7 Great Holiday Activities in Dutchess County – 2025

November 23, 2025

Dutchess County farm decorated for Christmas.

It’s here! The holiday season has arrived in Dutchess County, and we’re excited about the many different ways to find festive fun in our corner of the world. Between the gorgeous country setting, historical sites, cultural variety, and wonderful communities in the area, you’ll have no trouble filling your December calendar. Here are a few of our favorite Hudson Valley holiday activities. However you celebrate the season, we hope you spend it among the people and places you love.

Travel Back In Time at Local Historic Estates
Each December, history meets holidays at Dutchess County’s world-renowned historic mansions. When visiting these local treasures bedazzled with period decorations, you truly feel the spirit of Christmas past:

Take a guided tour of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s home at the FDR National Historic Site. Both the home and the on-site museum will be decorated for the holidays, with a Holiday Open House on Dec. 13. The Museum will offer free admission from 9 a.m.–5 p.m, and activities include refreshments, the annual Children’s Holiday Book Fair, Holiday Cards for Sailors, and free photo ops with Santa

At Locust Grove Estate in Poughkeepsie, the nearly 200-year-old house is filled with 20 decorated Christmas trees and other seasonal trimmings for the Festival of Trees on December 5 and December 6. It will be a “winter wonderland” of decorated trees and wreaths, all of which will be part of a silent auction to benefit Locust Grove. The event will also feature shopping, entertainment, and more.

If you’re a fan of the HBO series “The Gilded Age,” you may want to put the Mills Mansion in Staatsburgh on your holiday activity list. This New York State Historic Site is offering “A Gilded Age Christmas” experience, daily through December 31. Enjoy the mansion’s stunning interiors and original décor, decorated for the holiday season. Staatsburgh also has one of the county’s best gift shops. No advance ticket purchase required, but reservations for timed entry are necessary.

Farm Fresh for the Holidays
Dutchess County’s farm bounty doesn’t end when the weather cools. Santa will be making his annual visit to Fishkill Farms on Saturday, December 13. You can snap photos of the big guy with your family members or pets, while also enjoying food, drinks, and farm store shopping. If cutting your own Christmas tree is part of your family’s holiday tradition, you’ll find no shortage of local farms and nurseries with wide varieties of evergreens to take home.
The Bardavon Presents…On-Stage Holiday Programs
Poughkeepsie’s historic Bardavon Theatre offers a great slate of performances in December, including “A Christmas Carol” ballet from Ulster Dance Company, “A Celtic Christmas” by A Taste of Ireland, and two separate productions of “The Nutcracker” — one by New Paltz Ballet Theatre and the other by Catskill Ballet Theatre. Tickets are available on the Bardavon’s website.
Enter “The Wonderland of Lights”
Dutchess County welcomes The Wonderland of Lights at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck. This drive-through event features dozens of bright light displays with music. The experience runs from November 28 – December 28; tickets can be purchased online at The Wonderland of Lights website.
“A Christmas Story” at The Center for Performing Arts
Rhinebeck Theatre Society presents a stage adaptation of the classic Christmas film. Performances run from December 5 – 21 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Purchase tickets in advance on the Center’s website at https://www.centerforperformingarts.org.
ERDAJT Holiday Light Display
For over a decade, one family of five has established their home as New York state’s largest private residential light display, with over 600,000 lights, 1,200 individually controlled items, and a synchronized musical soundtrack on local radio frequency 95.3FM. It’s also spectacle with a cause: all donations collected from drive-through visitors are donated to local charities. You’ll find ERDAJT at 8 Patrick Drive in LaGrangeville; this year’s dates and hours are listed at www.erdajt.com.
Kevin McCurdy’s Holiday Spirit Festival
This kitschy pop-up winter wonderland never fails to delight, with an “enchanted light forest,” interactive displays, live music and characters, holiday train exhibit, scavenger hunt, and special events. You’ll find it at 38 Sheafe Road in Wappingers Falls; visit www.holidayspiritfestival.com for a calendar and admission information.
The entire team at LMD Homes wishes you a festive and joyous holiday season!