Paul Szmal: FLX Morning continues now, it is 8.15, got cloudy skies, temperature at 46, hard to believe that we're going to go from being near or above 60 to down into the 30s, but that's Finger Lakes weather for you, especially in November, things tend to be a little bit up and down, but don't let that deter you from checking out some of the great holiday activities that are happening around the region. Joining us now to talk about some of those holiday activities, Carolina Taylor from visitfingerlakes.com and the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection. Morning Carolina, how are you this morning?
Carolina Taylor: Good morning Paul, good, enjoying the winter coming and taking all my jackets out of the closet in the basement for sure.
Paul Szmal: Oh yeah, there you go, that's on the list for me to do this after Thanksgiving. First thing is to muscle the tree out of the basement up into the living room so we can put the tree up and then put up the assorted lights and decorations.
Carolina Taylor: Definitely, yes. And speaking of trees, one of the events that's happening right now through December 6th is the Festival of Trees that's at the Grainger Homestead.
Paul Szmal: Yes, that started November 14th and it's going to go until December 6th and it's a beautiful display of a lot of trees beautifully decorated. They have lights, nutcrackers, different themes and they also are displaying more than a hundred items each year and Grainger Homestead is offering a great way to continue the beginning of the season. And the cost of admission for that by the way is just $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $1 for students, kindergarten through 12, under age 5 is no charge and during the Kris Kendall Market Weekend they discount the admission to $3.
Carolina Taylor: Awesome.
Paul Szmal: Yes, and coming up this Saturday in Canandaigua, one of the holiday favorites, the Illuminate Light Parade.
Carolina Taylor: Yes, the Illuminate Light Parade is November 29th and it's in Main Street, Canandaigua. It starts at 6 and people can enjoy a parade of Christmas lights. Santa is going to visit so if kids want to go see him, he's going to be there and it's going to be followed by the tree lighting ceremony and people can also enjoy the Good Galatian celebration going on in downtown Canandaigua right now with old Mr. Grainger's painting around the businesses so it's a cool event to go check it out.
Paul Szmal: Yeah, that parade begins at City Hall and then continues through and the tree lighting ceremony following the parade will be at the Canandaigua Commons Park. A good event to check out if you're looking for something fun Saturday evening. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for that for sure.
Carolina Taylor: Also in Clifton Springs coming up next week is the Festival of Lights.
Paul Szmal: Yes, Festival of Lights, our beloved annual tradition that's December 5th and Clifton Springs is going to transform itself into a winter wonderland. They're going to have food, they're going to have shopping, they're going to have free horse drone wagon rides which is going to be obviously fun for everyone. They have visits with Santa Claus and other Christmas characters, music, live entertainment and a Nutcracker Ballet Preview so everyone can go and enjoy this beautiful festival.
Carolina Taylor: Yeah, this is one of those holiday traditions in the Finger Lakes region. The Nutcracker Ballet Preview is a pretty cool thing to see happening right in the middle of the street. There's a photo of that by the way in the blog post about December events in the Finger Lakes at visitfingerlakes.com if you want to check it out. The Lakehouse Holiday Market and Tree Lighting Ceremony will be happening at the Lakehouse in Canandaigua that same day.
Paul Szmal: Yes, also December 5th they're going to have a market at the event farm and they're going to have more than 25 local vendors. They offer gifts, treats and other things and right outside the Lakehouse they can enjoy the Tree Lighting Ceremony which is going to also feature a real reindeer carolers and a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus so it's going to be a weekend full of fun in different parts of the Finger Lakes.
Carolina Taylor: Yeah and if you don't know where the Lakehouse is it's at 770 South Main Street, Canandaigua. That's 770 South Main Street, Canandaigua.
Paul Szmal: The Geneva Jingle Market will be rolling in on December 6th and 13th along the lakefront.
Carolina Taylor: Yes that's going to be hosted by the Finger Lakes Welcome Center December 6th and 13th and they're going to offer different vendors each week with complimentary tastings, holiday gifts and locally made artisan crafts as well.
