"The holidays are here in the Hudson Valley, grander and more gilded than ever!" That's the opening line of Lyndhurst's page for Fleurs de Villes THE GILDED AGE, the floral exhibition that takes over the mansion from Dec. 4 to 13. The show is built around HBO's The Gilded Age, and Lyndhurst is one of the series' filming locations. That means the estate is hosting a show about a TV series that was partly filmed in its own rooms. Season 4 debuted on HBO Max on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Those 10 days also change the shape of the rest of the season. The show opens on a Friday, and the Village's Holiday Happening is the next day, Saturday, Dec. 5. The Village events in November lead up to that weekend. Lyndhurst's other holiday programs fall before and after it, and each has its own ticket rules.
What fills the mansion Dec. 4–13
There will be 15 fresh-floral mannequins placed through the Mansion and the Carriage House alongside Lyndhurst's seasonal Gilded Age Christmas décor. Local floral designers made each one to represent a character from the series. Examples include the bold gowns of Bertha Russell, the refined style of Agnes van Rhijn, Marian Brook's understated elegance and Peggy Scott's modern perspective. Visitors can vote for a favorite mannequin. Live floral demonstrations and talks about the Gilded Age run throughout the show.
Here's what a visit involves:
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, Dec. 4–13.
- Price: $40 online or $45 at the door. Tickets are non-refundable.
- Arrival: Get there 15 minutes before your entry time and check in at the Welcome Center.
- Access: You'll stand for long stretches and climb stairs, and the building has no elevator.
- Bags: Large bags, backpacks and strollers aren't allowed in the mansion.
The ticket also covers the Gilded Age Pavilion. It holds a pop-up French café called The Gilded Café and a pop-up boutique from House of Brinson.
The 7 p.m. closing time is the detail that changes plans. Last entry for Lyndhurst's regular holiday tours is 3 p.m. During the floral show, the mansion stays open into the evening, so a visit can fit after work or after the Village's Saturday events.
The Fleurs page also says there will be no guided tours of the mansion that weekend. If you want the guided holiday tour, book a date outside Dec. 4–13.
Four ways into Lyndhurst, each with its own rules
The floral show is one of four holiday programs at Lyndhurst this year. They differ in timing, price and who they suit.
| Program | Dates | Entry | Adult ticket | Before you go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday Market Weekend | Nov. 27–28 | Last mansion entry at 4 p.m. | $10 market only; $30 mansion and market | Children 5 and under free |
| Holiday Classic Mansion Tour | Nov. 29–Dec. 27 | Every half hour, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. last entry | $29 | Online, in advance; not recommended under age 6 |
| Fleurs de Villes THE GILDED AGE | Dec. 4–13 | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., timed entry | $40 online, $45 on-site | No elevator, no strollers |
| Mr. Dickens Tells A Christmas Carol | Select dates, Dec. 18–26 | Starts on time, no late seating | $49 | Ages 8 and up |
All four require tickets, and all four tickets are non-refundable. Lyndhurst's box office is at 914-631-4481, open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday through Monday. The mansion is closed on Wednesdays, with one exception this season: it opens on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2026.
Lyndhurst takes part in Museums for All. Mansion tickets are $5 each for up to four people per EBT card. Reserve online with the EBT/SNAP ticket option and show the card at the Welcome Center.
The Village calendar starts the Sunday before Thanksgiving
The Village's own season starts on Sunday, Nov. 22, with the Peter K. Oley Turkey Trot. The race is named for the coach who led Irvington High School track and cross-country for 50 seasons, from 1956 to 2005. He helped create the Turkey Trot, and the Village calls him the "Godfather of Running."
The 2.5-mile course runs through the village:
- Start in the Dows Lane School parking lot at 2:00 p.m.
- Run along Dows Lane Road, then turn left onto Broadway.
- Turn left onto Sunnyside Lane, then left onto the Aqueduct.
- Cross Main Street to Memorial Park, then continue to the finish.
Registration is online only, and there's no race-day sign-up. The deadline is Friday, Nov. 20, at 4:00 p.m. through the Village's registration page. Residents pay $25 for runners 16 and under and $30 for adults 17 and over. Nonresidents pay $30 and $35. Pick up bibs and shirts in the Dows Lane School gym between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. A free Fun Run for ages 5 to 8 starts at 2:10 p.m., and children can sign up for it at the gym that day. Children 9 and under run with an adult. Medals are handed out around 3:15 p.m.
The race is co-sponsored by the Irvington Girl Scout Community and Lenco Tile. The Girl Scouts hold a bake sale after the race.
The same weekend, Irvington Theater is staging Broadway Training Center's production of Come From Away. Shows are Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m. The show runs 1 hour 40 minutes with no intermission and is rated PG. The Sunday matinee starts an hour after the race, so a household can do both on Nov. 22.
Thanksgiving weekend: the market, then the tours
Lyndhurst's Holiday Market Weekend is Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27–28. Visitors can walk through the decorated mansion and shop the market. Lunch comes from Geordanes of Irvington, which will be serving on-site, and the Lyndhurst Museum Store is stocked for the holidays. If you buy the combined ticket, keep the 4 p.m. cutoff in mind, because last entry to the mansion is strictly 4 p.m. A limited number of tickets is released for each event, and Lyndhurst notes that events do sell out.
The Holiday Classic Mansion Tours start the next day, Sunday, Nov. 29. The tour takes about an hour on your feet and visits two floors. Only the first floor is wheelchair accessible. That leaves five days between the start of the tours and the floral show for a guided visit before December gets busy.
Thursdays in between
On the first two Thursdays of December, the Irvington Public Library runs two children's storytimes:
- Lois's Little Listeners: 10:45 to 11:15 a.m., for ages 19 months to 4 years.
- Book Bunch: 4 to 4:30 p.m., for ages 4 and up.
Both meet on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, and each session requires its own registration.
Main Street has a new stop for the drop-off-and-errands part of the day. Bliss Bakehouse opened in May. It's a small-batch bakery run by Alison Stinson and Jason Breen, who are married. The Hudson Independent reported in June that the bakery serves brunch all day Saturday and Sunday. It also reported that Stinson planned to make seasonal pies and a holiday Bûche de Noël to special order. If you're hosting in December, it's worth asking about those orders well ahead of time.
Dec. 4–5: the busiest weekend of the season
The floral show opens on Friday, Dec. 4. The Village's Holiday Happening is the next day, Saturday, Dec. 5. Fleurs de Villes stays open until 7 p.m. both days, so you can fit in a mansion visit without missing the Village celebration. For the busiest weekend of the season, buy your timed entry online ahead of time. It's cheaper than buying at the door, and you'll have a confirmed entry time.
After the flowers come down
Once the floral show closes on Dec. 13, Lyndhurst moves to theater. Mr. Dickens Tells A Christmas Carol plays on select dates from Dec. 18 to 26. Actor Michael Muldoon recreates Charles Dickens's 1867 American reading tour, using Dickens's original performance script, in the mansion's second-floor Art Gallery. The performance lasts an hour with no intermission, and Lyndhurst suggests allowing 90 minutes including check-in. Every ticket must be bought in advance. There's no late seating, phones can't be used during the show, and parking is free. The program is supported in part by ArtsWestchester.
The Holiday Classic Mansion Tours continue through Sunday, Dec. 27. With the mansion open on Wednesday, Dec. 23, there's an extra day for a visit with family who are in town for the holidays.
A busy December calendar also affects which weekends suit an open house in Irvington. If you're planning a winter or spring sale, Wendy Holt can go through the timing with you over coffee at Bliss and give you a clear read on your home's value. Request a complimentary home valuation.
