December 13, 2025 • Pulteney Square, Hammondsport, NY
By Penny Carlton, KeukaRoots.com
There are winter days around Keuka Lake that feel as if someone whispered “Lights, camera, Christmas” and the whole village of Hammondsport stepped into its role as the star of a holiday classic. December 13th is one of those days — when Pulteney Square glows like a postcard, familiar faces gather with mittened hands wrapped around warm drinks, and the air itself seems to shimmer with the promise of memory-making moments.
This is Christmas in the Park, where traditions live, laughter echoes between historic storefronts, and the whole town feels wrapped in a giant evergreen-scented hug.
🎅 8–11am — Breakfast with Santa at the Fire Department
The morning begins with the kind of magic children remember forever — a warm firehouse, pancakes stacked high, syrup glistening under twinkling lights, and Santa himself greeting every child by name. It’s cozy, heartfelt, and exactly the kind of scene that could open a holiday movie.
🎭 3:30pm — FREE Christmas Show by the Keuka Lake Players
As the afternoon light softens, step into the Hammondsport Central School auditorium, where the Keuka Lake Players bring Christmas stories to life. Expect laughter, festive music, and that familiar swell-in-your-chest feeling that only community theatre can deliver.
🎁 4–7pm — Holiday Artisan Market in Pulteney Square
By late afternoon, Pulteney Square transforms into a winter wonderland.
Lanterns glow. Snowflakes swirl. The smell of warm cider drifts between vendor tents.
Artisans offer handcrafted ornaments, knitted treasures, jars of local sweets, and gifts that feel like they were made with love. Every booth tells a story, and every purchase supports the heart of small-town Christmas.
🎄 4:30pm — Santa Parade Through the Village
Just as dusk settles over Keuka Lake, that soft winter twilight washes over Hammondsport and turns the village into something right out of a Christmas classic. Then—like the opening scene of a beloved holiday movie—bells jingle in the distance. Children gasp. Parents smile knowingly.
Santa appears, waving from atop the fire truck as it winds its way from the Hammondsport Fire Department through the village streets. Kids run to sidewalks in puffy coats and knit hats, clutching candy canes and calling out to him. Shopkeepers step into their doorways, their garlands and lights flickering like magic, and porch lamps glow one by one as if the town itself is lighting the way.
It’s a moment so joyful and sparkling it feels like someone shook the snow globe — wonderfully Hammondsport, wonderfully Christmas.
🌟 5pm — Tree Lighting with Santa
This is the moment — the one that tugs on tradition, nostalgia, and the childlike wonder we all carry somewhere deep. Families pack in close, mitten to mitten, filling Pulteney Square with warm breath and warm hearts.
Phones lift. Cameras ready. Children bounce from foot to foot as the countdown begins.
Three… two… one…
And then — poof!
The tree bursts into brilliant golden light, draping the entire square in a glow so magical, so cinematic, that even the grown-ups forget the cold. Snowflakes catch the light, faces shine, and for just a heartbeat, the whole village believes in Christmas with their whole hearts.
🐴 5–7pm — FREE Wagon Rides
The steady clip-clop of hooves becomes the heartbeat of the evening as horse-drawn wagons roll past candlelit windows and shimmering storefronts. Families wrap themselves in wool blankets, leaning close as they glide beneath twinkling lights to the soundtrack of bells and laughter.
The ride feels like stepping back in time — gentle, nostalgic, and quietly enchanting. Horses’ breath curls into the night air, the harness jingles softly, and the glow of the village sparkles at every turn. It’s peaceful, dreamy, and pure small-town magic.
🎶 5pm — Holiday Music by the Hammondsport Central School Band
From the bandstand, the first notes of the season float into the night — brass bells ringing bright, flutes weaving gentle harmonies, and drums keeping a warm, steady pace. The music wraps around the square like a scarf, drifting through the crisp air and settling over the crowd like something soft and cherished.
It’s the soundtrack of December — familiar, nostalgic, and tender.
💃 5:45pm — Dancing Elves in the Square
Just when you think the evening can’t get any more festive, a swirl of giggles and jingling bells announces the arrival of the Dancing Elves. With rosy cheeks, jingling shoes, and endless enthusiasm, they twirl and tap between vendor tents, filling the square with bursts of pure joy.
Children adore them. Adults pretend they’re not watching as closely as they are.
It’s whimsical. It’s cheerful. It’s the heartbeat of holiday delight.
🎤 6pm — Barbershop Chorus Finale
As the night settles into its softest glow, the Barbershop Chorus steps into the bandstand. Their four-part harmonies rise into the evening like warm cocoa steam, comforting and nostalgic. Every note drifts through the square, lingering on twinkling lights, dancing with snowflakes, and settling gently into memory.
It’s the perfect final note to a perfect Christmas evening.
🎄 A Christmas Classic — Rooted in Hammondsport
Christmas in the Park isn’t just an event; it’s a chapter in our shared community story — one handwritten each year with joy, togetherness, and that unmistakable small-town magic. From Santa’s parade to the glowing tree, from wagon rides to carols that warm the soul, Hammondsport shines brightest when we gather like this — neighbors, families, visitors, and friends, all sharing the same moment under the same winter sky.
✨ A Special Thank You to Our Elf Sponsors
As always, a heartfelt thank you to the elf sponsors who help make this magical day possible:
📰 The Shopper, our dedicated Media Sponsor
🎅 Dr. Sam and The Cinnamon Stick, our generous Santa’s Helpers Sponsors
Your support keeps the spirit of Christmas in the Park glowing year after year.
🌲 Closing Thoughts from Keuka Roots
There’s a kind of magic here — the kind that settles into your coat sleeves, lingers in your scarf, and follows you home long after the last carol fades from the bandstand. Christmas in the Park is more than a celebration… it’s a reminder of what makes our lakeside villages extraordinary.
It’s neighbors waving from porches, children chasing snowflakes, small businesses dressing their windows in holiday sparkle, and a community that still believes in gathering — in pausing — in sharing the kind of joy that only comes from belonging to a place with a heart as big as Hammondsport’s.
As we wrap up this festive evening and step into the glow of another holiday season, may your memories be warm, your spirit light, and your heart rooted deeply in the beauty of Keuka.
