EntertainmentThings To Do

Actions

WATCH: See the best Valley light displays & festive events this holiday season

Enjoy decked-out houses, local attractions, and events from your couch!
Posted at 9:03 AM, Dec 15, 2023
and last updated 2023-12-15 11:03:50-05

PHOENIX — Let's get in the festive spirit! ABC15 is taking you for a look at some spectacular holiday displays across our amazing community!

From houses all decked out with lights and inflatables, to local attractions and events …Soar through the dazzling displays with us!

HOW TO WATCH:

Watch ABC15's Holiday Lights show, sponsored by Great Hearts, on ABC15 and Arizona 61 at the times listed below:

ABC15:
Saturday, December 16, 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 24, 3:30 p.m.

Arizona 61:
Saturday, December 23, 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, December 24, 1:30 p.m.
Monday, December 25, 4:30 p.m.

You can also catch the Holiday Lights show anytime on the ABC15 mobile and streaming apps, and in the player below!

CHECK OUT WHAT'S SHOWCASED IN THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS SPECIAL

MERRY MAIN STREET

  • The annual event runs from November 24 through January 6, 2024. You can visit Santa for free on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
  • Where: Downtown Mesa
  • What to expect: The event features a winter wonderland ice rink open daily for $10. There's also a giant Christmas tree at Main Street and Macdonald. Other festivities include live music at the tree on Fridays and Saturdays, a holiday sunset market, festive movies on the plaza and much more. 

MESA AZ TEMPLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

  • What to expect: The Christmas light display at the Mesa Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will illuminate the East Valley this month.
  • The Christmas lights will be up from Nov. 24 to Dec. 31. The lights are on nightly from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Where: Mesa Temple [101 S Lesueur]

AVONDAZZLE HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAY

  • What to expect: This free festive experience is family friendly and features LARGE lit up structures to take pictures with!
  • This holiday experience is available from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. until January 1, 2024.
  • Where: Avondale Civic Center Complex [11465 West Civic Center Drive]
Avondazzle Holiday Light Display
Avondazzle Holiday Light Display

GLENDALE GLITTERS

  • Where: Glendale Civic Center [5750 W Glenn Dr] and nearby streets. The lights will sparkle from November 24 – January 1, 2023
  • Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Glendale Glitters on Nov. 24 and 25. from 5 p.m. -10 p.m. each night.

SPARKLING SURPRISE

  • What to expect: “So, the whole area is about 25 acres, we have over 200,000 lights, we have a brand new dancing RGB tree with 18,000 lights! We have over at our aquatic center -[which was] made by our Surprise Police Department- [is] an animated display [that’s] set to music,” said Holly Osborn, Parks & Recreation Director for the city of Surprise, in an interview with ABC15. “We haven't even counted all the lights…but we live on the philosophy as more as more and the more the brighter and the better.”
  • The lights will be lit up until January 2, 2024; you can view them nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Where are the lights: The light display spans from the Surprise Recreation Campus to the Surprise Community Park and outside Surprise Stadium. [15960 N. Bullard Ave.]
  • Cost: Free.

PRATT BROTHERS CHRISTMAS

  • Where: Rawhide Western Town [5700 W North Loop Rd] in Chandler
  • The holiday magic runs from November 24 to December 24, 2023.
@abc15arizona A SNEAK PEEK 🎄The Pratt Brothers Christmas will open its new magical experience later this week, but before they open, ABC15’s Nicole Gutierrez takes us inside this festive town that has more than 6 million lights, a train ride and more! #PrattBrothers #SammyAndKyle #Arizona #ABC15 #LightDisplays #Christmas #Chandler #FamilyFun #ThingsToDo ♬ original sound - ABC15Arizona

STILL MCCORMICK PARK

  • What to expect: From festive Christmas trains to Santa and Mrs. Claus meet-and-greets, it’s a track-side spectacle that’ll leave you ‘train-sported’ to a yuletide paradise.
  • General admission is $15 and the event runs from November 24 – January 7.
  • Click here for more information.
McCormick Stillman Railroad Park.png

ZOOLIGHTS

  • What to expect: “This year is bigger and brighter than ever before. This year we actually have more than 4 million lights,” said Linda Hardwick from the Phoenix Zoo to ABC15. “We have beautifully wrapped trees. We have hundreds of armatures. We have all new brand new wildlife lanterns, which are some of my favorite attractions at ZooLights.”
  • The zoo will also debut a brand new digital Lake Light Show on its 50-foot-tall floating tree. “It is actually the tallest building tree in North America and we're so excited to debut our new show on it,” said Hardwick.
  • Where: Phoenix Zoo [455 N Galvin Pkwy]
  • Event runs from November 22- January 14, 2024.

CHRISTMAS AT THE PRINCESS

  • What to expect: "We have two ice skating rinks that you can't miss, which is my favorite part of Christmas at the Princess," said John Glynn, Director of Public Relations. "They're both real ice, covering 6,000 square feet outdoors. It's fun for the whole family. Each year we add something new and perfect old favorites."
  • General admission starts at $35. Click here for more information.

RELATED: WHICH HOLIDAY LIGHTS CAN SAVE YOU MORE MONEY?

DESERT FARM LIGHTS

  • What to expect: From the illuminated light maze and horse carriage rides to private snow globes for the perfect cozy event, Desert Farm Lights is ready for the holidays.
  • Desert Farm Lights runs now through December 31.
  • It's located on the Justice Brothers Ranch at 14629 West Peoria Avenue in Waddell.

GLISTENING GARDENS

  • What to expect: “One of the things we really tried to do here is we really tried to blend in something that is both biologically functional, as well as aesthetically beautiful,” said Derek Kellogg, Director Of Animal Care at Butterfly Wonderland, in an interview with ABC15. “There's at any point in time, somewhere between three- to four thousand butterflies in here.”
  • This holiday experience is located at Butterfly Wonderland [9500 E. Via de Ventura].

SUSTAINABLE HOLIDAY LIGHTS

Now in its 14th year, Christmas at the Princess has been delighting more than 300,000 guests each year. It's a huge footprint on the environment but organizers have been making changes over the years to help reduce that. “Part of that is doing what you can to positively impact your environment whether it’s social or economic or environmental,” said John Glynn, with Fairmount Scottsdale Princess.

Click here to see what other steps organizers in the valley have been taking to help impact earth one holiday event at a time.