PHOENIX — As the year draws to a close, the Valley is amping up the festive spirit with lively outdoor markets, exciting new exhibits, and enchanting holiday displays that light up the season!
ABC15's Nicole Gutierrez is helping you make exciting plans for the family with this month's Things To Do roundup! Check out the fun lineup below:
Watch the ABC15 Things To Do monthly special, sponsored by Visit Sonora, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8 p.m. on your favorite streaming devices, abc15.com, and the ABC15 mobile app!
The limited-time experience will show what life was like in Pompeii. The collections depict a time long ago - 79 A.D. - just before Mount Vesuvius's eruption froze Pompeii in time.
Visitors to the exhibition will be immersed in a recreated Roman city with visualizations, a holographic gladiatorial combat display, a 4D theater portraying Vesuvius’s eruption, and haunting casts of victims frozen in time.
S’edav Va’aki Museum Hosts 48th Annual Indian Market
Dozens of Native American artists will showcase their work at the 48th annual Indian Market!
- When: December 13 and 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Address: 4619 E Washington St. in Phoenix
Arizona National Livestock Show
Rope in the family fun at the Arizona National Livestock Show! Returns to the state fairgrounds, offering free family entertainment, livestock competitions, and more.
- When: December 27 to 31- view daily schedule here.
- Address: 826 W. McDowell Rd in Phoenix
This month, you can 'party with a purpose' in Chandler. "FuelFest" is rolling in the Valley!
- Expect a massive car show, art installations, Laser Light DJ Show, drifting with ride-alongs, Live Lucha Libre Wrestling matches, craft food, and drinks.
- When: December 6 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Address: Firebird Motorsports Park [20000 S Maricopa Rd] in Chandler
Phoestivus Holiday Craft Market
Food trucks, craft vendors, and local beer await! Discover unique holiday gifts at Phoestivus in downtown Phoenix! The event is family-friendly and pets are welcome, too.
- When: Friday, December 12, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Address: 455 N 3rd St. in Phoenix
Twas the night before
Get in the Christmas spirit! Cirque du Soleil is coming back to the Valley this month to perform live shows of “Twas the Night Before…” at the Arizona Financial Theatre.
- Where: 400 W Washington St. in Phoenix
- Activities include the Winter Wonderland Ice Rink, visits with Santa, Mesa’s Christmas Tree, Jack Frost’s Food Truck Forest, the Holiday Sunset Market, Holiday Happenings at the Mesa Arts Center, and more. Most activities are free.
- When: The merry event kicks off on November 28 at 5 p.m.
- Where: Throughout Downtown Mesa [1 N. Macdonald]
Tianyu Lights Festival Phoenix
Prepare to be dazzled - the nighttime walkthrough illuminates Camelback Ranch with its larger-than-life lanterns!
- Now open until January 4, 2026 | Wednesday to Sunday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Four themed areas: Bugs Aglow, Color of Holidays, Rainforest, and Prehistoric Animals.
- Address: Camelback Ranch [10710 W Camelback Rd., Glendale]
Want to see the sparkle in person? Check out the interactive map of holiday light displays, including the ones we've highlighted in the show and across the Valley at ABC15.COM/Lights!
Ballet Etudes’ 39th Anniversary of The Nutcracker
- Performances will be held at the Chandler Center for the Arts from November 28 to December 7.
- Additional performances are scheduled at the Mesa Arts Center from December 13 to 21.
Shopping during the holiday season
From vintage ornaments to affordable Christmas trees, local thrift stores are helping consumers decorate on a budget and give back to their communities!
Watch the video below to learn more about how to find savings on holiday decor at thrift stores that give back to local communities.
67th Annual Christmas Idea House
If you're looking for more holiday shopping opportunities, check out the 67th Annual Christmas Idea House in Queen Creek.
ABC15's Kaley O'Kelley got a first look at the festive home, which is full of holiday decor and gifts for sale. Sales benefit a local organization's scholarship fund.
- Limited availability: Events and public shopping from Dec. 4-6
- Tickets are required and are available online
Planning to travel this December? Keep this in mind: passengers have a new option at TSA checkpoints. ABC15’s Fay Fredricks shows us how Apple and some Android users can now upload their passport information and use their phone as a form of ID.
VISIT SONORA: Visit Sonora is an ABC15 Arizona sponsor.
Looking to get out of the Valley for some adventure? Here's a short list of what the state of Sonora in Mexico has to offer:
- Aconchi and its thermal waters.
- Tour: Alamos Magical Town
- Tour: Cheese Route in Cajeme, Mexico
- Tour: Magdalena de Kino
- Tour: “Rocky Point at its best”
- For more tours and experiences in Sonora, Mexico, click here.
