Twinkling lights, saguaros wearing Santa hats, full parking lots near the Winterhaven neighborhood — it must be the holiday season in Tucson. 💖
Here's where to see the sparkling lights this year.
Sightseers line up to get photos with the Christmas tree lighting up Jacome Plaza as darkness closes on a cloudy downtown Tucson, Ariz., December 23, 2023.
Desert Nights Downtown Lights
If you've taken a stroll through downtown Tucson recently, you may have noticed the whopping 105 trees wrapped in twinkling lights. Over 60 downtown buildings are also sporting LED lights. Head to Jácome Plaza and you'll find a 36-foot Christmas tree glittering against the Main Library. Downtown Tucson Partnership is also running a contest to see who can snap the prettiest photo of the tree!
When: The tree will remain lit through Jan. 5; the photo contest closes Jan. 2
Where: Downtown Tucson. Christmas tree is at Jácome Plaza, 101 N. Stone Ave.
Cost: Free to attend
Visit the event page for more information.
Harper Wicker exults in one of the last blizzards of the night, playing in the artificial snowfall during ZooLights at Reid Park Zoo in 2023.
ZooLights Holiday Magic 2024
Reid Park Zoo's annual ZooLights is here! Find colorful light displays, falling snow, festive music, a giant gingerbread house and visits from Santa Claus.
When: 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5-23; encore nights are Dec. 26-30 and Jan. 2-5
Where: Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E. Zoo Court
Cost: $14 for general admission; $9 for kids ages 2-14. Bring a donation of two cans of food, a pet toy, an unwrapped children's toy or non-functioning holiday lights to recycle and receive $1 off admission.
Visit the event page for more information.
Pictured here was part of the Tucson Botanical Gardens’ light show, dubbed Wanderland, in 2021.
LightsUp! A Festival of Illumination
Stroll through the Tucson Botanical Gardens where there will be luminaria displays and 1 million twinkling lights.
When: 6-9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday through Jan. 12; closed Christmas
Where: Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way
Cost: $23 and up, depending on the day
Visit the event page for more information.
Hundreds gather to get up close to the lighted Christmas tree during the Marana Holiday Festival in 2021.
Marana Holiday Festival & Christmas Tree Lighting
Ring in the holiday season at Marana's holiday festival and Christmas tree lighting. Snap a photo with Santa, order food from one of 30 food vendors, watch live performances, shop from artisans, plus enjoy lots of kid-friendly activities like crafts, train rides and inflatables. At 6 p.m. Dec. 7, Marana will light their 45-foot Christmas tree.
After the initial tree lighting, Marana will have nightly light shows that include 13 minutes of holiday music synchronized to 200,000 twinkling lights. You can walk up to the tree or listen to the show from your car by tuning into the radio station listed on signage.
When: 2-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 for the festival; 6-9 p.m. on the half hour nightly through Dec. 28 for the light shows
Where: Marana Municipal Complex, 11555 W. Civic Center Dr.
Cost: Free to attend, bring money to the festival for food and shopping
Visit the event page for more information.
Guests rush to take their photo in front of the tree. The lighting of the holiday tree at Oro Valley Marketplace took place on Dec. 4, 2021 as part of the Oro Valley Festival of the Arts and Holiday Tree Lighting event.
Oro Valley Festival of the Arts & Tree Lighting
Check out more than 150 Southern Arizona artists at this two-day festival, all while enjoying performances, a marching band parade, carolers, food trucks, art activities and the lighting of Oro Valley's tree, which features over 1,000 handcrafted gold ornaments.
When: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. The tree lighting is 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N. Oracle Road
Cost: Free to attend, bring money for shopping
Visit the event page for more information.
Cheyenne Roberts and Erin Roberts take a selfie as they walk through one of three colorful light tunnels during Holiday Nights at Tohono Chul, 7366 North Paseo del Norte, Dec. 15, 2023.
Holiday Nights at Tohono Chul
Walk through a wonderland of lights at Tohono Chul all while enjoying live entertainment, vendors, crafts and visits with Santa.
When: 6-9 p.m. Begins Saturday, Dec. 7 and runs Thursdays-Sundays until Dec. 22.
Where: Tohono Chul, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte
Cost: $25 for adults, $10 for kids ages 4-12
Visit the event page for more information.
Visitors stroll along Christmas Avenue on the opening night of the 73rd annual Winterhaven Festival of Lights in 2022.
Winterhaven Festival of Lights
A holiday tradition for 75 years, the Winterhaven Festival of Lights makes its return on Dec. 14. Walk through this charming neighborhood decorated in holiday lights and displays.
When: 6-10 p.m. Dec. 14-28. There are no drive-thru nights.
Where: Winterhaven neighborhood; north of Fort Lowell Road and south of Prince Road, west of Country Club Road and east of Tucson Boulevard.
Cost: Free to attend, bring a donation for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona
Visit the event page for more information.
A decorated ATV makes the turn onto Ochoa Street in front of the crowd closing off Stone Avenue for the 39th Downtown Parade of Lights in 2023.
Downtown Parade of Lights
Tucsonans line the streets to watch the annual Downtown Parade of Lights as it snakes through the Armory Park area with its hundreds of participants, floats and twinkling lights.
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14
Where: Armory Park area, see the route here.
Cost: Free to attend
Visit the event page for more information.
Explore nature through fun, hands-on exhibits at Children’s Museum Oro Valley at Tohono Chul
CMOV@TC has indoor and outdoor exhibits with daily activities and programming for kids and families that mesh with the environmental focus of Tohono Chul, teaching all about the culture, animals and plants of the Sonoran Desert!
What does "supported by" mean? Click here to learn more.
