ENTERTAINMENT

Family fun in December: 20 events you won't want to miss

Kara G. Morrison
The Republic | azcentral.com
Over 50 floats participated in last year's APS Phoenix Electric Light Parade.

Yes, it's super busy this time of year, but don't forget the fun. December is still prime Arizona weather, and that means festivals galore. Go enjoy holiday lights, a kid-and-doll-themed fashion show and more this month.

12/2-27: ‘The Night Before Christmas’

See this Christmas classic on a puppet stage.  The show, for all ages, promises to celebrate the holiday with stories, music and “an amazing array of puppets,” including Santa. Arrive early to make your own paper-sack puppet in the craft area and peruse the puppet-filled gift shop.

Details: Dec. 2-27. 10 a.m. Wednesdays-Fridays; 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Closed Christmas. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W. Latham St., Phoenix. $10, $7 for ages 13 and younger. 602-262-2050, azpuppets.org.

12/4: Alvin and the Chipmunks

Sing along with Alvin, Simon and Theodore at this interactive live show. The furry trio will be joined by the Chipettes as they perform hits by One Direction, Maroon 5, Carly Rae Jepsen, Elvis Presley and more.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. Gila River Arena, Loop 101 and Glendale Avenue, Glendale. $20-$55. 623-772-3800, alvinlive.com.

12/4-6: Tempe Festival of the Arts

Downtown Tempe turns into a giant art show as hundreds of artists and craftsmen line Mill Avenue and adjacent streets with their work. Now in its 47th year, this year’s festival’s guest of honor is Geoffrey Aaron Harris, a digital artist inspired by antique toys and robots. In addition, there will be plenty of live music, street performers, craft stations for the kids and beer and wine tasting for the adults.

Details: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Dec. 4-6. Downtown Tempe. Free. tempefestivalofthearts.com.

A young girl enthusiastically applauds for street performer Dana Smith during the Tempe Festival for the Arts along Mill Ave. in Tempe, Saturday Dec. 6, 2014.

12/4: El Mirage Tree Lighting Ceremony

Santa Claus is coming to town as El Mirage hosts its annual tree lighting ceremony. The event includes carriage rides, a community market of 30 vendors, Christmas carolers and a 30-foot Christmas tree. Parents and their little elves can enjoy food trucks, arts and crafts, train rides and more. The tree will remain lit through the first week of January.

Details: 5-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. Gentry Park, 14010 El Mirage Road, El Mirage. Free. 623-876-2942, cityofelmirage.org.

12/5: Free photos with Santa

Tired of steep prices for pictures with Santa? Bring the kids to meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus at Scottsdale Towne Square strip mall. Parents can take free posed photos of their kids with Santa at AZ Air Time Trampoline Park, and with Mrs. Claus at Toys & Playtime Oasis. There will be free face painting at AZ Air Time, balloon twisting at Toys & Playtime Oasis, and a special candy cane station outside Rocket Fizz, a soda pop and candy shop located between the two businesses in the shopping plaza. One of Santa’s elves will also attend this free event.

Details: 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday Dec. 5. AZ Air Time (Suite 145) and Toys & Playtime Oasis (Suite 116), 13802 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-948-4630, azdollhouse.com.

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12/5-6: American Girl Fashion Show

More than 200 local “models” will wear historical and contemporary fashions for girls and their 18-inch American Girl dolls at this first annual fashion show and fundraiser. Expect lively commentary, music, decorations, refreshments, party favors, a raffle and door prizes at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort event. Each young model was challenged to raise $100 on her own through creative endeavors, such as a bake sale, performance, garage sale or lemonade stand. All proceeds benefit the Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s Emily Center Family Health Library, which provides families of sick children free access to easy-to-understand pediatric health information.

Details: 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 5-6. 5350 Marriott Drive, Phoenix.  $70 per person. phoenixchildrensfoundation.orgamericangirlphx@gmail.com
facebook.com/americangirlfashionshowphx.

12/5: Queen Creek Holiday Festival & Parade

Ho-ho-holiday fun awaits guests as the annual Queen Creek Festival & Parade takes place. Hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Queen Creek and the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce, the event includes a festival beginning at noon followed by a parade at 3:30 p.m. Attendees can enjoy craft and food vendors, live local entertainment, activities, photos with Santa and more. The evening also includes a Tree Lighting Ceremony in the Library area at 6:30 p.m.

Details: noon-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. Queen Creek Library, 21802 S. Ellsworth Road. Free. 480-586-6711, queencreekparade.org.

12/5-25: Loop of Lights 

The Waverly subdivision in San Tan Valley is closing off traffic so pedestrians can stroll through the glittering wonderland of thousands of Christmas lights. Park at the nearby Ellsworth Elementary East School and take a trolley shuttle to the neighborhood.

Details: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, through Friday, Dec. 25. Carolina Avenue and Pecan Creek Drive. loopoflights.com.

Homes will be lit up in San Tan Valley's Waverly subdivision for Loop of Lights.

12/5: APS Electric Light Parade

The parade will light up Seventh Street from North Phoenix Baptist Church to Indian School Road. Enjoy the glowing floats, marching bands and other parade staples with the theme of “Trim the Trees for the Holidays.”

