Happy Friday, Rochester. In today’s edition: Rochester home price forecasts, winter faire, home alone 35th anniversary with Macaulay Culkin, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Experts split on price outlook: Realtor.com forecasts a 10.3 percent jump in Rochester home prices in 2026, fourth highest among top 100 metros. Zillow projects 2.6 percent, while a broker expects 7 to 8 percent — see how forecasts compare.

Building adaptive capacity together: Monroe County has begun a Climate Adaptation Resiliency Plan after a November meeting gathered input on heat, flooding, and storms, with more engagement ahead and completion expected by summer 2026 — get all the details.

Long-awaited west-side revival: Bull’s Head redevelopment advances in 2026 with street realignments starting in spring, a workforce center breaking ground, 16 for-sale homes planned, and 100-plus mixed-income and affordable apartments under consideration — see what’s planned and when.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Celebrate 100,000 books with 9 to 5
• Enjoy holiday woodworking, crafters, and raffles
• Run as Santa for child advocacy
• Sing along at Tuba Christmas
• See why December’s the best time to try new hearing aids
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%

🫶 We got your back

Genesee River Trail impacts: Exxon Mobil has joined New York’s Brownfield Cleanup Program to remediate 33 acres in Rochester once used by Vacuum Oil. Starting next spring, two feet of clean soil will cap contaminated areas. The north side is slated for redevelopment, the south for greenspace. The cleanup should take about two years; Exxon will reimburse $250,000. Read the full story.

Downtown sophistication reimagined: Prive at The Metropolitan has debuted as Rochester’s newest luxury perch: a 4,000-square-foot, 26th-floor venue with the city’s highest residential views. Built for retreats and chic parties, it seats 50 for dinner or 75 for cocktails, features a hidden catering kitchen, and has already hosted NBA forward P. J. Washington. Get all the details.

Neighborhood beer + bites: When the week needs a lift, Strangebird pours inventive pints and serves made-from-scratch plates with zero fuss. Cozy corners invite lingering, while an award-winning brew reminds you why living near great beer feels like a small luxury.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy that targets regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify your identity and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🏺 Vintage Holiday Tree Ceramics Class @ Halligan Creative Arts | Friday (12/5) at 6:30pm – If you’ve been waiting for a sign to indulge your inner holiday crafter, this ceramics class is it. Glaze your own vintage ceramic tree, the one grandma had, and leave with a piece that brings serious holiday charm to your home.

🎭 Her Christmas Carol @ Monsignor Schnacky Community Center | Friday (12/5) at 7:30pm – Bloomfield Rotary is flipping Dickens with Her Christmas Carol, a staged radio show set in 1957 Bloomfield with Mo McHugh as Frances Scrooge, plus the Bloomfield High School Holiday Singers. Expect nostalgia, refreshments, and $25 at the door or $20 online. Three performances, so you’ll have plenty of chances to catch it.

This weekend

🧶 Tina Turner Knits: Finish Your Holiday Projects @ Pittsford Community Library | Saturday (12/6) at 10:15am – We all have that half-knit scarf glaring at us from the basket, so bring it to Tina Turner Knits and actually finish the thing. Tina will rescue your project and your patience, fixing dropped stitches, weird seams, and wonky sleeves. Registration required, pride restored.

🛍️ ROC Holiday Art & Gift Marketplace – Sip & Shoppe @ The Penthouse at One East Avenue | Saturday (12/6) at 11:00am – Sip while you shop for genuinely unique holiday gifts, no fluorescent-lit frenzy required. Local makers, good finds, and grown-up beverages make ticking off the list almost pleasant. Buy two candles, pretend one’s a gift, and call it self-care.

🎬 A Nostalgic Night with Macaulay Culkin: Home Alone 35th Anniversary @ Rochester Broadway Theatre League | Saturday (12/6) at 7:00pm – It’s the ultimate holiday throwback: Home Alone on the big screen and a live conversation with Kevin McCallister himself. Macaulay Culkin shares behind-the-scenes stories, favorite on-set memories, and why the film still owns our nostalgic little hearts 35 years later. Bring your kids, channel your inner booby-trap engineer, and settle in for a night of laughs, cozy chaos, and Christmas magic—just don’t bring a camera unless you enjoy getting scolded.

❄️ Winter Faire @ The Strathallan | Sunday (12/7) at 10:00am – East Ave is doing time travel with a two-stop Winter Faire, a short stroll between Strathallan and the Century Club. Sip a Hattie’s cocktail, score a free caricature, then step into Dickens with carolers, 60+ makers, stitching, pet portraits, coffee, and giftable treats. Free entry.

🍂 Garden Skills: Soil & Decomposition @ Pittsford Community Library | Sunday (12/7) at 2:00pm – Put down the Miracle-Gro, this workshop digs into the real MVPs, soil and decomposition, with Gandhi Institute pros who make restorative practices and sustainability make sense. It pairs with Rochester Reads’ Soil by Camille T. Dungy, welcomes all ages, and yes, you need to register.

🎉 Holiday Gala @ Nazareth University Arts Center | Sunday (12/7) at 3:00pm – Whether you know a Naz student or just want the good stuff without the mall-speaker dread, the annual Holiday Gala lines up choirs, ensembles, and all the festive polish. Family-friendly, open to the public, with students getting comps, and faculty and staff scoring discounts.

Next week

🎨 The Magic of Natural Dyes | Group Art Classes @ Kali Ann Art Studio | Monday (12/8) at 6:00pm – Bring your kitchen scraps to Kali Ann Art Studio on East Main and turn onion skins, avocado pits, and other usual suspects into gorgeous, eco-friendly dyes. Paint a bandana with milk protein wizardry, then watch the color bloom. Ages 12+, easy parking.

🎄 A Very Merry Classic Christmas @ The Theater at Innovation Square | Monday (12/8) at 7:00pm – Think you’ve maxed out on carols? This Hudson Valley favorite packs dancers, choirs, marching bands, special effects, and a cameo from Santa, and you might even end up part of it. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/6 Christmas Sing-a-long @ Webster Community Room – 2 pm
• 12/6 Lucy Kaplansky and more @ First Unitarian Church of Rochester – 7:30 pm
• 12/7 2025-26 Salon Concert Series @ Rochester Academy of Medicine – 2 pm
• 12/7 96 Bitter Beings and more @ Photo City Music Hall – 6 pm
• 12/10 Great American Ghost and more @ Photo City Music Hall – 5:30 pm
• 12/11 Notes of Impressionism Detour @ Memorial Art Gallery – 6 pm
• 12/13 In Harmony- A Violin Duo @ Central Library – 1:30 pm
• 12/14 Drag Me to Christmas Brunch @ The Strathallan Rochester Hotel – 11 am