling musical groups, train rides around the concourse, and, yes, you guessed it: Santa Claus himself! Although I didn’t get to check it out myself, upstairs there were ice sculptures, the outdoor ice rink that had just opened, demonstrations by the Mohawk Hudson Figure Skating Club. The evening culminated in the tree lighting outside at the Plaza with fireworks (so many fireworks this weekend!).

It was a fun way to spend my Sunday afternoon, but let’s just say that after the eight hours of time spent inside that building without any windows allowing sunlight in and surrounded by and talking my head off with people while volunteering at the Tree Lighting and the Last Run, I’m happy to be spending my upcoming weekend somewhere else!

Empire State Plaza Tree Lighting and Fireworks Festival

When and Where: early December; Empire State Plaza

Highlights: Santa!

Loses points for: I might have missed it if it existed, but a program with everything that was going on would have been nice as well as directions as to where exactly the activities outside were and involved. I might have been more willing to make the trek up and found an excuse for a break if I had had this information.

Cost: Free

Good for: Families

Would I go again?: With small children, absolutely.

4. Troy Victorian Stroll (early December)

I regret I did not have more time to check out the Troy Victorian Stroll while I was there for lunch yesterday at the Tavern Noodle Pop Up event in the middle of it all. The good news is that it is an annual event, so I still have two more chances to catch all the food, shopping, drinks, music, shows, performers, and festivities in cute downtown Troy before residency!