The best Christmas events in Arizona, from Scottsdale to Flagstaff

Arizonans don’t have to travel far to find winter wonderlands to visit during the holidays.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, many places across Arizona celebrate the season with elaborate light displays, parades, music, holiday markets and other special events.

These celebrations all aim to inspire a holiday feeling, whether strolling through a massive light display around metro Phoenix or taking a trolley from a Flagstaff hotel to Santa’s Workshop.

And in parts of Arizona with higher elevations, people can experience colder temperatures for cozy holiday vibes. If they time their visits right, they might even see snow.

Here’s a look at some of the best holiday celebrations to experience in Arizona in 2025.

Scottsdale: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

One of Arizona‘s most popular holiday events is the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess’ annual holiday extravaganza, for which the north Scottsdale resort is decorated with more than 16 million lights. Christmas at the Princess also features a 6,000-square-foot ice rink, a 120-foot-tall Ferris wheel, fire tables and experiences with Santa (until Christmas Eve).

Christmas at the Princess runs from Nov. 21 to Jan. 3, 2026. Admission for the 2025 season is free for hotel guests and $40 for the general public. Parking is not included; it costs $40 for self-parking or $135 for valet parking.

Details: 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale. 800-344-4758, scottsdaleprincess.com.

Phoenix: Jingle at JW Desert Ridge

Following a massive resort-wide renovation that included a transformation of its pool area, JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa launched its own Christmas event: Jingle at JW Desert Ridge. The event is returning for its second year in 2025, with activities including ice skating and snow tubing. New this year is a holiday lights stroll along the lazy river at the resort’s AquaRidge Waterpark.

Jingle at JW Desert Ridge will take place from Nov. 21 to Jan. 3, 2026. Experience passes start at $29 per person. Short-term valet parking for up to four hours is available for $15, though some experience passes include parking.

Details: 5350 E. Marriott Drive, Phoenix. 480-293-5000, jwdesertridge.com.

Williams: The Polar Express

Grand Canyon Railway, the train connecting Williams with the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, has a train that goes to the North Pole during the holidays.

The Polar Express, inspired by the Christmas story of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg and its 2004 film adaptation, runs from Nov. 7 to Dec. 30 for the 2025 holiday season. During the 90-minute experience, the train travels to the “North Pole” and families can see Santa Claus.

Polar Express rides are offered at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. from Nov. 7 to Dec. 30 and cost $73 for adults and $59 for children on most nights. Reservations are required. Be aware that the Polar Express does not go all the way to the Grand Canyon.

Details: 233 N. Grand Canyon Blvd., Williams. 800-843-8724, thetrain.com.

Jerome: Light Up The Mountain

Jerome, the historic mining town described as a “fairy tale setting,” hosts its annual tree lighting event the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Light Up The Mountain kicks off the holiday season with a day of music, shopping and appearances from Santa and Mrs. Claus, which culminates in the lighting of the Christmas tree in Upper Park.

Light Up The Mountain will take place from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, in downtown Jerome. The event is free.

Details: 928-634-2900, jeromechamber.com.

Flagstaff: North Pole Experience

From Nov. 21 until Christmas Eve, Flagstaff’s Little America Hotel is the base for journeys to Santa’s Workshop. The North Pole Experience gives families the chance to see the behind-the-scenes magic that powers Santa’s Christmas cheer, starting with a trolley ride from the hotel to Santa’s toy factory.

Families can work side-by-side with Santa’s elves to build toys, enjoy treats from Mrs. Claus’ bakery like her “Yetti-os” mini doughnuts, attend Elf University to learn what it takes to be one of Santa’s helpers, and visit the top-secret hangar where Santa keeps his sleigh.

The North Pole Experience is open from 7:50 a.m. to 9 p.m. on select dates from Nov. 21 to Dec. 24. Tickets cost $58-78 per person, depending on the time and date.

Details: 2515 E. Butler Ave., Flagstaff. 928-779-7900, northpoleexperience.com.

Prescott: Christmas parades and courthouse lighting

If you have Buddy the Elf-level of excitement for the holiday season, consider a road trip to Arizona‘s official Christmas City.

