ROAD TRIP TO ARIZONA’S “CHRISTMAS CITY” PRESCOTT
We’re not sure if we can think of a better holiday road trip than Prescott. About 90 minutes from Sedona, Prescott was officially declared Arizona’s “Christmas City” back in 1989 by Governor Rose Mofford. And the town takes this title seriously. Throughout the entire month of December, the city hosts numerous holiday events and shows. You can watch a Christmas Parade and see the Annual Christmas Courthouse lighting afterward on Dec. 7. If you can’t make a show or one of the events, the Courthouse located in the heart of downtown Prescott will be draped in lights all throughout December – making for one pretty photo opp. And the Prescott Resort hosts what it touts as the “The World’s Largest Gingerbread Village.” Now through Dec. 29, see about half-a-million lights in various displays including cactuses, tiny Christmas village and Snoopy indoors at the Enchanted Christmas: Tour of Lights at the Prescott Gateway Mall. You’re in for a Christmas treat if you swing by Prescott this month. “Nothing symbolizes the spirit of Prescott more than the many events that take place this time of year, culminating with the Prescott Christmas Parade and the Courthouse Lighting. Walking through downtown Prescott during the holidays will fill you with wonder and delight, as you take in the sights and sounds of the holiday season. The breathtaking display on the Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza will be lit every evening through mid-January. I look forward to seeing friends and visitors during this wonderful time of year in Arizona’s Christmas City,” says Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli.
For more information, visit visit-prescott.com/Christmas.
Festival of Lights at Tlaquepaque. Photo courtesy of Tlaquepaque.
VISIT TLAQUEPAQUE ARTS & CRAFTS VILLAGE
Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village might as well be Sedona’s holiday headquarters. This shopping village is the site of four different holiday celebrations: a tree lighting, an illumination festival, a menorah lighting and a Sweet Stroll, where merchants pass out chocolates and candies. (For more detailed information about each of these events, check out the Holiday Happenings guide here. But even if you can’t make any of those events, starting around Thanksgiving until the first week of January, the entire shopping village will be done up in lights. Some can’t-miss sites include the chapel that will be decked out in a huge floral arch. The fountains also will be turned off and decorated with green pine cones, pine cones, gourds and different colored ribbons. Expect to hear live musicians performing throughout. Whether you visit during the day or night, you’re in for a visually appealing holiday treat. No matter when or why you visit, Tlaquepaque has been and is the place to be in Sedona during the holidays. “Tlaquepaque has been here for so many years. We opened in ‘73. We like to do things for the community. The community that’s supported us. The community and decor is just a way of giving back. You don’t have to shop. You can come and enjoy it for the beauty of what it is,” says Wendy Lippman, managing partner and general manager of Tlaquepaque.
Crafts at the Sedona Heritage Museum. Photo courtesy of Sedona Heritage Museum.
MAKE CRAFTS AT THE SEDONA HERITAGE MUSEUM
Like Tlaquepaque, the Sedona Heritage Museum hosts some of Sedona’s longest-running Christmas events too. The Museum will be in full holiday cheer. In keeping with the tradition, the signature tumbleweed snowman will “greet” everyone at the front door starting around Dec. 1. “Everybody wants their picture taken with the tumbleweed snowman,” says Janeen Trevillyan, president of the board of the Sedona Historical Society. “He’s not bashful. He loves having his picture taken, so come on up.” Seeing as this is a place dedicated to history, one of the trees on property will be decorated mostly in vintage glass ornaments from the 40s, 50s and 60s. In true “cowboy” style, a yucca plant also will be decorated. One highlight here? Kids get supplies to make free crafts like ornaments starting the first week of December until the first week of January. On Dec. 14, the museum hosts its annual open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Besides free admission, guests also can enjoy hot apple cider, homemade cookies, a sale at the gift shop, a sing along and pioneer descendants telling stories. New this year, a handful of gingerbread houses made by different community organizations and nonprofits will be on display. You can vote from your favorites as part of the People’s Choice awards. At 3 p.m. there will be a reading of “A Christmas Carol.” “It’s a tradition to do something holiday-ish almost since the museum opened,” says Janeen. On Dec. 14, “we do get a lot of families, and we make corn husk dolls that day. And we could not quit that if we wanted to do.” Above all, Janeen says the museum offers something for every age group and gives visitors the chance to make connections with Sedona and the past. “This is an opportunity to make sure everybody comes in. It’s a chance for the people to get to know us. It’s very Christmas-y. The fires on the fireplace. We have Christmas trees around the building. It really kind of gets people in the mood,” she says. “It’s always such a happy day.”
For more information, visit sedonamuseum.org.
Christmas Buffet at the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. Photo by Melissa Laundre.
