HOLIDAYS AT HOME
Back in December 2007, Sedona Monthly featured a cover story about all of the unique holiday events that take place in northern Arizona. Every December since that issue, we’ve received e-mails requesting that we do the same type of story again. We aren’t big on repeating ourselves, but the masses have spoken. Here’s a rundown of 12 of the best Christmas and New Year’s celebrations that are sure to put some cheer in your heart. Old favorites such as the Festival of Lights and Pinecone Drop are back, along with some new traditions such as the Model Railroaders display and the dancing Christmas lights in Cornville. Each year, we find it’s these community events that make the holiday season memorable. Take a break from the frantic shopping sprees and never-ending housework, and hop aboard the Polar Express with your child or grab your scarf and wander through Red Rock Fantasy. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did. December in northern Arizona is a great time to be reminded of the wonderful aspects of small-town living. Happy Holidays, everyone.
ANNUAL Holiday Tree Lighting & Santa Visit
The Sedona Main Street staff isn’t joking when they say the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting at Orchards Plaza in Uptown Sedona is the perfect place to feel small-town spirit and community. Join Mayor Rob Adams and the Canyon Singers for caroling and the official lighting of the 17-foot tree. At 5:30 p.m., Santa Claus will arrive in historic Sedona firetruck No. 1, ready to pose for pictures and hear children’s wishes. Entertainment will be provided throughout the duration of the event, and past performers have included Big Park Community School’s garage band, who played holiday favorites using recycled materials as instruments. Hot drinks will also be served. The event is sponsored by the Sedona Main Street Program, City of Sedona and Sedona Chamber of Commerce. After the tree lighting, take some time to wander Uptown Sedona and shop locally for all your holiday gifts. The tree will remain in place until early January so everyone can enjoy the its festive presence throughout the holiday season. – Kristina Remy
Annual Holiday Tree Lighting & Santa Visit
Dec. 3, 5-7 p.m. Free. Orchards Plaza, 254 N. SR 89A in front of Orchards Bar & Grill in Uptown (928-204-2390) • www.sedonamainstreet.com
Pilgrimage to Bethlehem
Head over to Tequa Festival Marketplace, and be prepared to step back in time 2,000 years. Potter’s Hand Productions will be hosting its 7th Annual Pilgrimage to Bethlehem, an event that features an interactive Bethlehem market and living nativity. The faith-based community theater invites everyone to this free event, which includes more than 100 costumed characters and hours of entertainment. The event begins at 2:30 p.m. with the sound of a shofar announcing the marketplace’s opening. Participants will be able to peruse the market alongside soldiers on horseback, the three wise men and even Mary and Joseph. While in the marketplace, be sure to trade your shekels for a scroll with your name on it or try some of the dried fruits and nuts from one of the Bethlehem vendors. Then, at 4:30 p.m., take a 30-minute break before the show, which begins promptly at 5 p.m. The play will be a musical culmination telling the story of the birth of Christ and the events surrounding it. Seating is limited and warm clothing is recommended. – Kristina Remy
Pilgrimage to Bethlehem
Dec. 17-19. Bethlehem marketplace is open 2:30-4:30 p.m.; live performance at 5 p.m. Free. Tequa Festival Marketplace, 7000 SR 179 in the Village of Oak Creek (928-300-3968) • www.pottershandproductions.com
Northern Lights Holiday Parade
What could be more heartwarming than parades and Christmas lights? Flagstaff combines the two with the Northern Lights Holiday Parade, which grows each and every year, so much so, states the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, that parade entries have been limited to 100 applications on a first-come, first-served basis. This year’s 12th annual parade already had close to 70 applicants by the end of summer. “Thousands of locals and visitors are drawn to downtown Flagstaff to watch the parade every year,” says Molly Brown, a parade organizer.
