NEWSLETTER
Credit: @thacherstatepark on Instagram
Start the new year in New York State in style by warming up with a host of fun, exciting, and delicious events! Whether you want to take in a two-for-one musical on Broadway, enjoy performances of classical music and jazz, attend a world-class winter sporting event in the Adirondacks, or celebrate the great outdoors, New York State has must-dos for everyone!
Masks are encouraged, but optional in most settings per New York State guidelines. Individual businesses or attractions may require mask wearing. Call ahead and check websites and social media to make sure attractions and amenities are open and available.
First Day Hikes (Every region)
January 1
Start the new year in nature with a First Day Hike! All are invited to explore the great outdoors and beautiful wintry scenes of New York State parks, historic sites, wildlife areas, canal trails, and public lands on January 1st, 2023. Choose from around 100 hike options of varying settings, lengths, and experience levels, including Olana State Historic Site, John Boyd Thacher State Park (photo at top), Letchworth State Park, and Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park. This family-friendly tradition is in its 12th year and only continues to grow. No matter where you are in New York, there is a First Day Hike for you. Find your hike here.
Aprés-ski at Scribner’s Catskill Lodge (Catskills)
January 1
Credit: @scribnerslodge on Instagram
Scribner's Catskill Lodge welcomes a new generation of urban explorers to the beautiful year-round destination of the Catskills with its 6th annual aprés-ski event. Celebrate the new year and swap your helmet for a beanie as you warm up from a day on the slopes. Grab food and drinks at Prospect, enjoy music from top local DJs, and twirl around the rink. The lodge is well-known on Instagram for its trendy, thoughtful design and picture-perfect setting that complements friendly service and delicious food and drinks. A dog-friendly destination, Scribner’s has 38 guest rooms and suites, multiple indoor and outdoor event spaces, and over 20 acres of mountainside for you and your best friends to explore. Hunter, prices vary.
FISU World University Games (Adirondacks)
January 12-23
New York State is welcoming the world to the Adirondacks for the 2023 FISU World University Games. This multi-winter sports and educational festival will bring 2,500 collegiate athletes from around the world to the region to compete in 12 winter sports and 86 events within the communities of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Wilmington, Canton, and North Creek. Join in on the excitement, and cheer on athletes as they take on alpine skiing, biathlon, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, ski jumping, snowboarding, and speed skating. Unwind after each day’s competitions with nightly events, live music, and medal award ceremonies in Lake Placid. Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Wilmington, Canton, and North Creek; Prices vary.
Buffalo Wine Festival (Greater Niagara)
January 14
Credit: @pairingwithangie on Instagram
Buffalo's most exciting wine tasting festival is taking place at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on January 14. Choose from two sessions where you can sample the goods from a variety of New York wineries. You’ll also find food vendors to indulge your inner foodie, and product vendors selling a variety of artisan goods including clothing, candles, and puzzles, to name a few. Buffalo; Various prices per day, starting at $25, $20 for designated drivers.
Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (New York City)
January 14-16
Visit the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and pay homage to civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. Immerse yourself in a weekend of impactful and educational experiences, culminating on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Featuring interactive performances, community art programs, and more. Brooklyn-based artists and educators, Nehprii Ameni and Fyütch, will engage children in puppet-making, poster-making, and the creation of a community dream cloud in BCM’s ColorLab art studio. Brooklyn; General Admission ticket $13.
NYC Winter Outing
January 17–February 12
Credit: Anna Pakman
Trust us, you don't want to miss this. From January 17 – February 12, you can score some of the best deals on dining, Broadway shows, tours, museums, and hotels with NYC Winter Outing. From new takes on established classics to star-studded modern masterpieces, enjoy the best of Broadway with 2-for-1 tickets to some of the biggest hits including Wicked, The Lion King, and Six. Make it a dinner and a show kind of night by indulging in New York City Restaurant Week. Make the most of your visit and stay at one of the city's most celebrated hotels for New York City Hotel Week and get 2-for-1 tickets to some of the biggest attractions, tours, and museums during NYC Must-See Week. New York City; Prices vary.
Jazz on the Mountain (Hudson Valley)
January 20–23
Credit: @ianpoley on Instagram
Immerse yourself in a weekend of cool sounds and spirited jams at the annual Jazz on the Mountain music festival! It’s all taking place within the iconic mountaintop hotel of the Hudson Valley, Mohonk Mountain House. Pianist Pete Malinverni takes the helm as curator for this year’s event, bringing together a celebration of jazz greats, new diverse performances, and debuting the rising stars of the next generation. Returning favorites include Scott Robinson, Martin Wind, Helen Sung, Ugonna Okegwo, and Aaron Seeber. New additions to the festival include Lucy Yeghiazaryan, Bruce Harris, Gary Smulyan, Wayne Tucker, and Sage Myers. Your stay at the hotel will include three meals daily, using locally sourced ingredients from their farm-to-table partners, yoga, meditation, and fitness classes, afternoon tea and cookies in the historic Lake Lounge, an indoor heated pool with underwater music, and more! New Paltz; performances free with dinner or lodging reservations.
