Two Rochester area holiday attractions have been named among the best in the nation in the 2025 USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
The Readers’ Choice Awards highlight the very best in travel, food and drink and lifestyle. Every week, USA TODAY 10Best invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite points of interest and attractions across a wide range of categories.
This week’s awards are themed for the upcoming holidays, including the nation’s best holiday markets, parade, light displays, home tours and more, as determined by USA Today readers.
Roc Holiday Village
The downtown festival, held at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square, is held on 16 wintry days through December. Roc Holiday Village was listed as the seventh best holiday market by USA Today readers in the latest poll.
The outdoor ice rink at MLK Park is a focal event of the holiday festival, and it ranked third among best ice skating rinks by USA Today readers this year. During the festival, ice skating is free.
The free event launched in 2018 and was an instant hit. You can visit Santa, enjoy a beverage in a cozy igloo, shop in the market, go ice skating, grab some food or enjoy live music at the event. Or simply people watch and gather around a fire pit as you sip hot cocoa.
Keg tree at Genesee Brew House
The towering display of 650 empty beer kegs stacked in the shape of a tree, wrapped in 25,000 dazzling lights is a modern Rochester staple of the holidays. This keg tree was listed as the fifth best public holiday lights display by USA Today readers. The tree this year topped the Newsweek Best Christmas Tree list like a bright, shining Genesee Beer sign.
The keg tree debuted in 2014 and was an instant hit. The first tree stood 23 feet tall and was made from 300 empty half-barrel kegs trimmed with 600 feet of LED green rope lights and was capped with a rotating Genesee Beer sign.
Best Holiday Market
Here’s the full list of the best holiday market according to USA Today readers.
Best ice skating rink
Here’s the full list of the best ice skating rink according to USA Today readers.
Best Public Holiday Lights Display
Here’s the full list of the best public holiday lights display according to USA Today readers.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Two Rochester favorites named among nation’s best holiday attractions
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
