From the second weekend of November through the first weekend of December, much of the holiday calendar near Hartsdale runs through one place, the Nature Center at Greenburgh at 99 Dromore Road. It starts with a guided bird walk on Saturday, Nov. 7. Next comes an outdoor holiday market on Nov. 14 and 15. A model train layout then runs inside the Manor House every weekend through Dec. 6.
The weekend to plan around is Nov. 14–15. The market opens and the train show starts on Saturday, Nov. 14. That is also the last day to register for the Town's Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 5. If you have kids and want a December that doesn't involve scrambling, this weekend is when you lock it in.
The season, date by date
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 a.m. Bird Walk at the Nature Center, $7 per person, all ages.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fall Day Camp for grades K through 3.
- Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14–15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Outdoor Holiday Market. The weekend Train Show opens the same Saturday, and Breakfast with Santa registration closes that day too.
- Saturday, Dec. 5. Breakfast with Santa at the Gerard J. Byrne Center, with sessions at 9 and 10 a.m. That evening, Ardsley lights its Christmas tree.
- Sunday, Dec. 6. Last day of the Train Show.
Nov. 7: the preserve with a guide, a week before the market
The season starts quietly. On Saturday, Nov. 7, at 9 a.m., lifelong birder Doug Bloom leads a walk through the preserve to spot local and migratory species. The Nature Center's calendar says Bloom has more than 60 years of birding experience. He is also Vice President of the Bronx River Sound Shore Audubon Society. The walk costs $7 per person, it's open to all ages, and you sign up through the Nature Center's events calendar.
This walk comes before the market tents, the vendors and the weekend train crowd arrive. If you want to see the grounds as they look on an ordinary fall morning, Nov. 7 is your chance. A week later you'll be back for the market.
Two weekday programs run in the same stretch. A Fall Day Camp on Nov. 11 runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for grades K through 3. For older kids, the Explorer Badge Junior Naturalist series for grades 6 through 8 meets Thursday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:30. Its remaining sessions run into December, ending Dec. 10.
Nov. 14–15: market outside, trains inside
The Holiday Market runs outdoors on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Nature Center describes local artists and vendors selling sustainable items across its 33 acres. On its calendar page it also mentions hand-crafted goods meant to make gifts with a personal touch.
The market closes at 2 p.m., earlier than the train show. That shapes the day. Shop outside first, then go into the Manor House for the trains, which run until 4 p.m. with last admission at 3:30. The Nature Center suggests the same order on its own page, telling visitors to head inside for the model train display once they're done shopping.
What's inside the Manor House
The Yonkers Model Railroad Club builds and runs the show. Its centerpiece is a 12-by-18-foot layout with trains running through countryside scenes. The layout includes a mountain with a train tunnel, a ravine, a stream, a model village and railroad crossings. The show is back after a 2025 run. Greenburgh Public Access posted video of last year's display if your kids want a preview.
Plan your visit around these details:
- When: Weekends only, Nov. 14 through Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., last admission 3:30 p.m.
- Price: $12 for adults and children, $11 for seniors, $5 for members. Children under 2 are free.
- What's included: Admission to the Animal Museum.
- Library passes: These count as the member rate.
The rule that changes a regular weekend visit
The bundled ticket matters most if you usually stop in just to see the animals. From Nov. 14 through Dec. 6, every weekend visitor to the Animal Museum has to buy the train show ticket. The Nature Center's event page puts it plainly:
"Both events are bundled without exception."
In practice, for four weekends the animals and the trains come as one ticket. If you only want the Animal Museum, the train show price applies on those weekends. A library pass gets you in at the $5 member rate. The bundling applies to train show weekends.
Nov. 14 is also a deadline
Breakfast with Santa isn't at the Nature Center, but it's on the same calendar. Greenburgh Parks & Recreation lists it for Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Gerard J. Byrne Center, 11 Olympic Lane, with seatings at 9 and 10 a.m. The cost is $7 per person. The Town's Fall/Winter 2026-27 guide sets the registration deadline for Nov. 14.
That's the same Saturday the market opens and the trains start. If your family is spending that morning on Dromore Road, register for Breakfast with Santa before you leave the house. Details are in the Greenburgh Guide, Fall/Winter 2026-27.
Dec. 5 can fill the whole day if you want it to. After breakfast at the Byrne Center, the train show is open that afternoon. That evening, the Village of Ardsley holds a free Christmas tree lighting from 6 to 8 p.m. Everyone meets at Legion Park and walks to the firehouse for music and refreshments, according to the village recreation listing. Ardsley's menorah lighting follows on Tuesday, Dec. 8, also from 6 to 8 p.m. It also starts at Legion Park, then moves to the Community Center for activities and refreshments.
After the trains: a newer table on Central Avenue
The market wraps up at 2 p.m. and the trains stop at 4, so a full visit can run from morning into mid-afternoon. For a meal back in Hartsdale, Golden Mirage at 285 North Central Avenue is one of the hamlet's 2026 openings. Lohud reported that the Asian restaurant opened on April 14 in the former Central Seafood space. Westchester Magazine's August dining roundup also listed it among the summer's openings.
The restaurant has been part of local life since it opened. In a May 2026 post, Supervisor Paul Feiner wrote that the owners spent many months working with contractors and government officials to get ready. The same post shared the restaurant's note that its first month had already included weddings, birthday celebrations and private parties. It also announced a traditional Chinese guzheng concert the restaurant sponsored that May.
Golden Mirage's online ordering page lists hours of 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. That fits a lunch after the market closes at 2 p.m. or an early dinner after the last train admission at 3:30. Hours at a newer restaurant can change, so check before you head over.
Your Nov. 14 checklist
- Register for the Dec. 5 Breakfast with Santa. Registration closes Nov. 14.
- Bring a library pass if you have one. It gets you the $5 member rate for the train show and Animal Museum.
- Start at the market. It closes at 2 p.m., and the trains run until 4.
- Plan lunch or an early dinner on Central Avenue afterward.
If you spend a lot of these weekends driving between Dromore Road, Central Avenue and the Byrne Center, you already know how well the Hartsdale area works for a family calendar. If you've wondered what that's worth in your own home's value, I'm happy to put together a complimentary home valuation for you before spring. Wendy Holt keeps track of the local calendar as closely as the local market.
