Christmas Events for Kids in Auburn (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 4 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Auburn for 2026. The Cayuga Museum hosts a Yule Rock family show on December 6, screens Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for Holiday Traditions on December 13, and runs a free gumdrop building day on December 26. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our New York Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Auburn

  • 3 Christmas events for kids in Auburn
  • Yule Rock kids show: Sunday, December 6, 12 pm, pay what you wish
  • Holiday Traditions: Sunday, December 13, 12 to 4 pm, free
  • Rudolph (1964) screens at 12 pm in the Carriage House Theater
  • Gumdrop Architecture: Saturday, December 26, free for families

Free 2Ticketed and paid 1

Free Christmas events for kids in Auburn

Rudolph on the big screenFree

Holiday Traditions at the Cayuga Museum: Rudolph Screening and Live Music

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For Auburn's Holiday Traditions Sunday, the Cayuga Museum decks out its galleries and opens its doors free from noon to 4 pm, with holiday treats and Christmas music drifting through the rooms.

At noon the Carriage House Theater shows the 1964 claymation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, a gentle first movie for little ones, while the Four Friends Ladies Quartet sings in the galleries. A local harpist, Denise Oster, plays at 1:30 pm.

Parent tip: Grab seats for Rudolph right at noon, then wander the decorated galleries afterward when the harp music starts.

Host
Cayuga Museum of History and Art (opens in a new tab)
Address
Cayuga Museum of History and Art, 203 Genesee St., Auburn, NY 13021 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Cayuga Museum of History and Art (opens in a new tab)

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Gumdrop building dayFree

Creative Explorers Family Free Day: Gumdrop Architecture

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The day after Christmas, the Cayuga Museum turns its classroom into a building site where kids make houses, landmarks or anything they dream up using nothing but gumdrops and toothpicks.

After building, families can follow a scavenger hunt through the museum galleries to win a special prize. It is a handy way to burn off holiday energy once the presents are open.

Parent tip: Sticky fingers are guaranteed, so pack a few wipes before heading into the galleries for the scavenger hunt.

Host
Cayuga Museum of History and Art (opens in a new tab)
Address
Cayuga Museum of History and Art, 203 Genesee St., Auburn, NY 13021 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Cayuga Museum of History and Art (opens in a new tab)

New Auburn events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Auburn daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Auburn.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Auburn

Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.

Event hosts: free events are listed first. The #1 spot puts your event at the top of this page.Inquire about the #1 spotAdd your event for free

Christmas rock for kids

Yule Rock Kids Show

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Yule Rock calls itself Auburn's one and only Christmas rock band, and this year it is playing a special family show in the Carriage House Theater behind the Cayuga Museum.

Kids can sing and dance along to the Christmas songs they already know, and every donation, in person or by Venmo, goes to support the museum. A separate adult show with a cash bar follows at 2 pm, so the noon set is the one to bring the kids to.

Parent tip: Bring a few dollars or have Venmo ready, since admission is a pay-what-you-wish donation.

Host
Cayuga Museum of History and Art (opens in a new tab)
Address
Carriage House Theater, Cayuga Museum, 203 Genesee St. (rear), Auburn, NY 13021 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Cayuga Museum of History and Art (opens in a new tab)

New Auburn events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Auburn daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Auburn.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our New York Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Auburn Christmas event for kids happens

Start with the Yule Rock kids show on December 6 for a sing-along, come back December 13 for Rudolph and the decorated galleries, and save the gumdrop building day on December 26 for when the kids need something to do after Christmas.

Looking further afield? Our New York Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Syracuse, Brewerton, Manlius and Ithaca. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.

A story for the drive home

A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

The story of Christmas in Auburn

More than 30 years ago, the Seward House Museum opened its decorated rooms free for one December day as a thank-you to Auburn, and the idea grew into Holiday Traditions, when museums and historic churches across the city open their doors at once. In 2024, the Ward O'Hara Agricultural Museum filled its barns with more than 180 decorated trees, and Santa rolled in by horse-drawn carriage.

A Seward House thank-you that became Holiday Traditions, with a free trolley from City Hall

Auburn's best-loved Christmas custom began as a gift. More than 30 years ago, the Seward House Museum invited the community in for a holiday open house to say thank you. Today the City of Auburn's Historic and Cultural Sites Commission hosts Holiday Traditions on a Sunday in December, when museums and churches decorate for the season and offer free admission, live music, refreshments and family activities. A free trolley from the Heritage Center across from City Hall carries families between the sites from noon to 4 p.m.

