Stuyvesant Plaza, the Capital Region’s premier open-air shopping and dining destination, today announced plans to usher in the holidays with a tree-lighting ceremony on The Lawn and the return of its weekly Holiday Strolls. The tree-lighting will take place on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., one day before the kick-off of the Holiday Strolls that will be held each Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., beginning Nov. 24 and concluding Dec. 22.
The annual tree-lighting ceremony will occur for the first time on The Lawn – the turf area unveiled earlier this year in front of Jean Paul Spa & Salons – and will feature a welcome address by Stuyvesant Plaza General Manager Rachel Ferluge; an appearance by Santa; live music by DJ Ayo; and a hot cocoa station serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic hot chocolate.
“We encourage our community to join us for our annual tree lighting and Holiday Strolls as we celebrate this magical time of the year,” said Ferluge. “Excitement is in the air as our merchants prepare for the chance to help shoppers select the perfect holiday gift for everyone on their list. We are also thrilled to support the Guilderland YMCA and Girls, Inc. during this year’s holiday festivities.”
Each Sunday, guests can enjoy complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides by Bowman Carriages that will depart in front of RAD Soap Co. and Primal, Your Local Butcher; live holiday music by Lennox in front of the Plaza’s tree; and photos with Santa.
Guests can visit Santa within his Holiday Hideaway, a vintage Airstream trailer, which will be parked adjacent to The Lawn. Photos will be taken inside and cost $35, with $5 from each ticket earmarked for Girls, Inc. ADA-compliant photos can be taken outside of the Airstream. To book a photo session, visit stuyvesantplaza.com.
A popular Stuyvesant Plaza tradition, the annual window-decorating contest will also return this year, featuring festive holiday displays from participating retailers. Digital voting is open to the public beginning Friday, Nov. 22 through Tuesday, Dec. 31. The winner will be selected Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Guests can find the digital voting sheet on Stuyvesant Plaza’s website, social media pages and by signing up for their e-newsletters here.
For more information on Stuyvesant Plaza, visit stuyvesantplaza.com.