Every year, we have readers ask us about holiday events in Phoenix. Since Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the USA, there are a plethora of holiday-related festivities...and many Tucson residents enjoy making the drive up to the Valley for a short day trip or staycation.
We've tried to narrow down the picks on this page to holiday events that are worth driving for. These events include concerts, plays, light displays, breakfasts and brunches, and hotel packages.
Events are organized alphabetically by city within the Phoenix metro area. Depending on where you live in Tucson and where are you are heading in Phoenix, you're looking at a drive between 90 minutes and 2.5 hours.
Gilbert is a town in Maricopa County, located southeast of Phoenix, which has a population of almost 290,000 residents. As the fifth-largest municipality in Arizona, Gilbert has lots of families (almost 1/3 of the residents are under age 18!).
Valor Christmas is Arizona’s largest and most spectacular holiday light show, featuring over 2 million synchronized LED lights, now at Valor Christian Center in Gilbert. Formerly known as Lights at the Farm, this event has grown into a must-see experience for families across the Valley. Enjoy a breathtaking display, synchronized to your favorite Christmas songs, as you make Valor Christmas your newest holiday tradition.
Glendale is a suburb slightly northwest of Phoenix. The population is just shy of 250,000 and holiday events within Glendale tend to be of a smaller scale. Glendale Glitters, however, makes our list for a fun, free light display in a charming downtown area.
Glendale Glitters celebrates its 31st Anniversary in Downtown Glendale!
The Kickoff Event will take place November 29th & 30th from 5:00pm-10:00pm each night.
This two day event will feature an exquisite arrangement of lights, complimented by beautiful interactive features and picture-perfect holiday displays! Enhance your enjoyment with fantastic products from vendors, the sweet sounds of holiday songs from carolers, and even a visit with Santa! Join the lighting ceremony on Nov. 29th @ 5:45pm in front of the Glendale Civic Center.
The Holiday Light display will remain up until January 1st, from 5:00pm-10:00pm each night. Enjoy some local holiday shopping and treats as you stroll through Downtown Glendale, taking in the magical lights and features!
Mesa is the 35th largest city in the United States (right behind Tucson at #33). As such, you'll find several larger-scale holiday events to go to.
Grab your family and friends and bring the holiday spirit to life. Embark on a 15-20-minute journey through endless lights and life-sized candy canes, snowmen, and Christmas trees.
Merry Main Street activities will be in full swing in downtown Mesa, There are numerous opportunities for all to shop, eat, and play!
Most Tucson people think of "Phoenix" as all of the suburbs on this page combined into one because you can seamlessly drive between cities without even knowing it. The below events, however, are in Phoenix proper.
Step into the world of Christmas wonder at the Celebration of Christmas, a special holiday experience for all generations. Get ready to be captivated by an all-new first act, showcasing a Broadway-style performance featuring live animals, a full orchestra, a breathtaking live nativity scene, awe-inspiring silk artists, and aerial acrobatic stunts that will leave you in awe.
It’s the Valley’s favorite holiday tradition – ZooLights! Shining bigger and brighter than ever with nearly four million lights, hundreds of dazzling displays, brand new Wildlife Lanterns, and the return of the tallest floating tree in North America, showcasing ORIGINAL music and a synchronized light show!
The adventure doesn’t stop there – visit the enhanced s’mores station, swing into the season in the interactive Glow Garden, and wind your way through the immersive 200-foot-long light tunnel! Santa will make his way to the Zoo for photo opportunities as well!
Queen Creek, which is just southeast of Chandler and Gilbert, is a smaller community with a population of 68,500.
Christmas has come to Schnepf Farms! Experience a winter wonderland like no other with seasonal food, fun and festivities for the whole family. Catch a ride on the World of Illumination Express, hop on a hayride to visit Rudolph or journey through Santa’s magic workshop. Your ticket includes:
Free Parking
Ice Skating
Sleigh Bell Slide
Christmas Movies
Santa’s Deer Hayride
Christmas Bonfires
Snow Globe Mini Golf
Santa’s Toy Shop
Meet & Greet Santa Claus
Pine Cone Decorating
Letters to Santa
Christmas Carousel
Giant Christmas Photo Ops
Christmas Caroling
Holiday Light Displays
Inflatable Obstacle Course
Outdoor Ice Skating
Games
Scottsdale is known for its pristine streets, lush landscaping, and luxurious resorts. Unsurprisingly, Scottsdale's holiday events are among the best in the state.
Christmas at the Princess is arguably the best Christmas event in the state of Arizona! Beginning in mid-November, the resort transforms into a winter wonderland with festive decorations, an ice skating rink, Santa’s Secret Headquarters, The Princess Express Train, The Village, Snow Mountain, Alpine Skate Trail, The Chair Lift, S'mores Land, Holiday Character Experiences, Twinkle Town, Nativity Garden Narrated Light Show, and over 6 million twinkling lights!
Hop on board the Paradise & Pacific Railroad and experience a winter wonderland of holiday lights and displays. No trip to the park is complete without a spin on the historic Charros Carousel or a cup of hot cocoa from Hartley’s General Store.
Enjoy a month-long holiday extravaganza featuring stunning décor, the best in dining and shopping, and more than 45 incredible events, including the signature Scottsdazzle Strolls. Families will enjoy Pancakes & Pajamas with Santa, trivia buffs will take on Spin & Cycle Scavenger Hunts, and those looking to get crafty should head to the beautifully-decorated Marshall Way Bridge for candle making and DIY decor ornaments.
The fireplace is crackling, lights are aglow in the lobby, and the smell of hot cocoa fills the air as Great Wolf Lodge gears up for its annual Snowland celebration! From Nov. 25 through Jan. 6, families will be swept into a winter wonderland, with daily snow showers, visits from Santa, seasonally themed crafts, holiday stories and songs, and an immersive snow-globe experience. During this seasonal celebration, families can enjoy an escape from the chilly winter weather at the resort’s expansive 84 degree indoor water park. Every overnight stay also includes a variety of complimentary family fun activities.
The Snow Globes are an add-on experience that immerse families in festive décor, dancing lights, sweet treats and family fun. Inside the Snow Globes, families will have their very own hot cocoa bar with all of the fixings, a cookie decorating kit and a host of festive holiday games to enjoy. The highlight of the experience is a glittering 30-minute holiday light show that takes place inside of the Snow Globe – featuring hundreds of dancing lights choreographed to seasonal music. Rates for the hour-long Snow Globes experience start at just $99 and include a keepsake Great Wolf Lodge ornament. The Snow Globes at Snowland experience is available to overnight guests of the resort, as well as local families looking for some festive fun.
Which holiday events are you looking forward to in Phoenix?
