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New and returning events to showcase family fun, shopping, food & entertainment on December 9 & 10
Schenectady, NY (Dec. 6, 2017) – Downtown Schenectady will be humming with holiday cheer this weekend thanks to three seasonal events designed to attract visitors of all ages and interests:
Downtown Schenectady’s City Hall-iday, Saturday, December 9, Noon – 4:00 p.m., Schenectady City Hall – This 14th annual event provides a wide variety of fun and FREE activities for the entire family. Presented by the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation (DSIC) with assistance from Schenectady County.
Said Jim Salengo, DSIC Executive Director, “The City Hall-iday is an extremely popular event for area children and their families during the holiday season. We love providing an afternoon of free activities so that everyone can capture the magic of the season in the heart of beautiful Downtown Schenectady.”
Visitors can hop on a horse-drawn carriage ride around City Hall and visit Santa for a family photo. Magic shows, balloon art, hands-on crafts and face painting will take place throughout the afternoon, as well as science and safety demonstrations. The event will also feature hot chocolate, holiday music, strolling seasonal characters, holiday movie shorts on a big screen, and caroling at the City of Schenectady Holiday Tree. Sponsored by the Creative Advantage, Experience & Creative Design, KeyBank, Re4orm Architecture, Tablecloths for Granted and the Times Union, with support from the Schenectady County Initiative Program Grant.
View the City Hall-iday schedule of activities
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Schenectady County Chili Chowdown & Craft Brew Trail, Saturday, December 9, 3:00 – 8:00 p.m., Downtown Schenectady Restaurants – This 3rd annual event pairs delicious chili with some of the area’s best craft beers at restaurants around Downtown Schenectady. Presented by Schenectady County in partnership with the DSIC.
Said County Legislator Cathy Gatta, Chair of the Committee on Special Events and Tourism, “Your leftover turkey should be long gone, so it’s a perfect time to come downtown and try great tasting chili prepared by some of our county’s best restaurants and pubs.”
Visitors can take part by picking up a map at any of the 14 participating locations and then strolling around downtown from restaurant to restaurant to taste creative chili recipes for $1 per 3 oz. sample. A variety of regional craft breweries will be paired with restaurants to provide craft beer samples, also for $1 per 3 oz. sample. Guest judges will be selecting their favorite recipes. Sponsored by Saratoga Eagle and the Times Union.
View a list and map of Chili Chowdown restaurants & craft breweries
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Downtown Schenectady Holiday Bazaar, Saturday, December 9, 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. & Sunday, December 10, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Jay Street – This new two-day outdoor seasonal marketplace features an array of vendors and artisans to complement downtown’s popular storefronts along the popular Jay Street corridor. Presented by the DSIC and Jay Street Business Association (JSBA).
Said Richard Mare, JSBA President and Owner of Downtown Designs, “The Holiday Bazaar is a creative new way to bring awareness and foot traffic to our year-round businesses while offering a variety of additional gifts and holiday fare. We invite visitors to finish up their holiday shopping while supporting local small businesses and artisans.”
Nearly 20 vendors will set up for the bazaar under heated tents on the Jay Street Marketplace pedestrian mall and across from City Hall alongside the more than two dozen Jay Street shopping, dining and service businesses that serve Downtown Schenectady patrons throughout the year. Vendors will offer everything from homemade fudge, candles and wood crafts to locally-produced craft brews, spirits, specialty sauces, outdoor gear and much more. Storefront businesses will provide in-store activities and customer specials throughout the weekend.
View a list of Holiday Bazaar vendors and Jay Street businesses
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FREE parking at Downtown Schenectady’s public lots and the Broadway Parking Garage will be available throughout the weekend for all events, courtesy of the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority and LAZ Parking. For additional information on downtown parking and a map of lots, visit www.parkschenectady.com.
Additional events are taking place at venues around Downtown Schenectady on December 9 & 10 to round out a full weekend of holiday enjoyment, including:
- Festival of Trees, December 9 & 10, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Schenectady County Historical Society & YWCA NorthEastern NY
- Schenectady County Public Library Holiday Open House, December 9, 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Main Branch
- Finding Neverland, December 9, 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. and December 10, 2 p.m., Proctors
- After Dark Lights & Lasers Holiday Event, December 9, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m., miSci
- Schenectady Greenmarket, December 10, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Inside Proctors
For an interactive map of businesses throughout Downtown Schenectady and a calendar of downtown events, visit www.downtownschenectady.org.
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