Holiday Happenings Near Eastmark 2023
The weather has finally cooled off around the Valley and holiday events are just around the corner! This year there are several holiday mainstays that your family can enjoy near Eastmark to ring in the holiday spirit.
Holiday Light Spectaculars:
- Eastmark Jingle Jog
- When: December 16 from 9:00am to 11:30am
- Location: Eastmark Great Park
- Activities: join us for a 2 mile walk or jog around the Eastmark Great Park
- Cost: FREE!
- Other fun facts: this event is a Fundraiser for House of Refuge
- Very Merry Eastmark
- When: December 16 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
- Location: Eastmark Great Park
- Activities: Pictures with Santa, Train Rides, Carnival Games and more!
- Cost: FREE!
- Tempe Fantasy of Lights Street Parade + Tree Lighting
- When: November 24, 2023 from 4:00pm to 9:00pm
- Location: Downtown Tempe
- Activities: street parade, tree lighting ceremony, live music and entertainment, and Santa photos
- Cost: FREE!
- Other fun facts: The parade begins at 6:00pm and the tree lighting ceremony starts at 7:00pm
- Gilbert Holiday Lighting Celebration
- When: Monday, November 27 from 6pm to 8:30pm
- Location: Water Tower Plaza – Downtown Gilbert
- Activities: free family activities, 360 video booth, letters to Santa, food trucks, hot cocoa, gourmet donuts, burgers, live music and more!
- Cost: FREE!
- Other fun facts: free family activities, food trucks, and live music
- Tempe World of Illumination – Cosmic Sleighride
- When: November 15 to December 31 | Tuesday to Sunday from 6:00pm to 10:00pm
- Location: Tempe Diablo Stadium – 2200 W Alameda Drive Tempe, AZ 85282
- Activities: drive-thru light experience featuring over 1 million lights in a 20-to-30-minute visual experience with space themed displays and music
- Cost: $39.99 per carload on weekdays, $49.99 per carload on weekends.
- Other fun facts: Arrival windows help control traffic and wait times can fluctuate
- Glendale World of Illumination – Reindeer Road
- When: November 18 to December 31 | Tuesday to Sunday from 6:00pm to 10:00pm
- Location: Desert Diamond Casino – 9431 N Northern Avenue Glendale, AZ 85305
- Activities: drive-thru light experience featuring over 1 million lights in a 20-to-30-minute visual experience with North Pole themed displays and music
- Cost: $39.99 per carload on weekdays, $49.99 per carload on weekends
- Other fun facts: Arrival windows help control traffic and wait times can fluctuate
- Las Noches de las Luminarias
- When: November 24-25, December 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 19-23, 26-30 from 5:30pm to 9:30pm
- Location: Desert Botanical Garden – 1201 N Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ
- Activities: walk through the sparkling luminaria-lit trails and holiday lights. There will also be musical performances, entertainment, and festive food and drinks.
- Cost: General Admission adults are $39.95 and youth are $16.95 | parking is complimentary
- Other fun facts: Luminaria Tributes are available for purchase to honor a loved one or celebrate a special occasion with a personalized message – prices begin at $125.
- McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Holiday Lights
- When: November 24 to January 7 from 6:00pm to 9:30pm
- Location: McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park – 7301 E Indian Bend Road Scottsdale, AZ
- Activities: step aboard the Paradise & Pacific Railroad through a winter wonderland illuminated with holiday lights and displays
- Cost: $15 per person which includes train and carousel rides; children 2 and under are free! Tickets can be purchased online
- Other fun facts: select a timeframe from 6pm, 7pm or 8pm
- Downtown Chandler Parade of Lights and Tumbleweed Tree Lighting
- When: Saturday, December 2 from 4:30pm to 9:00pm
- Location: Downtown Chandler – 3 S Arizona Avenue Chandler, AZ 85225
- Activities: Parade of Lights begins at 6:45pm; other activities include photos with Santa, inflatable bounce area, letters to Santa station, live music, and more!
- Cost: FREE!
- Other fun facts: parade route will begin at Frye Road and will head north to Erie Street along Arizona Avenue. Parking is available in several of the free parking garages.
- Riparian After Dark
- When: December 8 to 19 from 5:30pm to 9:00pm
- Location: Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch – 2757 E Guadalupe Road Gilbert, AZ
- Activities: stroll around the 1.5 miles of trails and walkways decorated with thousands of holiday lights and displays
- Cost: online tickets are on sale now for $5 per person plus tax, children 3 and under are free | tickets will also be on sale on-site for $10 per person plus tax – credit card only
- Other fun facts: Hot Chocolate and coffee food truck will be available serving holiday treats. Parking is available at the Southeast Regional Library. Bring a donation of dog food, new dog blankets, dog beds, or dog toys for various Maricopa County animal rescues each night of the event.
