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

 

1-29 CLARKDALE: Raptors on the Rails with Liberty Wildlife – Verde Canyon Railroad, as breathtaking as an eagle is in flight, a face-to-face encounter with a raptor is an equally astounding event, share the majesty of a rescued bald eagle at the depot and on the train Saturdays and Sundays throughout December, verdecanyonrr.com

 

1-29 SUPERIOR: History Walking Tour at the Arboretum – Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Phoenix historian Sylvia Lee narrates this two-hour walking tour focused on the life and time of Colonel William Boyce Thompson, and his Arboretum, btarboretum.org

 

1 – 01/11/20 GLENDALE: Glendale Glitters – Downtown Glendale. The holiday magic continues in downtown Glendale with 1.6 million dazzling lights, family-friendly activities and entertainment, food and beverages, shopping in and around downtown Glendale and much more, visitglendale.com

 

6 PHOENIX: Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley – The MIM Music Theater, bluegrass, mim.org

 

6 SIERRA VISTA: Annual Tree Lighting – Veterans Memorial Park, gather family and friends together to celebrate the wonder of the Christmas season, cookies and hot chocolate will warm our bodies as the sierravistaaz.gov

 

6-7 WICKENBURG: 31st Annual Cowboy Christmas Poetry Gathering – Desert Caballeros Western Museum, it is a place and time when cowboys, ranchers and folks involved in raising and caring for cattle and horses get together to celebrate the present in poetry, songs and story, outwickenburgway.com

 

6-28 CLARKDALE: The Magical Christmas Journey – Verde Canyon Railroad, holiday lights, music, and refreshments, train ride through a magic tunnel to the North Pole and back with Santa boarding the train at the whimsical North Pole Village, verdecanyonrr.com

 

7 COTTONWOOD: 26th Annual Chocolate Lovers’ Walk – Historic Old Town, more than 30 merchants compete to make the best chocolate, meander through the shops, purchase your ticket, oldtown.org/chocolate

 

7 COTTONWOOD: 65th Annual Christmas Parade – 80 entrants, floats, walking units, music, cottonwoodchamberaz.org

 

7 GLOBE/MIAMI: 32nd Annual Festival of Lights – Besh-Ba-Gowah Archeological Park, this year’s festival will feature 2800 glowing luminaries atop ancient ruin walls lighting the way for visitors to celebrate the magic of the season, entertainment, food and craft vendors, globeaz.gov/visitors/besh-ba-gowah

 

7 JEROME: Jerome Art Walk – Visit more than 30 of the unique art studios and galleries, meet the artists and see handcrafted art including jewelry, pottery, glass, leatherwork, paintings and sculpture and more, jeromeartwalk.com

 

7 PAYSON: 19th Annual Holiday Electric Light Parade – Main Street, celebrate this annual event by lighting up main street with decorated floats, trucks, and holiday carolers, enjoy a fun hometown family, paysonrimcountry.com

 

7 SIERRA VISTA: 61st Annual Holiday Parade – Fry Blvd., beautiful floats with lights and music celebrating 60 years of this traditional parade, sierravistaaz.gov

 

7-8 FLAGSTAFF: Winter Market – Museum of Northern Arizona, come admire, browse, and bring home some of the diverse arts created on the Colorado Plateau, from traditional weavings to contemporary paintings, as well as unique cards and gifts, musnaz.org

 

10 PHOENIX: David Benoit: A Charlie Brown Christmas – The MIM Music Theater, everybody loves the Peanuts Gang, sing along to holiday favorites, mim.org

 

12 PHOENIX: Holiday Swing with Maria Muldaur and John Jorgenson – The MIM Music Theater, holiday, music celebrating the season, mim.org

 

13 WICKENBURG: 25th Annual Christmas Parade of Lights – illuminated parade, Santa & Mrs. Claus immediately afterwards greet children and adults at WCO Little Red School House with cookies and hot cocoa, outwickenburgway.com

 

13-15 TUCSON: 48th Annual Fourth Avenue Fall Street Fair – 400+ arts & craft booths, food, entertainers & musicians from around the US, 2 stages & street performers, art area for kids, a cross between a fine art show & a carnival, fourthavenue.org

 

14 GLOBE: Christmas Light Parade – This year’s theme: One of the largest holiday events of the season presents more than 60 floats of all shapes and sizes, 928-425-9340 or globemiamichamber.com

 

14-15 APACHE JUNCTION: Old-Fashioned Christmas in the Barn Holiday Boutique – get into the holiday mood by celebrating in our specially decorated Apacheland Barn and grounds, perfect opportunity for last-minute shopping featuring artists and crafters superstitionmountainmuseum.org

 

14-15 PHOENIX: ‘Tis the Season: Holidays at MIM – Musical Instrument Museum, watch as MIM transform into a musical “Winter Wonderland” with seasonal songs and musical traditions from around the world, mim.org

 

20 PHOENIX: Esteban – Musical Instrument Museum, his name was given to him by legendary classical guitarist Andrés Segovia, who called him “Esteban” during his years of study with the master in Spain (1974–1978) and in the United States, mim.org

 

22 SUPERIOR: Edible-Medicinal Desert Plants Walk – Boyce Thompson Arboretum, on this walk you’ll see prickly pear cacti, the towering stalks of our native Agave chrysantha, and mesquite trees, with samples ranging from prickly pear jelly to nopalitos, mesquite flour, and agave nectar, btarboretum.org

 

28 GLENDALE: 49th Annual PlayStation Fiesta Bowl Football Classic – State Farm Stadium, the Fiesta Bowl has served over three million college football fans, hosted 12 Heisman Trophy winners, seven national championships, one College Football Playoff Semifinal and has become an integral part of college football’s postseason, fiestabowl.org

 

29-31 PHOENIX: Jim Brickman – Musical Instrument Museum, Brickman’s distinctive piano style and captivating live performances have revolutionized the popularity of instrumental music, making him a driving force behind modern American music, mim.org