Upcoming Tucson area events
(recommended by Whats Up Tucson)

Tucson Holiday Ice
Date: Sat Nov 28 through Sun Jan 4
Location: Tucson Convention Center
What’s up: Outdoor ice skating rink set up in front of the Tucson Convention Center. And, it’s real ice. Tickets must be purchased online, socks are required and gloves are highly recommended
More info: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Tucson-Holiday-Ice


Zoo Lights: Holiday Magic
Date: Thurs Dec 4 through Sun Jan 4
Location: Reid Park Zoo
What’s up: Reid Park Zoo is decorated with thousands of holiday lights, festive displays, and animal sculptures. There’s falling snow, music entertainment, giant gingerbread house, and light tunnels
More info: https://reidparkzoo.org/event/zoolights-2025/


Lights Up! A Festival of Illumination
Date: Daily until Fri Jan 11 from 6pm-9:30pm
Location: Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N Alvernon
What’s up: Thousands of LED lights illuminate trees and custom built oversized structures delight the senses. There’s a light tunnel, lights on the trees, and a luminaria display
More info: https://tucsonbotanical.org/lightsup/


Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair
Date: Fri Dec 12 through Sun Dec 14
Location: 4th Avenue between University and 9th St
What’s up: Hundreds of vendors, live music, dozens of food vendors, fantastic people watching, free admission
More info: https://fourthavenue.org/fourth-avenue-winter-street-fair/


Christmas Balloon Glow
Date: Sat Dec 13 from 5-8pm
Location: Pima Air and Space Museum, 6000 E Valencia Rd
What’s up: Watch hot air balloons take to the sky, meet Santa and Mrs Claus, decorate holiday cookies, and see circus performers
More info: https://pimaair.org/christmasballoonglow/


Winterhaven Festival of Lights
Date: Sat Dec 13 through Sat Dec 27 from 6-10pm each evening
Location: Neighborhood that is bordered by Ft Lowell, Prince, Tucson Blvd and Country Club
What’s up: Winterhaven celebrates it’s 76th year of lighting their neighborhood for the Tucson community, with the goal of collecting food and raising money for the Community Food Bank
More info: https://winterhavenfestival.org/


Beatbox PBR Tucson
Date: Fri Dec 19 at 8pm
Location: Tucson Convention Center
What’s up: World class athletes go head-to-head with power bucking bulls
More info: https://tucsonconventioncenter.com/event/beatbox-pbr-tucson/tm_1a_zkg6gkd_5eoc/


Ballet Tucson’s “The Nutcracker”
Date: Fri Dec 19 through Sun Dec 21 with performances daily
Location: Linda Ronstadt Music Hall
What’s up: Ballet Tucson along with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra present a beloved holiday tradition, “The Nutcracker” with sensational dancing, music, sets, and costumes
More info: https://ballettucson.org/the-nutcracker/


Holiday Express at Historic Train Depot
Date: Sat Dec 20 from 10am-2pm
Location: Southern Arizona Train Museum, 414 N Toole Ave
What’s up: Write letters to the North Pole with help of elves from Tucson Postal History Museum, listen to a reading of the Polar Express, holiday music, climb into the cab of an authentic antique steam engine, see live action displays
More info: https://tucsonhistoricdepot.org/


The Star Wars Holiday Special
Date: Tues Dec 30 at 7pm
Location: Loft Cinema, 3233 E Speedway Blvd
What’s up: A free screening of the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special, with the original TV commercials
More info: https://loftcinema.org/film/the-star-wars-holiday-special/