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. Central Avenue and Montebello Avenue south to Camelback Road, east to Seventh Street and south to Indian School Road, Phoenix. Free. phoenix.gov/parks/special-events/electric-light-parade.

12/5: Holiday Pet Festival

Tranquility Trail Animal Sanctuary presents this holiday shopping extravaganza for you and your furry friends. Find the perfect gift for Fido, have him chipped in case he gets out and get his picture taken with Santa. And if you don’t have the perfect furbaby in your life, there will be local adoption organizations on site so you can give a pet its fur-ever home.

Details: 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road. Free. 480-406-7301, holidaypetfestival.com.

Santa will snap photos with four-legged critters Dec. 5 at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

12/5-6: Experience Scandinavia

Celebrate the music and culture of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland with musical performances, crafts, traditional dances and a special menu at the cafe.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5-6. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $20; $15 for ages 13-19; $10 for ages 4-12; free for age 3 or younger. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

12/6, 13: American Girl Christmas

Santa visits the American Girl store in Scottsdale, and will ask girls about their own and their 18-inch dolls’ holiday wishes. The event includes a meal and one 5-inch by 7-inch photo with St. Nick. Pre-registration and prepayment are required.

Details: 8:30-9:30 a.m. and 10-11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 and 13. Scottsdale Quarter, Scottsdale Road and Greenway-Hayden Loop. $20 per person. 877-247-5223, americangirl.com.

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12/10: ‘Home Alone II’ and ‘Elf’ double feature 

Celebrate the holidays with these two Christmas comedy classics as the monthly City Lights Movie Nights series continues. Wear your purple sweater that’s very purple-ey and enjoy Macauley Culkin as Kevin, the robber-foiling prankster whose parents forgot him on Christmas vacation, and Will Ferrell as Buddy, the human raised by elves who teaches his grumpy birth parent the true meaning of Christmas.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10. Patriots Square Park at CityScape, First and Washington streets, Phoenix. Free. 602-772-3900, cityscapephoenix.com.

Buddy (Will Ferrell), is a human who is raised by elves after he crawls into Santa's bag of toys and is mistakenly taken to the North Pole, where Santa (Ed Asner) hands him off to Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) to raise.

12/11-1/2: Holiday Lights 

It’s not the Polar Express, but it’s as close as you can get in the Valley. Board the 5/12 replica of a narrow-gauge train at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park and take a ride through the colorful Christmas lights. The fun kicks off with a special tree-lighting ceremony and visit from Santa.

Details: 6:30-9 p.m. Dec. 11-Jan. 2; excluding Dec. 24-25 and 31. Free admission; $4 train rides; $2 carousel rides. 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale. 480-312-2312, therailroadpark.com.

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12/12: Snow Much Fun Day

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is letting it snow. Kids can play in 20 tons of the stuff (until it melts), visit with Santa and more. Snow day activities are free with admission. The museum opens early for a special ticketed breakfast and photos with Santa Claus.

Details: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. 215 N. 7th St., Phoenix. $11; $10 seniors; free admission to age 1 and younger; $20-$30 for 8 a.m. breakfast with Santa.

12/12: Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade

The parade on Tempe Town Lake, presented by SRP, features as many as 50 lit-up boats of all sizes as they glide across. There also will be a fireworks show and a visit from Santa Claus.

Details: 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. Tempe Beach Park, Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway. Free. 480-355-6060, downtowntempe.com.

Watch a parade of illuminated boats float by on Tempe Town Lake Dec. 12.

12/12: Hometown Christmas Parade

There’s no place like home for the holidays, and Glendale’s parade highlights the magic and wonder of the festive season. The old-fashioned community event includes floats and performers.

Details: 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. Downtown Glendale, Glendale Avenue from 52nd to 59th avenues. Free. 602-301-6193, hometownchristmasparade.org.

12/11-13: Carefree Christmas Festival 

Santa is taking a break from list-making and double-checking to visit the northeast Valley. Visitors can frolic in 32 tons of snow, get their pictures taken with the jolly old elf, and shop for seasonal gift items. There will also be an Electric Light Parade at 6 p.m. Saturday, followed by a fireworks display, and holiday pet parade at 10 a.m. Sunday. If your pooch enjoys dressing up, this is the perfect time for him to show off his cute costumes.

Details: Dec. 11-13. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Carefree Town Center, 101 Easy St. Free. 480-488-2051, carefreechristmasfestival.com.

The Electric Light Parade and fireworks are among the highlights of the three-day Carefree Christmas Festival Dec. 11-13.

12/12-13: Mesa Arts Festival

The community event features original works from local, regional and national artists in a variety of mediums. Guests will find live entertainment on two stages, live artist demonstrations, a family activity area and a wide selection of food.

Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12-13. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. Free. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com.

12/12-13: World’s Best Sand Sculpting Championship

Ten artists will compete for the grand prize at this inaugural event, which includes free sand-castle-building lessons, photos with Santa and beach-themed music and food.

Details: Noon-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12-13. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road, Salt River Reservation. $12; free for age 2 or younger. 480-270-5000, srfsandcastlefest.com.

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