- Tempe Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade
- When: December 9, 2023 from 4:00pm to 9:00pm
- Location: Downtown Tempe – Tempe Town Lake
- Activities: this unique holiday event includes holiday shopping, festive eats and treats, and a dazzling boat parade on Tempe Town Lake with boats of all shapes and sizes and a fireworks show.
- Cost: FREE!
- ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo
- When: November 22 to January 14 from 5:30pm to 10:30pm
- Location: Phoenix Zoo – 455 N Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ
- Activities: nearly four million lights, dazzling displays and wildlife lanterns are accompanied by music and a synchronized light show; enjoy s’mores stations, visits with Santa, and more!
- Cost: walk-thru tickets cost $30 per person online and are $35 at the gate, children 2 and under are free
- Other fun facts: a Sensory Friendly Night with smaller crowds, quieter music, and reduced flashing lights is scheduled for Monday, December 4.
More Holiday Happenings:
- Pratt Brothers Christmas at Rawhide
- When: Wednesdays – Sundays from November 24 to December 24 | 6:00pm – 10:00pm
- Location: Rawhide Western Town – 5700 W North Loop Chandler, AZ 85226
- Activities: featuring over 6 million lights, a dazzling light show, magical train ride, nightly parade, stunt shows, Santa photos, cookie decorating, holiday shopping, and more!
- Cost: General Admission tickets are $29.00 (plus taxes and fees) – Children 3 and under are free
- Other fun facts: VIP tickets are also on sale and include a fast pass for the train rides, Santa Experience, s’mores and cookie decorating kit, a specialty cup and hot chocolate plus a VIP collectable laminate and bag. VIP pricing is $75.00 (plus taxes and fees). Military and first responder discounts available, four pack ticket combos available for $25.
- Christmas at Schnepf Farms
- When: Thursdays through Sundays from November 24 to December 24 | 5:00pm to 10:00pm
- Location: Schnepf Farms – 24810 E Rittenhouse Queen Creek, AZ
- Activities: activities include ice skating, Satna’s Hayride, bonfires, Santa meet & greet, pinecone decorating, snow globe mini golf, Christmas movies, an inflatable obstacle course, Christmas Carousel, beer & wine garden, and Illumination Express train ride
- Cost: General admission is $23 plus fees; children 2 and under are free
- Other fun facts: tickets are available online and at the door. Discounts available for military, police, and firefighters. Illumination Train Ride tickets are an additional $10.
- Mesa Merry Main Street
- When: November 24 to January 6
- Location: Downtown Mesa
- Activities: Winter Wonderland ice rink, visits with Santa, Mesa’s 40-foot-tall Christmas tree, Mesa’s 12-foot menorah, Jack Frost’s food truck forest, Santa Express light rail car, Mesa Temple Christmas lights, scavenger hunts
- Cost: FREE!
- Other fun facts: Tree lighting and kick-off starts at 5pm on November 24. Free parking is available in all open lots and on-street parking areas and free light rail rides from a park and ride location. Check online for Gnome on the Roam scavenger hunt rules and more details on the Reindeer Roll and Stroll.
- Enchant Christmas at Salt River Fields
- When: November 24 to December 31
- Location: Salt River Fields – 7555 N Pima Road Scottsdale, AZ 85258
- Activities: highlights include a light-maze, storefront villages with crafts and boutiques, ice skating trail, Santa visits, and a children’s play area
- Cost: tickets start at $34 for adults and $25 for junior tickets; children 2 and under are free – available for purchase online
- Other fun facts: military and senior discounts available as well as family pack pricing and a VIP add-on. Ice skating trail is an additional cost that can be booked online as well for $15 for adults and $10 for children 17 or younger. Parking may also be purchased online for $15. Special themed nights like a dog night or military night available for purchase online.
- 41st Annual Queen Creek Holiday Festival and Parade
- When: Saturday, December 2 from 2pm to 7pm
- Location: Queen Creek Library – 21802 S Ellsworth Road Queen Creek, AZ
- Activities: The festival opens at 2pm and the parade will start at 3:30pm. The festival will feature crafts, food and drink vendors, live local entertainment, activities, photos with Santa and more.