Paul Szmal: Yeah and by the way the Finger Lakes Welcome Center hearing great things about the lunches that are available there as well so something worth checking out during the holiday season. Pop in, take a little break, check out the items that are available and some of the home-baked goods and some of the food available as part of the Jingle Market.
We're talking with Carolina Taylor here on FLX Morning from Finger Lakes Visitors Connection and we're talking about some of the December holiday events that are happening. Plenty of them during the course of the month of December. Let's continue on with this event happening December 7th, 14th and 21st at the Lakehouse in Canandaigua. It is a Breakfast with Santa.
Carolina Taylor: Yes they're offering Breakfast with Santa as you said December 7th, 14th and 21st. They're offering two seating times at 9 a.m and 11 30 a.m and the breakfast menu includes delicious things like sugar waffles, eggnog pancakes, eggs to your preference, fresh pastries and all these different things that the family can enjoy as well as a visit with Mrs. Claus and Santa himself so it's going to be fun for all the family and Hotel Canandaigua is also offering Breakfast with Santa as well on December 7th so people can definitely enjoy a visit with Santa in different places around Canandaigua that weekend.
Paul Szmal: Yeah and if you're going to the Lakehouse in Canandaigua and bringing the kids and they're into arts and crafts the optional add-ons include a craft kit bundle of crafts and toys which is pretty cool.
Carolina Taylor: The folks at the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center have some holiday entertainment as part of their December calendar. One of those the Winter Songs by Mary Fallen Band.
Paul Szmal: Yes they have a very good lineup for this season for people who enjoy Christmas music and winter music which is I think one of the things that makes the season so magical. So one of them is the Mary Fallen Band they are going to present Winter Songs on December 11th and they also have another concert which is coming later in the season a Carpenters Christmas with Laser Rock and this is going to be on December 19th.
Carolina Taylor: Yes and that will be singer and playwright Lisa Rock with a six-piece backing band doing music based on the music of the Carpenters two holiday albums and Christmas variety shows and Mary Fallen an outstanding vocalist. She was the winner of the 2020 Independent Music Award for her holiday album Winter Songs and Carols. So a couple of musical performances worth checking out.
Paul Szmal: The Smith Opera House getting into the holiday spirit as well with Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol on December the 12th.
Carolina Taylor: Yes this is coming December the 12th and it's a special theater addition to the season's lineup. It's known as one of the greatest stories in the history of English literature and it's a beloved Christmas tradition as well. So we invite families to go and enjoy all the lineup at Smith and Center of the Arts. They also will host a Celtic Christmas which is another show coming on December 17th and this is a taste of Ireland in a Christmas edition.
Paul Szmal: Yes this is an Irish music and dance company that'll be doing some great stuff making you laugh maybe even shed a tear a little bit in the course of the holiday season.
Carolina Taylor: There is a Winter Solstice wellness retreat at the Lake House in Canandaigua. This is coming up on December 19th and 20th.
Paul Szmal: Yes this is going to be a very different way to experience the season to like relax slow down and encounter what the season invites us to and it's going to be an activity with different things within two days. It starts with a restorative yoga and sound bath and it's going to be followed by meditations creative sessions and different things to reconnect with yourself and the community with lakefront views and opportunities for both personal and community connection.
Carolina Taylor: Great way to get a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Final event we want to talk about are the winter markets that will be happening at the Canandaigua Farmers Market during the month of December.
Paul Szmal: Yes it's going to happen in the winter every other Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. It's I think going November through May so people can stop by and buy the things that they need for their recipes for their holidays and just stock up their pantry with local products.
Carolina Taylor: And you can find out about all of the events that we have talked about here this morning with links in some cases to websites things of that nature by going to the website visitfingerlakes.com. That's visitfingerlakes.com. Carolina thanks so much hope you have a great Thanksgiving and we'll chat with you in December.
Paul Szmal: Thank you Paul and happy Thanksgiving to everyone. It is 8 26 on FLX morning.