At the Seward House, families hear stories of how the Seward family kept Christmas in a Victorian-style open house. Many Auburn families make the same rounds every year: the Seward House, the Ward O'Hara Agricultural Museum and Willard Memorial Chapel. In 2026 the Cayuga Museum's part of the day is Holiday Traditions at the Cayuga Museum on December 13, with a noon showing of the 1964 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

A 3:30 p.m. parade, a new tree lighting at the State Street Event Plaza and a Ukrainian caroling star in 2025

Auburn's 2025 season opened on Saturday, November 29, when the Downtown Holiday Parade stepped off at 3:30 p.m. and the Downtown Tree Lighting followed at 4 p.m. at the State Street Event Plaza. Two weeks later, on December 14, Holiday Traditions returned. Willard Memorial Chapel offered tours, an organ concert, a holiday market and Reading with Santa with a free book for every child. Santa and Mrs. Claus posed for photos at the Equal Rights Heritage Center, which also had jazz and dance performances.

At the Cayuga Museum of History and Art, artist Nataliia Shynkarenko led guests in making a Ukrainian Caroling Star, and the Schweinfurth Art Center let kids paint their own ornaments. At 2 p.m. the Auburn Chamber Orchestra gave its annual Sounds of the Season concert at the Auburn High School Auditorium, with a visit from Buddy the Elf. The day ended at St. Francis of Assisi Church with the Stardusters All-Star Band, a Central New York band that dates back to the 1950s, playing Christmas classics and Harriet Tubman tributes.

Miracle on Genesee Street: a parade from East Hill to Memorial City Hall and Santa on a fire truck

For decades Auburn's holiday parade has been an evening walk down Genesee Street. The Downtown Auburn Business Improvement District and the City of Auburn route it from East Genesee and North Fulton Streets on East Hill, west through downtown, left on William Street, around the city parking garage on Lincoln Street and to Memorial City Hall. The 31st annual parade was themed Miracle on Genesee Street. It started at 6 p.m., and the city lit its tree on the steps of City Hall at 7:15 p.m.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus have closed the parade riding the Knights of Columbus fire truck, strung with holiday lights and playing music. The BID has given float prizes for many years, $150 for first place, $100 for second and $75 for third, and crowd favorites have included local fire departments, Captain Jack and his Pirates for the Pantry ship, and costumed Dickens characters from Skaneateles.

Santa by horse-drawn carriage at the Ward O'Hara Festival of Trees, and a brick depot nearby

The Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural Museum holds an annual Festival of Trees that keeps getting bigger. In 2023 it showed more than 140 decorated trees, including one in the Blacksmith Room, and in 2024 more than 180, with visitors voting for a favorite. On its Christmas open house day, Santa Claus arrives at noon by carriage and visits with children until 3:30 p.m., while families take free horse-drawn wagon rides and, when the weather allows, rides in an old Model T.

Families who want a train stop on a December drive can visit the Martisco Station Museum in Martisco, an 1870 two-story brick station on the National Register run by a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. It keeps limited hours, so check before you go.

  • Martisco Station Museum: An 1870 two-story brick railroad station on the National Register, with railroad artifacts kept by an NRHS chapter.

Traditions today

  • Holiday Traditions: One December Sunday when Auburn's museums, historic homes and churches open free, decorated for Christmas, with a free trolley between them. In 2026 it is December 13.
  • The Downtown Holiday Parade: Floats, fire trucks and Santa travel down Genesee Street, followed by the city tree lighting.
  • Festival of Trees at Ward O'Hara: More than 180 decorated trees fill the agricultural museum, and Santa arrives by carriage on open house day.
  • Sounds of the Season: The Auburn Chamber Orchestra's annual holiday concert at the Auburn High School Auditorium, with sacred and secular music.
  • Christmas at the Cayuga Museum: Rudolph screenings, a kids' rock show by Yule Rock and gumdrop building the day after Christmas at the museum on Genesee Street.

A fact for kids

In Auburn, Santa does not always come by sleigh. At the Ward O'Hara farm museum he arrives by horse-drawn carriage, and at the end of the downtown parade he rides on a fire truck covered in lights.

Questions about Christmas in Auburn

What is Holiday Traditions in Auburn NY?