Prescott hosts multiple Christmas events through the season, kicking off with not one, but two parades: the Holiday Light Parade and Bonfire, which concludes with a bonfire at Mile High Middle School; and the Prescott Christmas Parade, which includes an appearance from Santa Claus at the Plaza. The Holiday Light Parade and Bonfire is 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29. The Prescott Christmas Parade is 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

The evening of the Prescott Christmas Parade is when the Courthouse Lighting takes place, an event where Courthouse Square becomes aglow in more than 100,000 holiday lights. 2025 will mark the Courthouse Lighting’s 71st year; it kicks off at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, concluding with a fireworks display.

Details: 928-445-2000, experienceprescott.com.

Prescott: Acker Night Musical Showcase

Also part of Prescott’s holiday event repertoire is the Acker Night Musical Showcase, when downtown streets are closed to vehicles, and businesses stay open as entertainers play music. It’s a free event, but it raises donations for music scholarships for Prescott’s youth.

Acker Night has been a holiday tradition in Prescott since 1988 and raised about $50,000 in scholarships in 2022, according to the event’s website.

Details: 928-778-5460, ackernight.com.

Prescott Valley: Valley of Lights

A 1-mile stretch of Prescott Valley through Fain Park transforms into a dazzling drive-through light show. Valley of Lights, a longtime tradition in the community, boasts elaborate and animated light displays.

Valley of Lights runs from Nov. 27 through Dec. 30, open from 6 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. A $5 donation per car is suggested.

Details: 2200 N. Fifth St., Prescott Valley. 928-772-8857, pvchamber.org.

Flagstaff: Winter Wonderland in Heritage Square

Sometimes called “Arizona‘s Winter Wonderland” because of its snowfall, Flagstaff is one of the places where a white Christmas is possible inArizona. But even if it doesn’t snow on the 25th, Flagstaff has plenty of holiday festivities to make it feel like Christmas, starting with the Winter Wonderland and Tree Lighting in downtown Flagstaff’s Heritage Square.

This free, family-friendly event culminates with the lighting of a Christmas tree downtown, but there are other activities throughout the day, including caroling, cookie baking, drinking hot cocoa and eating s’mores.

The event runs from 2:30 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. The tree lighting is scheduled for 5:45 p.m., according to Discover Flagstaff.

Details: 6 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff. downtownflagstaff.org.

Flagstaff: Museum of Northern Arizona Winter Market

The Museum of Northern Arizona will ring in the holiday season and showcase Native art with its annual Winter Market and Open House, held on the first weekend of December. The market will feature 25 Indigenous artists from the Colorado Plateau region selling art, ornaments, jewelry, pottery and weavings. The event will also feature activities for children such as puppet shows and crafts.

The market will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7. The event is free and admission to the museum is also free that weekend. (It usually costs $18 to visit the museum.)

Details: 3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff. 928-774-5213, musnaz.org.

Camp Verde: Victorian Christmas Celebration

Every Christmas, Fort Verde Historic Park nods to the era when it was a U.S. Army outpost during the Indian Wars, adorning the fort with Victorian-style holiday decorations.

Park visitors can see the decorations throughout December. And on Saturday, Dec. 6, the park will host a Victorian Christmas Celebration featuring a tree lighting ceremony with carolers at dusk and candlelit tours of the buildings along Officer’s Row from 6 to 8 p.m.

The celebration is included in the cost of park admission, which is $10 for adults and $5 for children between the ages of 7 and 13.

Details: 125 E. Hollamon St., Camp Verde. 928-567-3275, azstateparks.com.

Payson: Winter Wonderland and Electric Light Parade

The Mogollon Rim city of Payson will have two events in one in the middle of the season, its third annual Winter Wonderland along Payson’s historic downtown and the 36th annual Electric Light Parade that travels from Main Street to the Sawmill Theater.

Festivities begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, with inflatables, games, food trucks, local vendors, and an ice rink, where guests can go ice skating through January. A tree lighting ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Deming Pioneer Park.

The light parade, which has the theme of “Christmas Around the World,” starts at 6:30 p.m.

Details: 928-472-5110, paysonrimcountry.com.

Reporting by Michael Salerno, Arizona Republic

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