When to Come

Weather

Many people have heard about the Arizona dry heat. But, while the Valley of the Sun is experiencing hot, pool like temperatures in the summer, just 1 to 2 hours north or northeast people are layering their clothes for cool and crisp weather. And in the winter, while central and southern Arizona are enjoy mild temperatures and chilly nights, folks in the high country of Flagstaff and the White Mountains are bundling up, sliding down the hill with their sleds or waxing up those skis and heading to the ski resorts for some fresh powder.

 

 

Events Calendar

 

December 2019

 

1 COTTONWOOD: 25th Annual Chocolate Lovers’ Walk – Historic Old Town, more than 30 merchants compete to make the best chocolate, meander through the shops, receive map & collect chocolates, oldtown.org/chocolate

 

1 COTTONWOOD: 64th Annual Christmas Parade – 80 entrants, floats, walking units, music, 928-634-7593 or cottonwoodchamberaz.org

 

1 GLOBE/MIAMI: 31st Annual Festival of Lights – Besh-Ba-Gowah Archeological Park, festival features 2800 glowing luminaries atop ancient ruin walls lighting the way for visitors to celebrate the magic of the season, cultural entertainment, 928-425-0320 or globeaz.gov/visitors/besh-ba-gowah

 

1 JEROME: Jerome Art Walk – visit more than 30 of the unique art studios and galleries, meet the artists, jewelry, pottery, glass, leatherwork, clothing, paintings and sculpture, made both locally and internationally, jeromeartwalk.com

 

1 KINGMAN: 22nd Annual Very Merry Parade of Lights – Beale Street, Brilliantly lighted floats, vehicles, candy for the kids and maybe an appearance from Santa, parade travels down Beale Street starting at Locomotive Park, 928-753-6106 or gokingman.com

 

1 PAYSON: 18th Annual Holiday Electric Light Parade – annual event by lighting up main street, decorated floats, trucks, and holiday carolers, come and see the bright lights and enjoy a fun hometown family event, 928-478-1065 or paysonrimcountry.com

 

1-23 CLARKDALE: Canyon Christmas Train – Verde Canyon Railroad, view of a magical holiday village and an illuminated adventure, a bald eagle is the heart of Verde Canyon Railroad’s Christmas story, holiday Train runs Saturdays and Sundays, verdecanyonrr.com

 

1 – 01/12/19 GLENDALE: Glendale Glitters Enchanted Evenings – Historic Downtown. Holiday entertainment, food, crafts, horse drawn carriage rides, 623-930-2299 or glendaleaz.com/events

 

2 KINGMAN: Santa’s Hualapai Wonderland – Hualapai Mountain Park, visit Santa, go on an old-fashioned hayride, roast marshmallows, drink hot cocoa and eat cookies, 928-681-5700 or kingmantourism.org

 

4 YUMA: Behind the Big Guns Tour – A rare chance for a “behind-the-scenes” look at the U. S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, one of the largest military facilities (by land area) in the world, a look at other areas and activities most civilians don’t get to see, reservations required, visityuma.com

 

7-8 WICKENBURG: 29th Annual Cowboy Christmas Poetry Gathering – Desert Caballeros Western Museum, poetry, ballads, stories about cowboy heritage, singing & story tellin’, 928-684-5479 or wickenburgchamber.com

 

8 GLOBE: Christmas Light Parade – presenting more than 60 floats of all shapes and sizes, 928-425-9340 or globemiamichamber.com

 

8 PAGE: Santa’s Layover Vendor Fair – Page Municipal Airport, 928-645-2741 or PageChamber.com

 

8 – 03/10/19 Wickenburg: Wagons West – Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Chuck wagons and Conestogas, freight wagons and stagecoaches all played important roles in the settling of the West as seen in the paintings, sculpture, and artifacts on loan from several private collections, 928-684-2272 or westernmuseum.org

 

14 WICKENBURG: 23rd Annual Christmas Parade of Lights – Yavapai street, classic cars, wagons, individuals, APS Electric Automobiles, Santa & Mrs. Claus immediately afterwards greet children and adults with cookies and hot cocoa, 928-684-5479 or wickenburgchamber.com

 

14 – 03/10/19 Wickenburg: “John Coleman: Bronze and Beyond” and “Wagons West” – Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Modern Western master John Coleman has expanded his repertoire well beyond his original bronzes to include paintings and drawings, 928-684-2272 or westernmuseum.org

 

15 PAGE: Parade of Lights and Christmas in the Park –928-645-2741 or Pagechamber.com

 

15 SOMERTON: 12th Annual Somerton Tamale Festival – Somerton Main Street, new local tradition, about 85,000 tamales of all varieties will be served up, live music and entertainment, 928-388-4837 or visityuma.com

 

15-16 Phoenix: ’Tis the Season: Holidays – Musical Instrument Museum, celebrate our annual holiday program featuring musical performances and holiday-themed activities, MIM will transform into a musical “Winter Wonderland” with songs and musical traditions that spread tidings of good cheer around the world throughout this season, 480-478-6000 or mim.org

 

21-22 Phoenix: The Manhattan Transfer- Musical Instrument Museum, Celebrating their forty-fifth anniversary in 2017, the Manhattan Transfer continues to set the standard as one of the world’s greatest and most innovative vocal groups, 480-478-6000 or mim.org

 

26 PHOENIX: 30th Annual Cheez-It Bowl – Chase Field, featuring a Pac-12 team vs. a Big 12 conference football team, 480-350-0911 or fiestabowl.org

 

31 FLAGSTAFF: New Year’s Eve Pinecone Drop – Weatherford Hotel, a Flagstaff tradition, big countdown at 10 pm & 12 am, giant, LED-Lighted Pine Cone is lowered from the top of the Historic Weatherford Hotel, flagstaffarizona.org