Ellicottville's Winter Blues Weekend 2023 (Chautauqua-Allegheny)
January 20–22
Credit: @visitellicottville on Instagram
With its unique collection of fine restaurants and cafes, quaint shops and galleries, antique shops and cozy lodging, the picturesque village of Ellicottville in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region is a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. January 20-22, you’re invited to the village to enjoy the best blues bands in the region at the village’s big Winter Blues Weekend. You’ll find terrific blues music at over a dozen of the village’s bars and restaurants. It’s a great way to keep warm on a cold winter weekend! Ellicottville; Prices vary.
Binghamton Pond Festival (Central New York)
Weekends, January 20–February 5
Credit: @bingpondfest on Instagram
Created to provide a fun family event for the local community, the Binghamton Pond Festival has grown into a month-long series of hockey events in the area. It celebrates the sport locally and offers people a great excuse to come out for some fun during winter. The festival, taking place at Chenango Valley State Park, is one of the few outdoor hockey events using mechanical refrigeration, allowing for great ice in temperatures exceeding 50 degrees or in full sun. There are hockey events for adults and children, and spectators are always welcome. Bring a camp chair, your four-legged friend on a leash, or some friends and get ready to have a great time. Chenango Forks; Free admission; $10 suggested parking donation.
Salmon River Winter Festival (Thousand Islands-Seaway)
January 24–26
A trip to the Salmon River Winter Festival is like stepping inside a picture-perfect winter postcard. The entire village turns out for this three-day festival that celebrates the best of winter fun. Ice skating, snowshoeing, and a meet-and-greet with sled dogs provides kid-friendly fun outside, while the Chili Walk and Mac n’ Cheese Walk curbs any post-activity appetites. More than a dozen restaurants and taverns will be competing in the festival’s 2023 Great Food Challenge, with the event set for Friday, January 27 (Mac & Cheese); Saturday, January 28 (Chili), and Sunday January 29 (Wings). Pulaski; Free admission, but $5 for ballot to serve as a food judge in the challenges on day of participation.
Albany Chefs' Food & Wine Festival (Capital-Saratoga)
January 26–28
Credit: @discoveralbany on Instagram
The annual Albany Chefs' Food & Wine Festival is a three-day celebration that spotlights the capital city’s restaurants, chefs and their innovative cuisine, and educates consumers on healthy, sustainable agriculture. It also offers sustainable funding for the support and preservation of the not-for-profit arts community in Albany, raising nearly $1.5 million to date. The festival returns Thursday, January 26 with the Mayor’s Reception, Grand Tastings & Seminars, and “Slider Slam!” (be sure to cast your vote in the People’s Choice Slider Competition), culminating with the Grand Gala 5-course dinner on Saturday, January 28. Albany; Prices vary.
The Great New York Sportsman’s Expo (Finger Lakes)
January 27–29
The Expo Center of the New York State Fairgrounds will be the setting for The Great New York Sportsman's Expo, an exciting weekend of exhibits showcasing the latest in products, travel, and entertainment for hunters, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Featuring over 200 vendors along with the largest indoor fishing catch-and-release trout pond in the Northeast, and the popular National Dock Dogs competition, the Expo gives attendees direct access to manufacturers, retailers, outfitters, and charters from across the globe. Syracuse; Adults (ages 13 to 64) $12; Seniors, Military, Police & Children (ages 6-12) $10; Children (6 and under) free.
Eastman Presents: Kodak Series – Lviv National Philharmonic of Ukraine (Finger Lakes)
January 31
Rochester is the place to be on January 31 as an orchestra from the Medieval city of Lviv on Ukraine’s western border with Poland will provide a moving performance. The ensemble’s resilience stands as a testament to its determination and the timelessness of the great works it performs with vigor, distinction, and artistry. Led by the dynamic Ukrainian-American conductor Theodore Kuchar and featuring violinist Vladyslava Luchenko, the orchestra’s performance of Brahms, Bruch, and Dvořák is sure to be a night to remember! (Repertoire: Brahms: Tragic Overture; Bruch: Violin Concerto; Dvorak: Symphony No. 6). Rochester; $10, $20, $30, $40, $55, and $65.
Long Island Winter Restaurant Week (Long Island)
January 29–February 5
Credit: @bryan_blvd on Instagram
Enjoy eight days of delicious deals featuring a diverse selection of some of the finest food on the East Coast during Long Island Restaurant Week. Each participating restaurant will offer its own unique three-course prix fixe meals for $27, $37, and $44 all night, every night they are open, except Saturday, when the offer is good until 7 p.m. As part of the promotion, restaurants will also be offering 2-course lunches for $22. Long Island; Prices vary.
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