Holiday Traditions is a December Sunday when Auburn's historic homes, museums and churches open their decorated rooms with free admission, live music, refreshments and family activities. The City of Auburn's Historic and Cultural Sites Commission hosts it. Stops have included the Seward House Museum, Willard Memorial Chapel, the Equal Rights Heritage Center, the Cayuga Museum and the Schweinfurth Art Center.

How did Holiday Traditions in Auburn start?

Tour Cayuga says Holiday Traditions was created more than 30 years ago by the Seward House Museum as a heartfelt thank-you to the community. The museum opened its doors for the holidays, and other sites joined over the years. It is now hosted citywide by the Historic and Cultural Sites Commission.

When is Holiday Traditions in Auburn in 2026?

Holiday Traditions falls on Sunday, December 13, 2026. At the Cayuga Museum, Holiday Traditions at the Cayuga Museum runs from noon to 4 p.m. with free admission, a noon showing of the 1964 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Four Friends Ladies Quartet and harpist Denise Oster at 1:30 p.m.

Is there a free trolley for Holiday Traditions in Auburn?

Yes. In recent years a free trolley has left from the Heritage Center, across from City Hall, between noon and 4 p.m., carrying visitors to all the participating sites. It saves parking at each stop and makes the day easier with small children. Check the city's schedule each year for trolley times.

What happened at Auburn's Holiday Traditions in 2025?

Holiday Traditions returned on December 14, 2025. The Seward House held a Victorian-style Christmas open house, Willard Memorial Chapel had an organ concert and Reading with Santa with a free book for each child, Santa and Mrs. Claus posed for photos at the Equal Rights Heritage Center, and kids made a Ukrainian Caroling Star at the Cayuga Museum.

What is a Victorian Christmas at the Seward House Museum?

During Holiday Traditions, the Seward House Museum holds a Victorian-style Christmas open house from noon to 4 p.m. with festive decor, live music and stories of the Seward family's holiday traditions. It is a chance for kids to see a historic Auburn family home dressed for the holidays and hear how Christmas was kept there long ago.

When was the Auburn holiday parade in 2025?

The 2025 Downtown Holiday Parade was Saturday, November 29, starting at 3:30 p.m., with the Downtown Tree Lighting at 4 p.m. at the State Street Event Plaza. FingerLakes1 reported that crowds were expected to pack downtown Auburn as the city kicked off its holiday season with the pair of events.

What is the Auburn NY holiday parade route?

The Downtown Auburn BID's parade has started at East Genesee and North Fulton Streets on East Hill, headed west along Genesee Street through downtown, turned left on William Street, looped around the city parking garage on Lincoln Street and ended at Memorial City Hall. Check the BID's announcement each year in case the route changes.

How long has Auburn had a holiday parade?

Auburn's downtown holiday parade has run for more than three decades. The Downtown Auburn BID billed one year's parade as its 31st annual, themed Miracle on Genesee Street, and a later listing called it the 35th annual Holiday Parade and City Tree Lighting Ceremony. It is organized by the BID with the City of Auburn.

How does Santa arrive at the Auburn holiday parade?

Mr. and Mrs. Claus have arrived at the end of the parade riding the Knights of Columbus fire truck, decorated with holiday lights and playing music. After the parade reaches Memorial City Hall, the city lights its Christmas tree, so kids see Santa and the lights in one evening.

Are there prizes for floats in the Auburn holiday parade?

Yes. The Downtown Auburn BID has awarded float prizes for many years: $150 for first place, $100 for second and $75 for third. Past crowd favorites include local fire departments, Captain Jack and his Pirates for the Pantry ship, Skaneateles Dickens characters, the Knights of Columbus and the Skills USA float from Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES.

Where is the Auburn Christmas tree lighting?

For years the city lit its tree on the steps of Memorial City Hall right after the parade, at 7:15 p.m. in one year. In 2025 the Downtown Tree Lighting moved to the State Street Event Plaza at 4 p.m., right after the afternoon parade. Watch the City of Auburn and Downtown Auburn BID for the 2026 details.

What is the Festival of Trees at the Ward O'Hara Agricultural Museum?

It is an annual display of decorated Christmas trees at the Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural Museum in Cayuga County. In 2023 there were more than 140 trees, including a Tour Cayuga tree in the Blacksmith Room, and in 2024 more than 180. Visitors look through the barns and vote for a favorite.