ENJOY A CHRISTMAS BUFFET AT THE HILTON SEDONA RESORT AT BELL ROCK
If you’d prefer that someone else deck the halls and set the table on Christmas Day, consider heading to ShadowRock Tap + Table at the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. From 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., the restaurant at the Village of Oak Creek property will be serving up a Christmas buffet. Find plenty of dishes including hickory-smoked ham, pan-seared salmon, soups, salads and a variety of savory sides including roasted Brussel sprouts, lemon garlic broccolini and herbed Yukon potato gratin. “It’s literally a smorgasbord,” says Executive Chef Jason Flores. New this year? A hard-wood smoker, manned by certified pitmaster Jason. He’ll be cooking up smoked prime rib with whiskey barrel sauce and an assortment of vegetables. Look forward to familiar holiday dishes with festive twists. Like a Waldorf salad featuring apples sous vide in apple cider and cinnamon so they taste more like an apple pie. A sweet potato casserole baked with coconut and topped with shredded coconut and marshmallows. Although many associate Christmas with eating a dinner at home, letting the pros cook up a feast can alleviate the pressures of the holiday season. “We’re culinarians, and this is what we love doing. Our job is to be hospitable. We love cooking these types of meals. We want people to come enjoy our food. And sometimes, the seasons can be stressful: The green beans are catching on fire. We can deal with that. Let us deal with the stress and pressure of trying to create the family dinner. Let us cook,” says Jason. If you can’t make the dinner, the property will feature a hot cocoa bar (featuring toppings like candy canes and marshmallows) and mulled wine paired with roasted chestnuts topped with spiced maple syrup throughout the entire month of December. The Christmas Buffet costs $59.99 for adults, $29.99 for children ages 6 to 12. Children under the age of 5 eat free. Reservations are required. Call 928-284-4040 to make one.
For more information, visit hiltonsedonaresort.com.
Arizona Mountain Corale, a small chamber choir auditioned out of the Master Chorale of Flagstaff. Photo courtesy of the Arizona Mountain Corale.
HEAR THE “CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT” PERFORMANCE AT THE CHAPEL OF THE HOLY CROSS
One of the newer events on our list at just its second year, the Master Chorale of Flagstaff will be performing two shows at the iconic Chapel of the Holy Cross. “It’s just a really great space to perform in. A really intimate space that has really great acoustics,” says Ben Saunders, artistic director of the Master Chorale of Flagstaff and the Arizona Mountain Chorale. The wood benches, stone and wall floors help “reflect” the sound of the choir back to the audience as opposed to absorbing it Ben explained. Twenty-four singers, director Ben and a guitarist will perform. Look forward to hearing different sacred and secular holiday carols including “Jingle Bells,” “Away in a Manger,” and “Bright, Bright the Holly Berries.” The Chapel is such a small space that the choir will sing sans a piano or organ. Many pieces will be sung without music. Five pieces will be accompanied by an acoustic guitarist. “It’s a really good mix that will appeal to a wide range of audience members,” says Ben. But what’s it like to perform in one of Sedona’s most cherished places? “There’s lot of different aspects. The first is the commanding presence it has up on the rocks. It’s a really, really beautiful building that most people don’t get the opportunity to perform in,” says Ben. “For the choir to perform there, it’s a really amazing opportunity.” “It’s a more personal connection to the performers, to the music and to the audience members. And I feel like it’s a sacred space because of the location. They have a new Christus statue in the space, which is really, really beautiful,” says Ben. “It’s much more personal.” “Carols by Candlelight” is on Dec. 14, with performances at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Children ages 8 and older are encouraged to attend. Tickets cost $40 per person.
For more information, visit masterchorale.net. To purchase tickets, visit brownpapertickets.com.
Uptown Sedona Christmas Lights. Photo photo courtesy of the American Christmas an MK Illumination Company.
STROLL THROUGH BEDAZZLED UPTOWN SEDONA
From South to North, Uptown Sedona will be bedazzled in lights. Expect to see one 12-foot and one 30-foot Christmas tree, 15-foot walkthrough ornaments, Cook’s Hill will be decorated with Christmas trees, light poles around the roundabouts will be decked out in bows and garlands (courtesy of APS) and even two deer “families.” “We really want Sedona to feel festive and inviting,” says Ali Baxter, the recreation coordinator for the City of Sedona. “We really want to support the merchants, especially this year during this construction time. It’s been a hard time and we acknowledge that, and the City wants to do what we can to encourage the traffic in the Uptown Sedona. But we also want to showcase our beautiful city.” Ali tells us that this is the second year where Uptown has been all decked out. Many Uptown merchants will also get in the spirit and decorate too. “If you want to enjoy lights in Sedona, you’re going to visit Uptown Sedona and Tlaquepaque. That’s where you most condensed areas of lights are going to be,” says Ali. The Uptown lights will be up until Jan. 5.
For more information, visit sedonaaz.gov.
Cottonwood’s Annual Christmas Parade. Photo courtesy of Cottonwood’s Annual Christmas Parade.
SEE COTTONWOOD’S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARADE
Cottonwood’s Annual Christmas Parade has been around for 65 years, making this one of the area’s oldest events. This year’s parade is Dec. 7, and it starts at 11 a.m. “Every year, it’s a new theme. What we want is for people to have a fun time,” says Coleen Gilboy, organizer of Cottonwood’s Annual Christmas Parade who’s worked for the parade for more than a decade. This year’s theme is Candy Land Christmas. She says themes help inspire creativity in participants. Back in 2012, Coleen credits the 5Cs of Arizona theme with “helping turn the parade.” “We have amazing floats,” she says. In past years, she’s seen cars decorated as Whoville and the Hogwarts Express. She’s received about 100 entries for the 2019 parade. Here are a few criteria: The cars must be decorated. Horses are sprinkled in throughout the decked-out cars. And Santa is always at the end. No one can be dressed as Santa. “It’s a blast. It’s so amazing. It’s so magical. We have the parade whether it’s snow, rain or beautiful weather,” she says. “It’s how I see everybody in town and wish them Merry Christmas. It’s definitely a community event.” The 2.25 mile parade kicks off at the Verde Valley Fairground, goes down Cherry Street, Main Street and ends in Old Town Cottonwood. Many of the Cottonwood merchants will have specials or hand out goods. The parade is free to attend.
For more information, visit cottonwoodchamberaz.org.