Come and join the people lining the streets to witness the dazzling dash of floats, vehicles, marching bands and pets, all decked out and aglow with the latest and greatest the world of Christmas light décor has to offer. Decide for yourself who among the throngs has the most outrageous imagination, Christmas-themed innovation or spiritual inspiration; all entrants are competing for cash and prizes. Make sure you stay for the entire parade – the grand finale generally offers a very round-bellied, rosy-cheeked special guest, whose special ho, ho, ho’s come but once a year. – John D. Ruane
Northern Lights Holiday Parade
Dec. 11, 6 p.m. Free. Downtown Flagstaff beginning at the corner of Beaver and Elm streets (928-774-4505) • www.flagstaffchamber.com
Festival of Lights
We try not to be biased here at Sedona Monthly, but here’s the truth: Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village’s Festival of Lights is our favorite Sedona holiday tradition. Picture an Old World village with cobblestone streets filled with thousands of people, young and old, bundled up and cradling cups of apple cider. Then the village’s rustic bell tower chimes 5 p.m., and everyone begins lighting the 6,000 luminarias that line the walkways, streets, courtyards, terraces and patios. It’s pure magic. Luminarias, brown paper bags each containing a single candle and weighted with sand, originated in New Mexico as a way to guide the spirit of Christ into homes, but Tlaquepaque started its own Festival of Lights 37 years ago. In addition to the lighting of the luminarias, live entertainment is provided by Tom and Shondra Jepperson, the Rojas Family Mariachis, the River of Life Tabernacle Choir (back for the 14th year) and the Chavez Jazz Trio. Santa Claus will also make a special appearance, and boutiques and galleries keep their doors open late to accommodate holiday shoppers. Each year, the American Cancer Society sells luminarias with proceeds benefiting cancer research – the luminarias are purchased and decorated in remembrance of cancer victims and survivors. – Erika Ayn Finch
Festival of Lights
Dec. 11, 3-8 p.m. Free.
Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, 336 Hwy 179 (928-282-4838) • www.tlaq.com
Grand Canyon Railway’s Polar Express
From now through Jan. 8, Grand Canyon Railway will be making the perennial hourlong round-trip journey from Williams Depot to “The North Pole” – a picturesque three-dimensional village complete with glowing storefronts – during its annual Polar Express. Along the way, listen to a telling of the classic Christmas tale The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, and enjoy hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies while the scents, sights and sounds of the holiday season fill the train car with warmth and wonder. No journey to Santa’s realm would be complete without a visit from the man in red himself who, Elf Bernard in tow, boards the train and greets eager pajama-clad boys and girls with alms and awe befitting his legend.
The Polar Express departs at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. most evenings through the holiday season. The Christmas Eve Limited promises an even more memorable experience, complete with special surprises and exclusive gifts. Speaking of gifts, Arizona Law Enforcement hosts an annual toy drive. New, unwrapped toys and cash donations for families in need will be accepted in the Polar Room at the depot throughout the season. Rally ’round your neighbors; the true spirit of Christmas lives aboard the Polar Express. – John D. Ruane
Grand Canyon Railway’s Polar Express
Now through Jan. 8, trains depart at 6 and 8 p.m. $29 for adults and $19 for children ages 5 and younger ($58 for adults and $38 for children for the Christmas Eve Limited). Grand Canyon Railway, 233 N. Grand Canyon Blvd. in Williams (888-848-3511) • www.thetrain.com
Christmas in the Park
What could be more Sedona than a tumbleweed snowman? That’s what will greet visitors at the Sedona Heritage Museum’s annual Christmas in the Park open house. You’ll also enjoy free museum admission, hot apple cider, cookies and a holiday concert in the historic fruit-packing shed (1:30 p.m.). Residents who have lived in Sedona for many years as well as descendants of local pioneer families will set up shop in the exhibit rooms, telling stories about Sedona’s past. Try your hand at creating a cornhusk-doll tree ornament, sit by the fire in the native stone fireplace in the old Jordan house or take a ride in a horse-drawn buggy. Local authors Janeen Trevillyan and Lisa Schnebly Heidinger will be on hand to sign copies of their book, Images of Sedona. The museum will be decked out in vintage Christmas décor and the gift shop, which features items made by local artists and craftsmen, will host its annual sale for those of you with shopping on the brain. – Erika Ayn Finch
Christmas in the Park
Dec. 11, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.