When does Santa come to the Ward O'Hara museum?

On the museum's Christmas open house day, held during Holiday Traditions weekend, Santa Claus arrives at noon by carriage and visits with children until 3:30 p.m. In 2024 the open house ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free horse-drawn wagon rides, Model T rides when weather allowed, refreshments, music and kids' activities.

What Christmas events are at the Cayuga Museum in 2026?

The Cayuga Museum of History and Art has three for families: the Yule Rock Kids Show on December 6 at noon in the Carriage House Theater, Holiday Traditions with a Rudolph screening on December 13, and the free Gumdrop Architecture family day on December 26.

What is Sounds of the Season in Auburn?

Sounds of the Season is the Auburn Chamber Orchestra's annual holiday concert at the Auburn High School Auditorium, held on Holiday Traditions day. In 2025 it began at 2 p.m. on December 14 with sacred and secular holiday music, and Buddy the Elf made a visit, which made it a fun pick for kids.

Who are the Stardusters in Auburn at Christmas?

The Stardusters All-Star Band is called the longest-running Central New York band, dating back to the 1950s. On Holiday Traditions evening they have played gospel, Christmas classics and Harriet Tubman tributes at St. Francis of Assisi Church, with refreshments afterward in Nacca Hall. The concert has been free and open to the public.

Can kids get a free book from Santa in Auburn?

Yes, during Holiday Traditions. In 2025 Willard Memorial Chapel held Reading with Santa, and every child got a free book. The chapel also offered free tours, an organ concert, a holiday market and a performance by the Genesee Street Voices from noon to 4 p.m.

Is there a Christmas train ride near Auburn NY?

There is no Santa train in Auburn itself. The closest railroad museum is the Martisco Station Museum in Martisco, an 1870 brick depot run by a National Railway Historical Society chapter, which keeps limited hours. For Santa trains elsewhere in the state, see Rally Takes the Train's New York Christmas train rides guide.

What else happens around Cayuga County on Holiday Traditions weekend?

The weekend is busy across the county. In 2024 Moravia, Fair Haven and Aurora held their own holiday celebrations and tree lightings, and craft fairs ran at Cayuga Community College, the Finger Lakes Mall and Prison City Brewing North. Tour Cayuga keeps a holiday events calendar for the county.

What should families do for Christmas in Auburn in 2026?

Dance to the Yule Rock kids show on December 6, then spend December 13 hopping between decorated museums on Holiday Traditions day, with Rudolph at the Cayuga Museum. Visit the Festival of Trees at Ward O'Hara, and burn off energy building with gumdrops on December 26. See our New York Christmas events guide for more.

Sources

  1. History's Hometown Holiday Traditions in Auburn NY, Tour Cayuga
  2. The Holiday Season is Upon Us!, Tour Cayuga
  3. Holiday season kicks off this weekend with events in Auburn, FingerLakes1
  4. Downtown Auburn's 31st Annual Holiday Parade: Miracle on Genesee Street, Finger Lakes Visitors Connection
  5. 35th Annual Holiday Parade and City Tree Lighting Ceremony, Finger Lakes Visitors Connection
  6. 2026 Holiday Traditions at the Cayuga Museum, Cayuga Museum of History and Art

Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every New York city.

Auburn Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Auburn this year?

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 Christmas events for kids in Auburn for 2026, all at the Cayuga Museum of History and Art: the Yule Rock kids show on December 6, the Holiday Traditions Rudolph screening on December 13, and the Gumdrop Architecture family day on December 26.

When is Holiday Traditions at the Cayuga Museum in 2026?

Sunday, December 13, 2026, from 12 to 4 pm at 203 Genesee St. The museum is free that day and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) screens at 12 pm.

Is the Yule Rock show OK for kids?

Yes. The 12 pm show on December 6 is the special family and kids performance. The 2 pm show that follows is geared toward adults and has a cash bar.

How much does the Gumdrop Architecture day cost?

Nothing. Creative Explorers Family Free Day on December 26, 2026 is free for families, and kids who finish the gallery scavenger hunt win a prize.

Who do I contact about Cayuga Museum holiday events?

The Cayuga Museum of History and Art at geoffrey@cayugamuseum.org, the contact listed on its event calendar.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in New York?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s New York Christmas train rides page.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked Auburn on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Kelsey Cecil
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