The Valley doesn’t get snow, so it makes up for it with wattage. Christmas lights in Phoenix run from candlelit desert trails to lit boats on Tempe Town Lake, and the popular ones fill up fast.
We opened each event’s official page on November 4, 2026, and copied dates, hours and prices as posted. Where a 2026 schedule wasn’t up yet, we say so.
Short answer: The best-known Christmas lights in Phoenix for 2026 include ZooLights (November 25 to January 15), Las Noches de las Luminarias at Desert Botanical Garden, the free Mesa Arizona Temple lights, and Glendale Glitters. The APS Electric Light Parade and Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree Lighting are both one-night events on December 5.
This list isn’t a ranking. Each pick is a public event with its own official page.
1. ZooLights: five million lights at the Phoenix Zoo
ZooLights is one of the Valley’s best-known ticketed light walks. The Phoenix Zoo lists November 25, 2026 to January 15, 2027, from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., at 455 N. Galvin Parkway. General tickets are $35, members pay $30, and children 2 and under are free.
Most animals aren’t out at night, so come for the lights.
2. Las Noches de las Luminarias: candlelit paths at Desert Botanical Garden
Luminarias is the quieter, desert-style option. Desert Botanical Garden lists November 27 to 29; December 4 to 6, 11 to 13, 16 to 23 and 26 to 31; and January 1 to 3, from 5 to 9:30 p.m. The garden sits at 1201 N. Galvin Parkway in Papago Park.
General adult tickets run $39.95 to $44.95, and general child tickets (ages 2 to 17) are $18.95. Members pay less, though.
3. APS Electric Light Parade: lit floats up Central Avenue
The 39th annual parade starts Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 7 p.m. The City of Phoenix says it runs from Central and Montebello avenues to 7th Street and Indian School Road, with road closures from 5 to 11 p.m.
Viewing spots along the route are first-come, first-served, so arrive early.
4. Glendale Glitters: downtown Glendale’s big light display
The 2026 schedule for Glendale Glitters wasn’t posted as of November 4, 2026. For reference, the City of Glendale announced the 2025 display with lights nightly through December 31, 5 to 10 p.m., around the Glendale Civic Center (5750 W. Glenn Drive). It listed no admission charge for the lights.
5. Mesa Arizona Temple Christmas Lights: a free nightly display downtown
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints newsroom says volunteers have put up the lights around the temple since 1970, and that all activities are free and open to the public.
The volunteer-run MesaTemple.org, which notes it isn’t an official Church site, lists November 27 to December 30, 2026. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. nightly at 101 S. LeSueur in downtown Mesa.
6. Merry Main Street: downtown Mesa’s tree lighting kickoff
The City of Mesa lists the Merry Main Street Kick-off and Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, November 27, 2026, from 5 to 10 p.m., free, centered at 1 N. Macdonald.
The city calls it the start of a month-long celebration.
7. Holiday Lights at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park: a train ride through the lights
The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Holiday Lights 2026 page lists November 27 to December 30, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., with no lights on December 24 or 25.
Tickets are $15 for ages 3 and up, including train and carousel rides, and children 2 and under are free. The park is at 7301 E. Indian Bend Road.
8. Christmas at the Princess: 17 million lights at a Scottsdale resort
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess describes 17 million lights and an outdoor ice rink. However, 2026 dates weren’t posted as of November 4, 2026. Admission and parking are paid, so check the resort’s admission and parking page for this season’s prices.
9. Tumbleweed Tree Lighting: Chandler’s tree and Parade of Lights
Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree is about as Arizona as a Christmas tree gets. The City of Chandler lists the Tumbleweed Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. in downtown Chandler (3 S. Arizona Avenue). Admission is also free.
10. Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade: lit boats at Tempe Beach Park
Downtown Tempe lists the Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade on December 12, 2026, at Tempe Beach Park, with a holiday market and fireworks finale, all free. However, start times weren’t posted as of November 4.
Which Christmas lights in Phoenix are free?
