Holiday celebrations kick off this November

HAMILTON, N.Y.>> Hamilton is filled with traditional, festive activities, and the town encourages guests to embrace the holiday spirit with family and friends.

Events begin in November and continue throughout December with wagon rides, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, late night shopping, story times, dining, concerts, movies, crafts, and more.

Hamilton will host Late Night Shopping on Nov. 16. Most shops will be open until 7 p.m.

The traditional Night of Lights on the Hamilton Village Green is Friday, Nov. 30 from 5-7 p.m. Activities are free and everyone is welcome. Most shops will be open until 7 p.m. The evening’s activities include horse drawn wagon rides, the official tree lighting by Mayor RuthAnn Loveless at 6 p.m., and Santa’s arrival, also at 6 p.m. There will be live music and a sing-a-long with the Canastota Community Band, free refreshments and s’mores, and a fire truck parade from the Eaton, Hubbardsville, and Madison fire departments.

Ride through the historic streets of the village of Hamilton in a festive horse- drawn wagon. The free rides are from 3-5 p.m. Dec. 1, 8, and 15. The pick-up and drop-off stops are in front of the Colgate Inn, 1 Payne St. The wagon rides are sponsored by The Hubb and Community Memorial Hospital. Lamplit Farm own the horses and wagon. For more information about them, visit www. lamplitfarm. shutterf ly. com or call 315-427-3942.

Tell Santa all your wishes this holiday season at Parry’s Hardware Store, 100 Utica St., on Dec. 8 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Other holiday activities in December include:

The Colgate Inn, 1 Payne St., presents Breakfast With Santa (reservations are required) on Dec. 1 from 8 a.m. to noon, and a Murder Mystery Dinner, “Hijacked Holiday” by the Acme Mystery Company on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.

Create a festive holiday wreath at Rogers Environmental Education Center, Route 80 in Sherburne, on Dec. 1 at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., or 2:30 p.m. Participants will receive instructions and all materials necessary to design and build this traditional decoration. Pre-registration required. Program is for seen and adults.

Arts at the Palace, 19 Utica St., presents Jazz at Noon on Dec. 1 from noon to 2 p.m., and their annual fundraiser gala, Winter at the Palace, on Dec. 8 from 7-11 p.m.

Create and decorate your own free holiday cake pop at Maxwell’s Chocolates, 14 Utica St., on Dec. 8 from noon to 2 p.m.

TheHamiltonMovieTheaterwill show “Home Alone” (Dec. 8 at noon), “The Santa Claus” (Dec. 12 and noon), and “Trading Places” (Dec. 31 at 4 p.m). All movies are free on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Hamilton Lions Club will host Photos with Santa at the Park United Methodist Church, 17 Broad St., on Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy crafts for kids, cocoa and cookies as you visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Meet the Grinch and learn how he stole Christmas at the Colgate Bookstore, 3 Utica St., on Dec. 15 at 10:30 a.m. Enjoy crafts and cookies after the story time.

Contact each business for more information. Visit www.thisishamiltonny.com to learn more details about Hamilton activities this holiday season.

PHOTO FROM WWW.THISISHAMILTONNY.COM Santa makes a stop in Hamilton during the village’s annual tree lighting ceremony in 2016.