- Cost: FREE (cost for some carnival games, food, etc)
- Other fun facts: parade route will run north on Old Ellsworth Road and end near the Hampton Inn. Parking available at Queen Creek Bible Church and north/south dirt lots near the Queen Creek Library
- Vertuccio Lights at the Farm
- When: December 1 to December 30 | Sunday to Thursday 5:30pm to 9:30pm and Friday and Saturday 5:30pm to 10:00pm
- Location: Vertuccio Farms – 4011 S Power Road Mesa, AZ
- Activities: Arizona’s largest walk-thru Christmas lights display features more than 5 million dazzling lights, lighted displays, and tunnels of lights, and an ice rink
- Cost: General Admission tickets are $15-$18 plus fees; children 2 and under are FREE
- Other fun facts: Candy Cane Lane Holiday Boutique is open every weekend with over 75 vendors. Santa will be visiting the farm December 15-23 from 6pm to 10pm. Dog friendly to leached and friendly dogs. Select a time slot to enter at either 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Parking is free. Tickets can be purchased online or in person. Ice rink tickets are an additional $8.
- Tempe Menorah Lighting
- When: December 7, 2023 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
- Location: Ragsdale-MLK Park
- Activities: this is the second annual Menorah lighting ceremony, which will begin at 6:00pm
- Cost: FREE!
- Downtown Chandler Santa Bar Crawl
- When: Saturday, December 9 from 4:00pm to 11:30pm
- Location: Downtown Chandler – various bars participating
- Activities: hop from Chandler’s most festive venues in a sea of Santas of all shapes and sizes with free entry into the venues, drink specials, food specials, a Santa Costume Contest
- Cost: FREE – tickets available online
- Other fun facts: this event is for 21+ only
- Christmas at the Princess
- When: November 17 though January 6 | Monday – Thursday 5:00pm to 10:00pm; Friday – Sunday 4:00pm to 11:00pm
- Location: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess – 7575 E Princess Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85255
- Activities: 7.5 million lights, 128 fire pits and igloos, Santa experiences, Ferris wheel, 6,000 square foot outdoor ice rink, ice lounge
- Cost: General Admission tickets are $35.00 plus fees; children ages 3 and under are free
- Other fun facts: overnight resort guests also receive complimentary nightly admission to the festival and are provided VIP wristbands for express lane attractions. Parking sold separately for $40; other add-ons are available online
- Tempe Festival of the Arts
- When: December 1 to December 3 from 10:00am to 5:30pm
- Location: Downtown Tempe
- Activities: one of the oldest festivals in the southwest will feature over 350 artist booths, food trucks, live music stages and entertainment, beer & wine, and live chalk art and street performers
- Cost: FREE!
- Other fun facts: this is a dog-friendly event for leashed and well behaved dogs
- Chandler Turkey Swim
- When: Thursday, November 23 from 5:30am to 7:30am
- Location: Hamilton Aquatic Center – 3838 S. Arizona Ave Chandler, AZ
- Activities: On Thanksgiving morning, come take a dip before diving into all the delicious food – the lap swimming pool will be heated and open to the public for a couple hours.
- Cost: Free with donation of canned food item
- Other fun facts: The canned food items will be donated to the Compassion Center in Chandler
- Holiday Market at Legacy Park
- When: November 24, 25, and 26 from 10:00am to 4:00pm
- Location: Legacy Park – 6321 S Ellsworth Road Mesa, AZ
- Activities: free photos with Santa, 200+ vendors, live music, kid’s activities, food trucks
- Cost: $5 entry and $5 to park
- Zoo Move & Groove 5k Run
- When: Saturday, January 20, 2024 | race begins at 5:30pm and ZooLights is open for participants from 6:00pm to 9:00pm
- Location: Phoenix Zoo – 455 N Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ
- Activities: a 5k race starts at the front of the zoo and loops throughout the zoo exhibits. Once you finish, take in the sights of the ZooLights lights before they are removed for the season. Enjoy raffles, hot cocoa, and kettle corn after the race as well.
- Cost: 5k race pricing is $40 if you sign up before December and goes up to $50 before the race. Day of pricing is $65 and spectator ZooLights admission only for 1/20 is $20.
- Other fun facts: The 5k race benefits the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation and the Phoenix Zoo. Race participants will receive a commemorative shirt, admission into ZooLights, 1 raffle ticket, glow necklace and complimentary kettle corn and hot cocoa. Strollers are allowed to participate as well.
We hope everyone has a safe and happy holidays!