Four list free admission: the Mesa Temple lights, Merry Main Street, Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree and the Tempe boat parade. The APS parade is a public street event, and Glendale’s 2025 page listed no admission charge. The rest are ticketed.
| Display | City | Cost (general) | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZooLights | Phoenix | $35; 2 and under free | Nov 25 to Jan 15 |
| Las Noches de las Luminarias | Phoenix | $39.95 to $44.95 adult | Select nights, Nov 27 to Jan 3 |
| APS Electric Light Parade | Phoenix | Street viewing | Dec 5 |
| Glendale Glitters | Glendale | No admission listed (2025) | Not posted yet |
| Mesa Temple Christmas Lights | Mesa | Free | Nov 27 to Dec 30 |
| Merry Main Street Kick-off | Mesa | Free | Nov 27 |
| Railroad Park Holiday Lights | Scottsdale | $15, ages 3 and up | Nov 27 to Dec 30 |
| Christmas at the Princess | Scottsdale | Paid; 2026 prices not posted | Not posted yet |
| Tumbleweed Tree Lighting | Chandler | Free | Dec 5 |
| Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade | Tempe | Free | Dec 12 |
How do you beat traffic and parking at Christmas lights in Phoenix?
Go early, go on a weeknight, and skip the car when you can:
- Pick one December 5 event. The APS parade and Chandler’s tree lighting land on the same night.
- Take light rail to the parade. The City of Phoenix suggests Valley Metro Light Rail to avoid congestion.
- Know the zoo’s overflow lot. When main lots fill, the zoo sends drivers to Phoenix Municipal Stadium, a 15-minute walk.
- Try Mesa’s Park and Ride. MesaTemple.org notes free parking may be available at Mesa Drive and Main Street.
- Bring a real jacket. The City of Phoenix warns the temperature drops once the sun goes down, which is when a Valley hoodie stops being decorative.
What is it like to sell a home in the Phoenix metro during the holidays?
Slower than spring, not closed. In Maricopa County, Phoenix REALTORS reported a September 2026 single-family median sale price of $500,000 (down 2.0% from a year earlier), 75 days on market, 3.9 months of supply and 98.1% of list price received.
In other words, pricing matters from day one. Homie’s November 2026 market analysis of its Utah listings found that 53% of sold listings needed a price reduction, and correctly priced listings averaged 34 days on market versus 101 for those needing cuts. That’s Utah data, so ask a local agent how it compares in Phoenix.
Decorations can come up in a home search, too. If a lit-up street is part of a neighborhood’s appeal, ask your agent for the HOA’s CC&Rs, since those can cover exterior decorations. For timing, see whether winter is a bad time to sell in Arizona, or start with a free home value report.
Quick answers
When do Christmas lights in Phoenix start in 2026?
ZooLights opens first among the posted events, on November 25, 2026. Most others, including the Mesa Temple lights and Desert Botanical Garden, start November 27. Glendale Glitters and Christmas at the Princess hadn’t posted 2026 dates as of November 4.
What are the biggest Christmas lights in Phoenix?
By the venues’ own counts, Christmas at the Princess in Scottsdale has 17 million lights, and ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo has five million across more than two miles of trail. Those figures come from the venues, not an independent count. Both events charge admission.
Do I need tickets in advance for Christmas lights in Phoenix?
For ticketed events, buying ahead is the safer move. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park says its Holiday Lights sell out every year. ZooLights tickets are non-refundable but good for any one public night. Free events like the Mesa Temple lights don’t need tickets at all.
Are any Phoenix light displays closed on Christmas?
Some are. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park lists no Holiday Lights on December 24 or 25, and Desert Botanical Garden’s posted dates also skip those two nights. Other Christmas lights in Phoenix list nightly ranges, but check each page for holiday closures first.
The bottom line
The Valley’s light season runs from late November into January. Book the ticketed walks early, pick one event for December 5, and recheck Glendale and the Princess once their 2026 dates go up.
Touring Christmas lights in Phoenix is a good excuse to see a neighborhood after dark. If one has you wondering what your own home would sell for, request a free home value report from a local Homie agent, or explore Homie in Arizona. Whether you’re buying, selling, or doing both, Homie has your back.
— The Homie Team
*Examples are for illustrative purposes only. This article is general information, not legal, tax, lending or insurance advice.
*Market data from Phoenix REALTORS (ARMLS), September 2026. All data obtained from sources deemed reliable but not verified. Information not guaranteed.