Festive celebrations in Scottsdale

When the rest of the country starts wrapping up in the chilly winter, Scottsdale is heating up — with a calendar of festive, fun-filled events under blue skies.

Visitors are invited to unwind during the holiday season and immerse a host of “falliday” festivities.

New this fall + winter

Nov. 1: The all-new Sip, Savor, Shop by A Taste of Arizona brings local bites, cold drinks, and a little retail therapy to Salt River Fields. With ample opportunities to support local businesses and artisans, the festival is the perfect place to stock up on unique gifts for the holiday season.

Nov. 1-29: Join Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort for Fall Fest this season, featuring hands-on activities. It features pumpkin painting and decorating, “Tote’ally Fall” bag creations, a candy buffet, s’mores and hot cocoa, caricature face painting, Fall Finds Flea Market and Canyon Market pop-ups.

Dec. 14-18: Castle Hot Springs’ Sonoran Epicurean Escape, a four-night culinary retreat, takes guests on a gastronomic journey into the artistry of fine dining, led by the resort’s culinary team. The retreat includes a variety of engaging activities: from seasonal flavor and farm tours to a margarita-making competition and herbal tea blending classes.

Autumn’s signature events

Nov. 7-8: Dreamy Draw Music Festival is returning for a third time to Scottsdale Civic Center, following two sold-out years. This two-day, three-stage music and arts festival will be headlined by The Lumineers, Vampire Weekend, Father John Misty, Marcus King Band, Saint Motel, Houndmouth, Thee Sacred Souls and Local Natives.

Nov. 7-16: Scottsdale Arts’ Canal Convergence returns to Scottsdale Waterfront in Old Town with this year’s theme, “Showtime,” celebrating performance and public art. The free 10-night event spotlights large-scale light installations by international artists alongside live music and dance, creative workshops, educational activities, food trucks, a mini film festival, and a beer and wine garden. The fan-favorite fire shows by Walter Productions will once again light up the Arizona Canal each night.

Nov. 8-9: Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships, the most-attended polo event in the U.S., will feature six exhilarating matches, including the event’s first Army versus Navy polo match, a patriotic showdown on Nov. 8, just days before Veterans Day. Held at WestWorld of Scottsdale, this year’s festivities will coincide with the new WestWorld Art & Wine Experience.

Nov. 13: The Scottsdale Gallery Association‘s upcoming Gold Palette ArtWalk will be themed around Canal Convergence’s “Showtime.” Kicking off in November, Gold Palette will reoccur each month through April, complementing weekly Thursday evening ArtWalks in Old Town. Each one will have a specific theme and offer extended gallery hours, themed activities, complimentary wine tasting and live music.

Nov. 15: ​The Arizona Indigenous Food Symposium and Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience in Old Town brings together Indigenous communities to share traditional knowledge with a focus on food sovereignty, environmental justice and decolonizing food systems. Attendees will experience curated tastings, chef demonstrations and immersive cultural activations that showcase Arizona’s Native communities’ rich cultural heritage.

Holiday happenings

Now in its 50th year, McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park continues its tradition of hosting popular family events. The Paradise & Pacific Railroad transforms into a winter wonderland during Holiday Lights train rides (Nov. 28-Dec. 30). For families with an early bedtime, celebrate Noon Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) with a train ride, music, activities and a countdown to the New Year at noon. While there, stop by the Roundhouse indoor play space and (on warm days) the outdoor splashpad, part of a $13.1-million improvement to the park unveiled earlier this year.

Nov. 21 – Jan. 3, 2026: For 16 festive years, Christmas at the Princess has been one of the country’s premier holiday spectaculars. Taking place at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, travelers can embrace the holiday magic from ice skating in the middle of the desert and indulging in s’mores by the fire, to meeting Santa and gazing at 10 million twinkling lights illuminating the resort grounds.

Nov. 26 – Jan. 16, 2026: One of the favorite holiday traditions, ZooLights, will feature brand-new lights, lanterns and activities for this year’s sparkling strolls and light shows at Phoenix Zoo.

Nov. 28-Dec. 24: With just a two-hour drive from Scottsdale, families find The Magical Christmas Journey to the North Pole. It begins at the Verde Canyon Railroad depot with Santa’s elves, decorations beaming brightly and songs of the season filling the air. The one-hour, evening train ride dazzles the young and old, with visits from Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, endless lights, and a drive past activations like Mrs. Claus’ Bakery and the Reindeer Flight School.

Select dates Nov. 28-Dec. 30: Enter a desert wonderland this holiday season at Desert Botanical Garden’s Las Noches de las Luminarias. It’s an evening filled with glowing luminarias, twinkling holiday lights, musical performances and entertainment. New this year, the event features large-scale sculptures of “Playing with Stars” by Rotraut.

Nov. 29-Dec. 31: The city of Scottsdale’s holiday extravaganza, Scottsdazzle, blankets Old Town with seasonal cheer and holiday spirit for the ninth year. Among over 45 events are a Sing-Along and Tree Lighting Ceremony, Outdoor Holiday Market, Live Nativity, and Sparkle and Spin Scavenger Hunts.

More at: www.experiencescottsdale.com/

Related News Stories:  Holiday season in Buena Park, CA     ONYX Hospitality Group Launches 'Beyond the Festivities ...     Holiday traditions in Asheville, NC     First look at spectacular Christmas and New Year's festivities with ...     ONYX launches festive campaign     Fall festivals in Daytona Beach     Grapevine, TX: What's hot in fall and winter     The magic of Mardi Gras in Galveston, Texas     What's happening in Scottsdale this winter     750 events for Amsterdam 750th anniversary