Northern New York holiday events set for November and December 2026

Holiday events are scheduled across Northern New York from November through December 2026, including the North Country Festival of Trees in Watertown, the Elves’ Fair in Clayton, craft shows, fundraisers and holiday parades in communities across the region.

Watertown Festival of Trees

The North Country Festival of Trees is scheduled for Nov. 27 through Dec. 6 at the Dulles State Office Building, 317 Washington St., Watertown. Public viewing and online bidding are planned during the event, which opens at 11 a.m. Nov. 27 and ends at 2 p.m. Dec. 6.

The 2026 theme is “A Christmas Carol: Dickens of a Christmas,” according to Samaritan Health’s event listing. The Watertown Family YMCA says the festival has raised more than $1 million for community needs, including children’s programs and health care.

The festival returned to the Dulles State Office Building in 2025 after previously being held at Salmon Run Mall. Samaritan Health said proceeds from the 2025 event supported a new Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Samaritan and YMCA youth programming.

The YMCA lists April Anne Young as a festival contact at 315-755-9622 and Marketing@nnyymca.org. Samaritan also lists information at its Festival of Trees page.

Clayton and area events

The Elves’ Fair is scheduled for Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Thousand Islands Arts Center, 321 James St., Clayton. The free, family-friendly event will include a juried holiday art and craft market, bake sale, face painting, a photo booth and a North Pole guest from noon to 1 p.m.

Vendors can apply through the Thousand Islands Arts Center events page. Bake-sale donations can be sent to Lynn@tiartscenter.org or arranged by calling 315-686-4123.

The fair is being held at the arts center’s expanded James Street facility, which opened June 22, 2026. The 13,000-square-foot, $7.7 million expansion was funded through state grants and private donations. The Elves’ Fair previously was held at the organization’s former John Street building.

Events begin in November

The Watertown Family YMCA’s 43rd annual Turkey Day Run is scheduled for Nov. 26 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Other November events include the Little Elves Workshop on Nov. 7 from noon to 2 p.m. at The Silver Cauldron, 440 Coffeen St., Watertown.

Several events are listed for Nov. 14: the Chaumont Fire Department Christmas vendor show, the Caprara Exhibition Hall Thanksgiving craft fair, the Dexter American Legion Christmas craft vendor show, the Indian River Middle School holiday craft market in Philadelphia and the Rensselaer Falls Hometown Crockpot Cook-Off at 1 p.m.

On Nov. 21, a pancake breakfast is scheduled at the Belleville Firehall from 8 a.m. to noon, and the Lowville Academy Hollyberry Sale is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

December events include I Smell Snow at The Silver Cauldron in Watertown on Dec. 1 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., the Holly Jolly Hall Pass Holiday Festival in Carthage on Dec. 5 from noon to 5 p.m., and events in Theresa and Malone on Dec. 12. Those include the David Sauther Memorial winter event at Davis Elementary in Malone from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Jenn’s Gifts Christmas Market in Theresa from 2 to 6:30 p.m. and the Light the Night Holiday Parade in Theresa at 6 p.m.

The Watertown Fire District lists closures for Nov. 26, Nov. 27, Dec. 25 and Dec. 28, the observed Christmas holiday. Event organizers should be contacted directly for updates before attending. Additional listings and festival information are available through the Watertown Family YMCA, Samaritan Health and Thousand Islands Arts Center.