101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun on Long Island - 2024
KidsOutAndAbout is Long Island's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! he activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and please keep in mind that events could be canceled... so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
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Santa Sightings
| Starting Oct 25, 2024 | Photos with Santa Experience - Magical Wonderland |
| Starting Nov 7, 2024 | Photos with Santa - Roosevelt Field |
| Nov 16 - Dec 20, 2024 | Letter's to Santa - Hicks Nurseries |
| Nov 16 - Dec 8, 2024 (Multiple Dates) | Holiday Photo Mini Sessions - Milleridge Inn |
| Nov 29 - Dec 23, 2024 | Photos with Santa - Hicks Nurseries |
| Nov 29 - Dec 22, 2024 | Photos with Santa - Santa's Christmas Tree Farm LI |
| Nov 30, Dec 1, 15, 21 & 22, 2024 | Breakfast with Santa - Milleridge Inn |
| Dec 1, 2024 | Port Jefferson Santa Parade & Visit |
| Dec 1, 2024 | Santa at the Lighthouse - Montauk Point Lighthouse |
| Dec 7 & 8, 2024 | Santa Photo Holiday Celebration - Tanger Outlets Riverhead |
| Dec 8, 2024 | Santa Brunch - The Long Island Aquarium |
| Dec 8, 2024 | Holiday Tales - Sands Point Preserve Conservancy |
| Dec 8 & 14, 2024 | Brunch with Old St. Nick and Friends - Milleridge Inn |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Santa Breakfast - United Skates of America - Seaford |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Breakfast with Santa - The Stewart Manor Country Club |
| Dec 21, 2024 | Santa Breakfast - United Skates of America Seaford |
Old-Time Christmas
| Dec 7 - 9, 2024 | 28th Annual Charles Dickens Festival - The Village of Port Jefferson |
| Dec 7 & 8, 2024 | Holiday House Tours - Once Upon a Christmas - Sagtikos Manor |
| Dec 8, 2024 | Historic Holidays at Hallockville |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Flying Santa Reenactment - Fire Island |
| Dec 19, 2024 | A Cold Spring Harbor Holiday - The Whaling Museum |
| Saturdays and Sundays Nov 30 - Dec 22, 2024 | Christmas at Westbury House |
Light Displays
| Multiple Dates beginning Nov 8, 2024 to Jan 5, 2025 | LuminoCity Holiday Lights Festival - Eisenhower Park |
| Nov 9, 2024 | Jingle Bell Bash - Annual Tree Lighting - Tanger Deer Park |
| Nov 16- Dec 31, 2024 | Children’s Animated Christmas Story & Walk-Thru - Hicks |
| Nov 22, 2024 - Jan 4, 2025 | Magic of Lights - Jones Beach State Park |
| Nov 22 - Jan 5, 2025 (Select Dates) | Holiday Lights - The Bronx Zoo |
| Open Nov 25, 2024 | Origami Holiday Tree - American Museum of Natural History |
| Nov 29, 2024 | Annual Tree Lighting - The Milleridge Inn |
| Nov 30, 2024 | Lighting the Lighthouse - Montauk Point Lighthouse |
| Nov 27, 2024 - March 23, 2025 (multiple dates) | Lektrik: A Festival of Lights - Queens Botanical Garden |
| Open Nov 29, 2024 | Suffolk County Girls Scouts present: Holiday Light Show |
| Nov 30, 2024 - Jan 2, 2025 | Huntington Holiday Spectacular |
| Dec 1, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025 | Festival of Trees - Port Jeff Village Center |
| Dec 1, 2024 | Ronkonkoma Winterfest & Christmas Tree Lighting - Raynor Park |
| Dec 6, 2024 | Brookhaven Town Christmas Tree Lighting - Holtsville Ecology Site & Animal Preserve |
| Dec 6, 2024 | Kennedy Plaza Christmas Tree Lighting |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Tree Lighting Ceremony - Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Holiday Market - Tree Lighting - The Barley Beach House |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Orient Beach State Park Tree Lighting |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Winter Wonder - Queens Botanical Garden |
