Tucson Arizona Holiday Family Favorite Events
Traditional and New Festivities In The Old Pueblo 2008-09
Dec 16, 2008
Whether indoors or outside, Tucson offers holiday favorites and is starting a new all-ages tradition this New Year’s Eve.
Winterhaven Festival of Lights
In this 58th Annual Year, grant incentives from Tucson Electric Power Company led the neighborhood toward converting from traditional incandescent lights to LED lights. According to the Winterhaven neighborhood public events announcement, this is cutting the electric consumption in the first LED Christmas in Winterhaven holiday lighting event to a 98% energy savings.
Walk through access is any night from December 13 through 27. Cars are only allowed on three nights, December 13, 18, and 27. Admission is canned food for the Tucson Community Food Bank. Traditional sleigh and trolley rides are the best way to enjoy Winterhaven’s lights, for a small additional fee. The trolley is heated and wheelchair accessible. The Winterhaven neighborhood is at Fort Lowell Rd. and Country Club Dr. For more information, call 520-881-4483.
Feria Navidena
Visit Pancho Claus, taste unique foods, shop, or see a Christmas story 'Las Posadas' reenactment in Tucson’s downtown Mexican Christmas Market, from noon to 5 PM on Wednesday through Saturday to December 21st. Festivities take place at El Centro Cultural de Las Americas, 40 W. Broadway Blvd. For more information call 520-629-9536.
Reid Park Zoo Lights 2008
After animals are bedded down, the night lights up and the cocoa is hot at Reid Park Zoo Lights! Free admission with an unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots Drive, or $4 adults, $2 children ages 2 to 14, Thursday through Tuesday to December 23st from 6 to 8 PM, at Speedway Blvd. & Randolph Way, Tucson, AZ. For more information, call 520-881-4753.
Tucson Children’s Museum
Many activities are offered daily at Tucson Children’s Museum in winter theme, according to the museum’s December calendar. Preschool craft times are with theme books, such as Jan Brett’s Mittens and Eric Carle’s Hello, Red Fox. Activities include mitten critters, making snow people and more! It takes a lot of wits to build a snowperson in the desert, but brainpower is fun at the Tucson Children’s Museum.
Special one-day-only events at the Tucson Children’s Museum also take place for older children. A Greek Christmas: Festival of Friendship, December 20, 2008, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM -Fun and frolic abound as children join together with Christmas in Greece. There will be dancing, menorah cookie decorating, and more!
Hanukkah: Festival of Friendship, December 28, 2008, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM -Dreidel Games, folk dancing, storytelling and more – sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona. For more information on these and other events at the museum, 200 S 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701, call 520-792-9985.
First Night Tucson 2009
New this year, downtown Tucson welcomes all ages to First Night, on December 31, 2008 from 4 PM to Midnight. It’s a family-friendly New Year’s Eve bash. Admission buttons are worn by all. According to the Downtown Tucson Partnership, they cost $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 6 to 12. Under age 6 is free and all parking is free.
The alcohol-free event offers free parking and tons of free entertainment. Besides street performers, three host stages feature special performing artists, ranging from Hispanic folk songs and Latin fusion to jazz, blues, acoustic, and even comedic acts. First Night culminates at midnight with an awesome light and sound show. For more information, call Cara Rene at 520-547-3338 in the Downtown Tucson Partnership office.
See Lynn Pritchett's article, Best Museum Tours in Tucson, Arizona, for year-round all-ages fun.
 |
 |
