Advertisement. Advertise with us

Hill City Celebrations To Host 2025 Festival of Lights, First Night

ONEONTA—It’s the most wonderful time of year at Hill City Celebrations,” said Sean Lewis, chair of the Hill City Celebrations Board of Directors, as the organization gears up for the 2025 holiday season.

The annual Festival of Lights in Neahwa Park will run from Saturday, December 13 through Thursday, January 1 and, on December 31, Oneonta’s New Year’s Eve celebration will return to the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, offering free indoor entertainment and light refreshments for the whole family from 5-8:30 p.m.

The Festival of Lights, sponsored by Five Star Subaru, begins at sunset on Saturday, December 13, and all are invited to enjoy the first lighting, hot cocoa, popcorn, homemade cookies, entertainment, and visitors from the North Pole, including Santa Claus, organizers said. The festival will run every night through New Year’s Day. Admission is free every night and all are welcome to drive through Neahwa Park to enjoy dozens of light displays from area organizations and businesses.

You have reached your limit of 3 free articles

To Continue Reading

 

Our hard-copy and online publications cover the news of Otsego County by putting the community back into the newspaper. We are funded entirely by advertising and subscriptions. With your support, we continue to offer local, independent reporting that is not influenced by commercial or political ties.

Posted

Related Articles

Time Out Otsego: 01-17-26

ENERGY—2-5 p.m. “Catskills Energy Future.” Presented by the New York Energy Alliance. Film and conversation on a shift in NYC’s infrastructure strategy. Fees apply. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080 or https://www.foothillspac.org/…
January 16, 2026

Time Out Otsego: 12-21-25

HOLIDAYS—1-6 p.m. “Linda Leverock’s 4th Annual Snowflake Dance.” Fees apply; reservations appreciated. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, 24 Market Street, Oneonta. (917) 612-4054 or https://www.facebook.com/events/1163771222508621/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D…
December 20, 2025

Time Out Otsego: 12-13-25

OPENING NIGHT—7 p.m. “2025 Oneonta Festival of Lights.” Presented by Hill City Celebrations. Hot cocoa, popcorn, homemade cookies, Santa and more. Free admission. Neahwa Park, 15 James Georgeson Avenue, Oneonta. firstnightoneonta@gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/events/1749244749095664/…
December 12, 2025

PUTTING THE COMMUNITY BACK INTO THE NEWSPAPER

For a limited time, new annual subscriptions to the hard copy of “The Freeman’s Journal” or “Hometown Oneonta” (which also includes unlimited access to AllOtsego.com), or digital-only access to AllOtsego.com, can also give back to one of their favorite Otsego County charitable organizations.

$5.00 of your subscription will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice: Friends of the Feral-TNR, Super Heroes Humane Society, or Susquehanna Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 

Visit our “subscribe” page and select your charity of choice at checkout