| Dec 7 - 22, 2024 (select dates) | Holiday Light Spectacular - Holtsville Ecology Site |
| Dec 15, 16, 17 & 23, 2024 | Bayville Haunted Christmas |
Living Nativities
| Dec 7, 8, 13 & 14, 2024 | Drive Through Live Nativity- Hosted by Stony Brook Christian Assembly |
Holiday Theatre
| Dec 3. 2024 | An Evening with Peter Billingsley and A Christmas Story- Patchogue Theatre |
| Nov 30 & Dec 1, 2024 | 38th Annual Nutcracker Ballet Production - Long Island Ballet Theatre |
| Dec 6 - 8, 2024 | Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet - Madison Theatre |
| Dec 7, 2024 | A Celtic Christmas - The Tilles Center |
| Dec 8, 2024 | Fairytale of New York: The Ultimate Irish-Inspired Christmas Concert - Patchogue Theatre |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Grand Kyiv Ballet presents The Nutcracker - Kings Brooklyn |
| Dec 14, 2024 | O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi - Queens County Farm Museum |
| Dec 15, 2024 | A Christmas with the New York Tenors - Patchogue Theatre |
| Dec 20 - 22, 2024 | The Madison Theatre Christmas Celebration |
| Dec 21 & 22, 2024 | Eglevsky Ballet in The Nutcracker - The Tilles Center |
Holiday Concerts
| Nov 26, 2024 | Pentatonix - Madison Square Garden |
| Nov 29 - Dec 15, 2024 | Live Brass Band - Hick's Nurseries |
| Nov 29 - Dec 15. 2024 | Christmas Choir - Hick's Nurseries |
| Dec 8, 2024 | Long Island Flute Club Holiday Flute Choir - Old Westbury Gardens |
| Dec 15, 2024 | Laurie Berkner LIVE! A Live Holiday Concert - The Paramount |
| Dec 19, 2024 | Celtic Woman: White Christmas Symphony Tour - The Paramount |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Opening Nov, 2024 | Santa's Christmas Tree Farm |
| Saturdays & Sundays Nov 23 - Dec 21, 2024 | Carter Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farm |
| Opening Nov 29, 2024 | Mike's Christmas Tree Farm |
| Open Nov - Dec, 2024 | Christmas at Hicks |
| Paul's Christmas Tree Farm | |
| Waterdrinker Family Farm | |
| Zuhoski Farms |
Hanukkah
| Dec 15, 2024 | Menorah Candleboxes - Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum |
| Dec 15, 2024 | Chanukah Festival at Central Queens |
| Dec 25, 2024 | Grand Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Experience - Merrick LIRR Gazebo |
| Dec 25, 2024 | Menorah Lighting - PJST Chamber Train Car |
| Dec 26 - 31, 2024 | Chanukah at the Chai Center -- Chai Center |
| Dec 26. 2024 | Grand Menorah Lighting - Kennedy Plaza |
| Dec 25, 2024 - Jan 2, 2025 | Hanukkah Celebration - Mohonk Mountain House |
| Dec 26, 2024 | Menorah Lighting - Sayville Chamber House |
Ice Skating
| Open year round | Iceland |
| Open year round | City Ice Pavilion |
| Open year round | Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center at Bethpage Community Park |
| Open Nov 2024 - March 2025 | Christopher Morley Outdoor Skating Rink |
| Open Nov 2024 - March 2025 | Grant Park Skating Rink |
| Open year round | Marjorie R. Post Community Park Ice Rink |
| Open year round | The Rinx at Hauppauge |
| Thursdays - Sundays | The Rinx at Wyandanch |
| Opens Nov 29, 2024 | The Rinx at Port Jefferson |
| Opening Dec 2, 2024 | Bayville Winter Wonderland |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Nov 2, 2024 | |
| Nov 9 & 10, 2024 |
Hauppauge Craft & Gift Fair - Hauppauge High School |
| Nov 15, 2024 | |
| Nov 16, 2024 |
Christmas Fair & Market - Grace United Methodist Church |
| Nov 16 & 17, 2024 |
