Can you think of a better way to ring in this December weekend (Dec. 7 to Dec. 9) than with ice skating under the starry sky and storytime with Mrs. Claus? We didn't think so.
Friday
Phoenix Festival of the Arts
Phoenix Festival of the Arts returns for a weekend-long celebration of arts, music and culinary delights, Dec. 7 to Dec. 9 at Hance Park. Guests can enjoy the goods and services of nearly 200 vendors, a full lineup of live music and entertainment, wine and beer, several food vendors, a family zone and much more. Admission is free.
Storytime with Mrs. Claus at the Farm at South Mountain
The Farm at South Mountain is hosting Storytime with Mrs. Claus, an evening of fun and magic under the pecan trees from 6 to 8 p.m. This event will feature a family dance party, a Christmas light display, face painting, hot chocolate, cookies and storytime with Mrs. Claus. The lunch restaurant, The Farm Kitchen, will also be open to serve a delicious dinner. $4 per child (3 to 18 years old); $5 for those over 18.
Fourth-Annual Christmas Movies at The Quarter: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) + Frosty the Snowman
The 4th annual Christmas Movies at The Quarter event series is back. Scottsdale Quarter will be showing holiday classics--"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (1966) and "Frosty the Snowman"--at 6 p.m., right by the Christmas tree. It’s free to attend. Bring your chairs, cozy blankets and enjoy the show.
“The Time Train - A Holiday Skating Spectacular" at AZ Ice Gilbert
Nothing says the holidays more than a figure-skating show on ice! “The Time Train - A Holiday Skating Spectacular” features more than 70 skaters and takes place at AZ ICE Gilbert on Friday, Dec. 7, and Saturday, Dec. 8. Show times are Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Plus, guests can get a 45-minute Introductory Skating Lesson with free skate rental from 4 to 4:45 p.m. and $2 off that night’s show admission on Saturday, Dec. 8.
Saturday
7th Annual Ignite Hope
One of the Valley’s most special holiday traditions, the 7th Annual Ignite Hope holiday candlelight walk to Phoenix Children's Hospital will take place on Saturday, Dec. 8. The annual 1.1-mile walk was inspired by a 15-year-old girl battling cancer whose friends held a candlelight vigil outside her window. The evening kicks off with a family-friendly event at North High School, including a visit from Santa, music, refreshments and giveaways. Walkers are then serenaded by holiday carolers along the route, before being greeted by patients waving candles from their windows.
Jingle Bell Hike
Bring the entire family to the Thunderbird Conservation Park on Dec. 8 for a free Jingle Bell Hike from 9 to 11 a.m. Before hitting the trails, kids will be able to create a bell craft to jolly up the mountain and ring in the holidays. Water will be provided for this moderate hike, and the man with the bag will be waiting at the top.
Artisan Fest at OdySea in the Desert
OdySea in the Desert’s Artisan Fest takes place every second and fourth Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The free event features nearly 50 of the top local artists, designers and creators in the state, along with a kid’s zone, live music, yoga classes, cooking demos and more.
The Hometown Christmas Parade
The adored Hometown Christmas Parade honors a benevolent cause and allows spectators to donate non-perishable food items for Hope for Hunger, a Glendale-based food bank. This parade is taking place on Dec. 8 at 11 a.m., and it begins at 52nd Avenue heading west on Glendale to 58th Avenue.
Sunday
CitySkate
Arizona’s largest real outdoor ice rink, CitySkate, is back this year, taking over Central Avenue right along CityScape Phoenix. Start your winter off right and revel in the joy the season brings by ice skating in the heart of Downtown Phoenix—under the twinkling night sky. The rink will be open until Jan. 6 with tickets ranging from $10 to $30 (skate rental included).
Bodies Revealed
The overwhelmingly popular Bodies Revealed exhibit is open for a limited time at OdySea in the Desert and explores the human body in an intimate and informative way. The 12,000-sq.-ft. exhibition will remain on display until March 2019. Bodies Revealed gives an in-depth view of the complex and intricate network of internal organs and systems in a very up-close and personal way, with more than 200 whole and partial preserved human body specimens. There are nine self-guided galleries, each one providing a detailed look into a specific part of the body, its functions and its importance to the rest of the body.
