The holiday season is upon us! It’s time to deck the halls with dazzling decorations, indulge in festive treats and enjoy holiday traditions with loved ones!
My husband and I enjoy showing off our charming county when family comes to town. This season, Cayuga County businesses are offering tons of amazing opportunities to entertain your holiday guests! From holiday festivals to historic sites to live music and more, Cayuga County has it all.
Here are just a few festive activities to enjoy this holiday season:
Get ready for a jolly time in History’s Hometown this Christmas! The city of Auburn’s Historic and Cultural Sites Commission is rolling out the red carpet and inviting everyone to the annual Holiday Traditions festival from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10. Visit Auburn’s charming historical sites, museums and churches, and soak up the festive spirit with free exhibits, music and refreshments.
People are also reading…
It’s time to deck the halls and rock around the Christmas tree! Experience the enchantment of the Festival of Trees at the Ward W. O’Hara Agricultural & Country Living Museum. Get ready to feast your eyes on a dazzling display of over 140 trees. Don’t forget to check out the Tour Cayuga tree in the Blacksmith Room. Mark your calendars for Sunday, Dec. 10, when the museum throws its annual Christmas open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy a wagon ride, holiday music, refreshments and fun activities for children. Both family-friendly events are free and open to the public!
Visit the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn and be amazed by the hand-crafted artistic quilts at the annual “Quilts=Art=Quilts” show. This stunning juried exhibition has been a quilt-lovers’ paradise since 1981. This year, the exhibit features 73 artworks from 69 national and international artists!
Just next door, at the Cayuga Museum of History & Art, fashionistas won’t want to miss new exhibit “Fabrication: Telling Stories Through Clothing.” This exhibit encompasses several sections, and includes many types of clothing, including wedding dresses, uniforms and everyday fashions. Each piece of clothing tells a unique story and gives us a glimpse into the past.
Learn about the Seward’s’ family Christmas traditions, straight from the pages of their personal letters and diaries, during the Seward House Museum’s Candlelight Tours. Experience a full Victorian Christmas with all the trimmings and trappings. Costumed guides lead candlelit tours of the home, which is decorated in holiday splendor. Space is limited and reservations are required. For tickets, call (315) 252-1283 or visit sewardhouse.org.
Is holiday cooking taking time away from loves ones? Let one of our fabulous restaurants do the cooking for you. Simply Cookie’s Kitchen, Balloons Restaurant, Provisions by Pure or Moro’s Table, to name a few, will prepare a meal for you to serve at home. And let’s not forget about the sweet treats — Camerons Bakery, Sweets by Sarah, Gretchen’s Confections and Moonflower Macarons are great places to purchase a little something special for after dinner!
Visit the Tour Cayuga website at tourcayuga.com for more ideas on places to dine, places to visit and a listing of all the exciting events happening this season in Cayuga County.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a fantastic new year!
Dawn Lubaszweski is marketing assistant for the Cayuga County Office of Tourism. The office is the designated tourism promotion agency for Cayuga County and promotes the county’s attractions, events and lodging establishments. For more information, visit tourcayuga.com.
