Step into the Village on the First Weekend of December
You come through the gate at 441 Clarke Avenue on Staten Island and the air carries woodsmoke and something sweet from the food stalls. Historical interpreters in period dress stand behind the counter of the General Store. A horse-drawn carriage rolls past toward the Snow Ball Field, and from somewhere up the lane you hear Victorian carolers working through a hymn. The event runs Saturday and Sunday, 12:00–5:00 p.m. — a full afternoon's worth of village life, staged the way it might have looked a century and a half ago.
Ride, Sing, and Make Your Own Tinsel
The daily offerings repeat across both days, so you can build a rhythm rather than chase a schedule. Start with the things that fill up:
- Horse-drawn carriage rides — the last ride leaves at 3:45 p.m., so plan your afternoon around it rather than the other way round.
- Photos with Santa Claus — available throughout the 12:00–5:00 window.
- Victorian carolers — roving the grounds in song.
- Tinsel-making demonstration at the Historic Tin Shop — a living-history look at how Christmas trimmings were made before they came in boxes.
- Ornament-making craft for kids, plus seasonal photo ops scattered through the village.
- Snow Ball Field — the open ground where the winter play happens.
Between stops, duck into the General Store to hear the interpreters talk through the goods and the season's trade, and browse the Village Store for something to take home.
Shop the Auxiliary's Holiday Market — and Eat While You're At It
The holiday market, presented by the HRT Women's Auxiliary, is where you'll do your browsing: stalls of seasonal goods set out across the village. Festive food and drink are on offer throughout the event, so you can graze your way between the market, the carolers, and the carriage line rather than breaking the afternoon for a sit-down meal. Bring cash for the stalls and leave room for something warm.
Come Back Friday for the Free Tree Lighting
The Community Tree Lighting falls on the first Friday in December, 5:00–6:00 p.m., and it costs nothing to attend. It's a short, separate evening from the weekend event — arrive before five, watch the tree come on, and you're back out into the dark within the hour. If you're making a weekend of it, this is the natural opening act: Friday night for the lighting, Saturday or Sunday afternoon for the full village program.
Book the Candlelight Tours Separately
On the same Saturday and Sunday, Historic Richmond Town runs Candlelight Tours — and these are ticketed separately from the main event. Admission to the daytime Christmas program does not include them. If the evening tours are the part you most want, buy those tickets through the event page, which sells via FareHarbor, and treat the daytime admission as its own purchase. The site lists no 2026-specific dates or prices; the reliable pattern is the first weekend in December, so check the event page as the season approaches and confirm the year's exact dates before you book travel.
Know Before You Go
- Address: Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10306. Note that this is Staten Island, not Queens — worth checking your route before you set out.
- Phone: (718) 351-1611 · Email: info@hrtown.nyc
- Regular site hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 1:00–5:00 p.m., if you want to visit outside the Christmas weekend.
- Timing: Saturday and Sunday, 12:00–5:00 p.m.; last carriage ride 3:45 p.m.; tree lighting Friday 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Pick your weekend around the first Friday in December, book the Candlelight Tours early if you want them, and plan to be in the carriage line well before a quarter to four. The rest — the carols, the tinsel, the market stalls — you can let unfold at walking pace.