THIS WEEKEND: ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ celebration, Santa Stampede, and more

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — There are so many holiday festivities happening in the Rochester area this weekend. Here’s your guide to the upcoming holiday traditions:

“It’s a Wonderful Life” celebration at Seneca Falls (Friday, Dec. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 15)

The “It’s a Wonderful Life Museum” is celebrating the 78th anniversary of the holiday classic film with events throughout Seneca Falls on Friday and this weekend.

The 1946 film takes place in the fictional town of Bedford Falls, New York which is believed to have been based on Seneca Falls. Each year, people flock to the town to celebrate their love for the film.

The cast members Karolyn Grimes (“Zuzu Bailey”), Jimmy Hawkins (“Tommy Bailey”), and Donald Collins (“Young Pete Bailey”) will be at the festival along with special guests. Some of the events will be at the “It’s a Wonderful Life” Museum, Trinity Church on 27 Fall St., and The Gould Hotel on 108 Fall St. You can see the schedule here.

Santa Stampede (Sunday, Dec. 13)

People will run and walk in Santa Claus costumes on Sunday to raise money for the Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester (formerly called Bivona).

The Santa Stampede kicks off at 10 a.m. at Fleet Feet at the Culver Road Armory. Over 200 Santas are expected to participate in the three-mile non-competitive run through Rochester’s streets.

Participants are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped fleece blanket to donate to the Child Advocacy Center. The run has raised over $1,000 so far and $2,000 is the goal. The Santa costume is included when you register. Suit pickup starts at 9:15 a.m. on race day. You can register here. Parking will be available at Fleet Feet.

Roc Holiday Village (through Sunday, Dec. 29 except Mondays and Tuesdays)

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park is once again full of shopping, ice skating, and holiday festivities. The 6th annual Roc Holiday Village is underway with 17 days of entertainment.

Roc Holiday Village runs through Sunday, Dec. 29 except on Mondays and Tuesdays. The holiday village includes over 25 vendors, Santa’s Workshop, and activities at the Simcona Gingerbread House. There will also be free arcade games, trivia nights, movie screenings, and live music.

Roc Holiday Village co-founder and co-owner Kelli Marsh told News10NBC she got inspiration from other holiday markets around the world. You can see a full daily schedule of events here. The winter igloos are also back but they’re already sold out.

For the first time this year, the village is hosting the Winter Wonderland 5K race. It kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21 and you can sign up here. There are also some new food and drink options this year. Canned cocktails and food will be available at The Lodge, outdoor bar, and Gingerbread House.

The shopping runs from 4 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 4 to 10 p.m. on Fridays. For the weekends, the shopping runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. You can see the hours for free ice skating, Santa’s Workshop, The Lodge, and the Gingerbread House here.

Holidays at the Market (Sunday, Dec. 15 and Thursday, Dec. 19)

Holidays at the Market continues at the Rochester Public Market on Sunday, Dec. 15. The sale features dozens of vendors offering holiday-themed products including fresh-cut trees, wreaths, and specialty foods. There will also be clothing, jewelry, handcrafted goods, and more.

Holidays at the Market kicked off on Sunday, Dec. 1, continuing on Sundays Dec. 8 and Dec. 15 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It also runs on Thursday, Dec. 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. In addition to vendors, the market will feature visits from Santa and horse-drawn carriage rides from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Holiday Cookie Contest at the Rochester Public Market (Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15)

The Rochester Public Market is asking for the best amateur bakers in the area to drop off their finest cookies in December.

Bakers can drop off a half dozen cookies and a copy of their recipe to the Public Market Office on Union Street to enter the contest. People can drop off their creations on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 15 from 8 to 11 a.m. There’s a limit of one recipe per contestant. 

A panel of local food experts will begin judging and ranking the cookies on Dec. 15. They’ll select first, second, and third place winners who will get $150, $75, and $55 in Market Gift Tokens. The winners will also be featured on the City of Rochester’s website and the Public Market’s social media accounts.