Artisans Showcase Fine Art & Craft Fair - Stony Brook University |
| Nov 16 - Dec 24 | |
| Nov 17, 2024 - Mar 30, 2025 | |
| Nov 23 & 24, 2024 |
East Islip Craft & Gift Fair - East Islip High School |
| Nov 29, 30 & Dec 1, 2024 |
Holiday Gift Shop Weekend - Sagtikos Manor |
| Nov 29 - Dec 8, 2024 (Weekends) | |
| Nov 30, 2024 |
Holiday Night Market Wonderland - Reboli Center |
| Nov 30 - Dec 1, 2024 |
4th Annual Holiday Market - Old Westbury Gardens |
| Nov 30 & Dec 1, 2024 |
26th Annual Christkindl Markt - Plattduetsche Park |
| Dec 6, 2024 |
Holiday Sip & Shop - Village Walk Senior Living |
| Dec 7, 2024 |
Winter Wonder at the Garden at Queens Botanical Garden |
| Dec 7 & 8, 2024 | St. James Craft & Gift Fair at Smithtown East High School |
| Dec 14 & 15, 2024 | The Northport Winter Craft Fair - Northport High School |
| Dec 21 & 22, 2024 | Selden Craft & Gift Fair - Newfield High School |
New Year's Fun
| Dec 31, 2024 | Fishes & Wishes – New Year’s Eve at Long Island Aquarium |
| Dec 31, 2024 | Nautical New Year - Cold Spring Harbor the Whaling Museum |
| Dec 31, 2024 | Noon Year's Eve Party - United Skates of America, Seaford |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Midnight on Main - Patchogue |
| Dec 31, 2024 | Family New Year's Eve Party - United Skates of America - Seaford |
New Year's Day Hikes
| Jan 1, 2025 |
First Day Hike - Hempstead Lake State Park |
| Jan 1, 2025 |
First Day Hike - Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve |
| Jan 1, 2025 |
First Day Hike - Connetquot River State Park Preserve |
| Jan 1, 2025 |
First Day Hike - Jones Beach State Park |
| Jan 1, 2025 |
First Day Hike - Sunken Meadow State Park |
Miscellaneous
| Nov 5, 2024 - Jan 12, 2025 |
Celebrate the Season Annual Exhibition - Reboli Center |
| Nov 14 - Dec 22 (select dates) |
Polar Express Experience - Port Jefferson Staion |
| Nov 16, - Jan 20, 2025 (select dates) | |
| Nov 17, 2024 |
Holiday Princess Tea Party - Long Island Aquarium |
| Nov 23, 2024 |
Brookhaven Polar Plunge - Brookhaven, NY |
| Nov 24, 2024 | |
| Opens Nov 2024 | |
| Nov 28, 2024 (Reservations Required) |
Thanksgiving Dinner - Milleridge Inn |
| Nov 28, 2024 |
Thanksgiving Dinner at the Ridge - Powder Ridge Park |
| Nov 29 - Dec 22, 2024 (multiple dates) | |
| Nov 30, 2024 |
18th Annual Miracle on Main Street - Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Wreath Making - Hempstead Lake State Park |
| Dec 1, 2024 | Winter on Wellwood - Lindenhurst Gazebo |
| Dec 5, 2024 | Candy Chemistry Holiday Workshop - SMLI |
| Dec 7 & 8, 2024 | Wreath Making - Hempstead Lake State Park |
| Dec 8, 2024 | Holiday Tales - Castle Gould |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Holiday Wreaths - Caleb Smith State Park Preserve Nature Museum |
| Dec 14 & 15, 2024 | Home for the Holidays - Planting Fields Arboretum |
| Dec 15, 2024 | NYC Holiday Half, 10K, 5K |
| Dec 15, 2024 | Winter Wonderland - Hempstead Lake State Park |
| Dec 19, 2024 | A Cold Spring Harbor Holiday - Cold Spring Harbor the Whaling Museum |
| Dec 19 & 20, 2024 | Dinner with the Grinch - Milleridge Inn |
| Dec 19 - 22, 2024 | Holiday Cheer Truck - Tanger Outlets Riverhead |
| Dec 21, 2024 | Solstice Hike - Hempstead Lake State Park |
| Dec 22, 2024 | Stitch & Friends Stich-mas Skate Party - United Skates of America - Seaford |
| Dec 24, 2024 | Christmas Eve at Milleridge Inn |
| Dec 26, 2024 | Winter Solstice Celebration - Vanderbilt Museum |
| Dec 27, 2024 | Slushies with Stitch - United Skates of America - Seaford |
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!