Sedona Heritage Museum, 735 Jordan Road at Jordan Historical Park
(928-282-7038) • www.sedonamuseum.org
Kessel Cornville Christmas
A friend told us about the Kessel Cornville Christmas last year, and after one performance, we were hooked. For the fifth year in a row, Dave Kessel, the general manager of Yavapai Broadcasting, has covered his house and front yard with lights that are meticulously choreographed to Christmas music. Unbelievably, Dave spends six to 10 hours in front of his computer for every one minute of music; the first year he used 64 circuits to run the show and this year he’s up to more than 400 circuits. Dave begins working on the program in February, and he starts putting up the Christmas lights in October. Everyone is invited to sit in chairs Dave arranges in his front yard (or you can pull your car up on his lawn and listen to the music on 99.7 FM if the weather is too cold) and watch the 45-minute show for free. Our advice: Dress warm and bring along a Thermos of hot chocolate.
“I started just decorating the house, and it turned into a competition with my neighbor,” says Dave. “I knew the only way I would win the competition would be to set the display to music and choreograph the lights. I did that, and [my neighbor] moved away, so I consider that a victory!” Dave says he doesn’t keep track of the number of lights in the display (because he doesn’t want his wife to find out), and he personally watches each performance, answering questions and greeting guests. A donation box is set up for voluntary cash contributions for the Old Town Mission in Cottonwood during each performance. So why does Dave continue to do this every year? “I really like giving people the opportunity to do something that’s good for the whole family,” he says. “When I see someone in the audience smile or laugh, I hold that in my heart and it bolsters me.” – Erika Ayn Finch
Kessel Cornville Christmas
Now through Dec. 31, 6 and 7 p.m. daily. Free. 555 S. Gloria Lane in Cornville (928-634-5369)
17th Annual OlD Town Chocolate Lover’s Walk
On Dec. 4, Old Town Cottonwood merchants extend their hours to meet the needs of sweet-toothed visitors during the 17th Annual Old Town Chocolate Lover’s Walk. Carolers flood the air with sounds of Christmas joy while chocolate enthusiasts roam the streets of Old Town, filling handmade attachés with homemade Christmas confections. A trolley cruises the circuit of twinkling-light-lined streets, the Cottonwood Christmas tree comes to life with light and chocolatiers compete in a chocolate contest during this popular holiday event (tickets sell out early every year). The Chocolate Lover’s Walk in Cottonwood, with its Dickensian charm, is a must for all. Not only will tummies be sated and taste buds delighted, but for the $20 ticket, each individual will reap the benefits that chocolate has offered the world from the time of its discovery: relaxation, a rise in good cholesterol, an increase in antioxidant levels and good old-fashioned warm fuzzies. All proceeds benefit the Old Town Association of Cottonwood. After noshing, peruse ye olde shoppes for some timely Christmas finds. – John D. Ruane
17th Annual Old Town Chocolate Lover’s Walk
Dec. 4, 4-8 p.m. $20 (attending the tree lighting is free). Main St. in Old Town Cottonwood (877-928-4682) • www.oldtown.org
Teddy Bear Tea
If your idea of an elegant afternoon involves munching on dainty finger foods and sipping a cup of tea with your favorite teddy bear, you’re in luck. Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village hosts a Teddy Bear Tea for children of all ages. The event is part of the Festival of Trees and proceeds will benefit the Toys for Tots and the Verde Valley Habitat for Humanity. Come for the morning session at 11 a.m. or the afternoon session at 2 p.m., and enjoy delectable delights catered by Heartline Café. The treats include scrumptious hot cocoa, tea-size PB and Js, and fresh gingerbread. Both tea parties will take place in the Tlaquepaque ballroom, which will be adorned with holiday decorations and plenty of extra teddy bears. Children are encouraged to bring their favorite bear and will receive a special holiday gift at the event. Additionally, Mrs. Claus will be joining the party for storytelling and singing. Whether you are young or young at heart, this event will be a memorable addition to your holiday season. Space is limited, and reservations are required.– Kristina Remy
Teddy Bear Tea at Tlaquepaque
Dec. 4, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
$25 for adults and $20 for children.
Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, 336 SR 179 (928-282-4838) • www.tlaq.com
Pinecone Drop
T If you’ve never been to the Hotel Weatherford’s annual Pinecone Drop, you’ve really been missing a good time – seriously. The first drop took place New Year’s Eve 1999; that year, the “pinecone” was made from a garbage can filled with sand and decorated with Ponderosa pinecones. The modern contraption is 6 feet tall, 70 pounds and consists of a wire frame, aluminum petals and lots of lights. It takes only about 10 seconds for the pinecone to be lowered from the roof of the hotel to the ground three stories below, and then the crowd goes wild. Throngs of college students and families cheer, spray Silly String, blow horns and shake noisemakers. The streets around the Hotel Weatherford are closed to cars the entire night, and bands begin playing live music at 8 p.m. It’s one giant block party. Maybe it’s not Times Square, but it also won’t take you hours to get home at the end of the night. The one similarity between New York’s and Flagstaff’s festivities: the temperatures. Vendors sell hot cocoa, and downtown is filled with bars anxious to provide warm libations, but you’re still going to want to bring those hats and mittens. For those with kids, or those who don’t revel in the idea of midnight anymore, there are two drops: one at 10 p.m. and one at midnight. A better time isn’t likely to be found in northern Arizona on New Year’s Eve. – Erika Ayn Finch
Pinecone Drop
Dec. 31, 10 p.m. and midnight. Free. Hotel Weatherford, 23 N. Leroux Street in downtown Flagstaff
(928-779-1919) • www.weatherfordhotel.com
Red Rock Fantasy
In case you haven’t heard by now, despite all of the recent changes at Los Abrigados Resort & Spa, Red Rock Fantasy is still a go. The power switch was flipped on Nov. 18, and one million lights covering 23 displays lit up the resort. This year marks the holiday tradition’s 20th anniversary, and organizers (Diamond Resorts International) say the displays will be better than ever. Each year, families from around the Southwest, local businesses and nonprofit organizations create whimsical displays using no more than 12,000 lights each, lots of plywood and paint, and even more imagination. Displays run the gamut from cartoon and movie themes to those inspired by wildlife and the red rocks. These creative minds are competing for a grand prize as well as first, second and third prizes in a competition where you are the judge: Red Rock Fantasy attendees are given ballots where they choose their five favorite displays. As you wander through the displays, stop for hot chocolate and apple cider to really get in the holiday spirit. Plan on spending about one hour walking the route and enjoying the lights. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Jan. 8. – Erika Ayn Finch
Red Rock Fantasy
Now through Jan. 1, 5-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday (weather permitting). $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for children 12 and younger. Los Abrigados Resort and Spa, 160 Portal Lane (877-444-8044) • www.redrockfantasy.com
Sedona Railroaders Exhibit
T Is there anything more nostalgic than model trains around the Christmas tree? Thanks to the Sedona Railroaders club, which has been in existence since 1977, those of us who don’t own a train can still delight the child within during the club’s holiday train exhibit. In the past, the club has set up shop in the Sedona Village Shopping Center near Bashas’ and, most recently, the Oak Creek Factory Outlets in the Village of Oak Creek. Guy Forsythe, the club’s vice president, says the exhibit’s location isn’t determined until after Thanksgiving (and thus after press time), but look for signs detailing the location toward the middle of the month or call the number below. The exhibit features seven or eight trains, including the club president’s Lionel O gauge train and miniature village from the 1950s. Club members are on hand to talk about the trains (the 20-person club is also looking for new members). In addition, the Railroaders host a raffle during the exhibit that features train sets and Verde Canyon Railroad tickets. About 150 people per day visit the display. “When I was a kid, the most exciting thing at Christmas was the train set at the department store downtown,” says Guy. “There’s a connection between Christmas and train sets, and I hope we don’t lose that.” – Erika Ayn Finch
Sedona Railroaders Exhibit
Approximately Dec. 17-31, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Free. Location yet to be determined – watch for signs in shopping centers around Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek
(928-282-2412) •
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