A wall of lights near the pollinators exhibit Zoo Lights at Reid Park Zoo in 2020.

 Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

You can tell we are officially in the holiday season just by driving through any Tucson neighborhood as soon as the sun goes down.

In addition to porch lights, many of your neighbors have strung sparkling blue, green, red and white holiday lights from the eaves.

And the more holiday ambitious among them will add some lights to their lawns and Christmas decorations including inflatables — Santa, Christmas trees and snowmen are particularly popular this year, according to The Spruce, a website that offers “real-life tips and inspiration to help you make your best home.”

You can also tell the holidays are here by the return of those classic annual events that put us squarely in the ho-ho-ho mood. Several of those events are already underway and a couple take place this weekend.

We have our sights set on a handful that we won’t miss, especially since we had to skip them last year thanks to that dang COVID-19 pandemic. While the events are back this year, some are requiring certain protocols including recommending that masks be worn as noted.

Annual Tucson Tamal & Heritage Festival at Casino Del Sol west of Tucson.

16th Tamal Festival

When and where: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, the AVA at Casino del Sol, 5655 W. Valencia Road.

How much: Admission is free

The event: Tamales are a must for the holidays in Tucson and Southern Arizona. And this is the event that celebrates tamales that take their cues from the Southwest and Mexico. Individuals and organizations offer up handmade tamales crafted from generations-old family recipes. It’s your chance to stock your freezer for the holidays or snag a few new ideas to add to your family tamale-making traditions.

In addition to sampling and buying tamales, there’s a tamale contest, live entertainment, food and artisan vendors, a farmer’s market and fun events for the kiddos.

Details: casinodelsol.com

ZOOlights

When and where: 6 to 8 p.m. nightly Friday, Dec. 3-Dec. 24, with encore nights Dec. 26-30 at the Reid Park Zoo, 3400 Zoo Court, off South Country Club Road and East 22nd Street; members-only preview Thursday, Dec. 2.

How much: $11 for adults 15 and older, $9 for seniors 62 and older and $7 for children 2 to 14; 1 and younger are free

The event: The Reid Park Zoo dresses in twinkling lights, jingle bells and falling snow with light displays throughout the park and animal-themed light sculptures. This has become a holiday tradition in Tucson and kids love it not only because they get to see a few of favorite animals by moonlight, but they also get to see Santa. Note: Santa heads back to the North Pole after Christmas.

Details: reidparkzoo.org

A boy watches the show of lights, music and fountains at the corner of Treat Circle and Farr St., one of the most elaborate displays at the 69th Annual Winterhaven Festival of Lights in 2018.

71st annual Winterhaven Festival of Lights

When and where: 6 to 10 p.m. daily Dec. 11-26 throughout the Winterhaven community, off East Fort Lowell and North Country Club roads

Cost: Free; you can either drive through or walk around to view the lights

The event: If COVID had not cancelled the 2020 festival, this year’s event would be the 72nd time that residents of this historic central Tucson neighborhood decked their houses out with literally thousands of light and lawn displays. These folks here take Christmas and holiday decorations seriously. It’s such an honored tradition that Tucson Electric Power kicks in as a title sponsor, helping to defray the increased cost of flipping the switch on all those lights night after night for three weeks.

Details: winterhavenfestival.org

Luminaria Nights at Tucson Botanical Gardens.

Wanderland

When and where: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays Dec. 3-Jan. 2; closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day at Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way

Cost: $15 adults, $8 for children 4 to 17, $13 for seniors, students 18 and older and military; discounts for Botanical Garden members

The event: This is where holiday lights go old school. Stroll the garden’s paths lit up with more than 3,000 luminarias and more than a dozen Korean lanterns. And the gardens are taking on a quintessential holiday flair with more than 200 elegant poinsettias and a 10-foot tall succulent trees lit up with a colorful array of LED lights. Festive holiday music will serve as your soundtrack.

Details: tucsonbotanical.org

Visitors take in live music with lights strung all overhead during the 2018 Holiday Nights at Tohono Chul Park.

Holiday Nights 2021

When and where: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 10-11 and Dec. 17-18 at Tohono Chul Gardens, 7366 Paseo del Norte, off West Ina Road

Cost: $17 for adults, $6 for children with discounts for park members; masks are mandatory

The event: Tohono Chul is stunning by moonlight, so imagine strolling the paths guided by more than a million twinkling lights as musicians and artists perform. (No, we’re not going to count every one of those lights to fact-check them.) This is the event that dares you not to join along in a holiday sing-along or glimpse the night sky through a telescope. They also will have hot chocolate and other sweet treats for sale.

Details: tohonochul.org

The Old Pueblo Holiday Radio Show

When and where: 1 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.

Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at the door; ticketholders must provide proof of a COVID vaccination or negative test taken 72 hours before the show

Fitzsimmons

The event: Hosted by Arizona Daily Star editorial cartoonist and all-around Tucson funnyman David Fitzsimmons, the Old Pueblo Radio Show is a very funny and totally Tucson take on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” radio show.

Did we mention that Old Pueblo Radio Show is much, much, much funnier? Fitz ropes in a host of local celebrities including his Arroyo Café Players to perform skits, standup and music. Among the guests this year: Bryan Lopez, Crystal Stark, Katherine Byrnes, Reveille Men’s Chorus’ “The Grandsons of the Pioneers,” Sly Slipetsky on piano and a special mystery guest.

Proceeds benefit a dozen Tucson charities including the Tucson Diaper Bank, Tu Nidito, Youth on Their Own, AZPM, American Cancer Society, Homicide Survivors, Emerge Domestic Violence Shelter, The Community Food Bank, Humane Society of Southern Arizona, No Mas Muertes, Casa Alitas and Casa de los Niños.

Details: rialtotheatre.com

The Christmas tree comes alive for the crowd during the Marana Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting in 2016.

Christmas in Marana and Oro Valley

After turning its annual event last year into a drive-through celebration, the Town of Marana is flipping the switch on its 25-foot Christmas tree at town hall for its annual Holiday Festival & Christmas Tree Lighting on Saturday, Dec. 4. The festival brings out hundreds of residents who celebrate with hours of live music from Marana High School’s choir and orchestra, Marana Children’s Choir, the Tucson Girls Chorus’ Northwest Choirs, dance from Mountain View High, Centre Stage Dance Studio and Showbiz Academy of Dance and a concert with Kevin Pakulis and his band.

Artisans will have booths set up in the parking lot of Town Hall, 11555 W. Civic Center Drive, where the Marana High School Marching Band will escort Santa and Mrs. Claus around 3 p.m. That’s also where you will find more than 40 food vendors selling everything from barbecue and hot dogs to cotton candy and popcorn. Kids events include a holiday kiddie train and bounce zone.

The festival runs from 3 to 8 p.m. — tree lighting ceremony expected to happen at 6 — and there is no cost.

Details: maranaaz.gov

Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance is hosting the two-day Oro Valley Festival of the Arts and Holiday Tree Lighting to connect local arts and artists with the community. Organizers expect about 2,000 people will attend — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 — at the Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N. Oracle Road. The actual tree lighting will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, but the weekend is devoted to arts and fun, with live music, more than 100 exhibitors and 10 food booths. Admission is free.

Details: saaca.org

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Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch