December 12-14, 2025

Find out what's happening this weekend in Phoenix. You can see some live music, see the most current art exhibitions and more. Find more fun things to do this weekend on our event calendar. Check out our major annual events in 2025 here. 

We've also rounded up holiday events and things to do in Phoenix this winter. Discover all the top events happening in December 2025 here. 

 

Las Noches de Las Luminarias

Friday through Sunday

Experience the magic of the season with glowing luminaria paths, sparkling lights, live entertainment and festive treats. Plus, be captivated by Framerate: Desert Pulse for an immersive Sonoran Desert holiday like never before.

Desert Botanical Garden

 

Phoestivus Holiday Market

Friday

The beloved and famously quirky holiday market Phoestivus is back for its 16th year. Holiday shoppers can join the fun on Friday, December 12, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Arizona Center for an evening of local shopping, live music, delicious food, and festive cheer. The beloved annual market brings together more than 175 vendors offering handmade goods, artisanal gifts, and locally grown treats.

Arizona Center

 

Tamale Festival

Sunday

The third annual Tamale Festival in Arizona will be taking place in Downtown Phoenix on Sunday, December 14th. It will include a variety of tamale vendors, a mercardo for Christmas shopping, photos with Santa, and a 1,000 toy giveaway. There will be local performances, ballet folklorico, and mariachis.

Downtown Phoenix

 

Family-Friendly Activities This Weekend

Discover the best family-friendly things to do in Phoenix—from interactive museums to outdoor adventures and kid-friendly eats. 

 

ZooLights

Friday through Sunday

Immerse yourself in a winter wonderland at The Valley’s favorite holiday tradition,  ZooLights! Get in the holiday spirit as millions of twinkling lights transform the Zoo into a dazzling spectacle, guiding you through the illuminated pathways alongside animal habitats and Zoo trails. 

Phoenix Zoo/Arizona Center for Nature Conservation

 

World of Illumination: Cosmic Sleighride 

Friday through Sunday

Climb aboard your cosmic sleigh with your host Shiny the Star on a mystical holiday adventure that is out of this world at Cosmic Sleighride produced by World of Illumination. Shoot past the sun, race among the stars and pass through Kris Kringle’s celestial portal where toys prepare for launch. Orbit around a team of astro elves hoverboarding through the cosmos as you enter the stratosphere of Santa City, where all the holiday magic happens. Hold on to your seat — you’re in for one stellar ride.

Desert Diamond Casino & Entertainment

 

 

Concerts & Performances This Weekend

Shows are taking place more often now, including theatre performances, comedy shows and concerts. Here's who you can see perform this weekend:

Friday:
Saturday:

Sunday:

 

Sports This Weekend

Phoenix is a premier sports destination, and our local and national teams are bringing the heat. Here’s who you can cheer on this weekend:

Sunday

 

Art Exhibits This Weekend

Phoenix is home to the largest art museum in the southwestern United States. Ignite your mind with the creativity and inspiration you will find at our local cultural institutions. Here's the art exhibits you can see this weekend:

 

Funny Business: Photography and Humor

Through January 24, 2026

Funny Business: Photography and Humor explores how artists have used visual humor to entertain, challenge norms, and offer resistance or relief from the weight of the world. Featuring 70 works from the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, the exhibition includes artists such as Liz Cohen, Steffi Faircloth, Jeff Mermelstein, Bucky Miller, and Reynier Leyva Novo.

Phoenix Art Museum

 

POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION

Through April 12, 2026

POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION finishes its North American tour at the Arizona Science Center, located in Phoenix, AZ. The exhibition examines the lives of residents of Pompeii before and after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24th, 79 A.D. Over 150 artifacts on loan from the collections of the Naples National Archaeological Museum in Italy and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii will be displayed, for a limited time.

Arizona Science Center

 

Desert Pulse

Through May 31, 2026

Thousands of stunning images. Five monumental video installations. One transformative experience. FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse, a multi-sensory art exhibit by ScanLAB Projects, invites visitors into the visual and emotional energy of the Sonoran Desert. Through photography, LiDAR scanning, motion and sound, it reveals new ways of seeing and deepens appreciation for our vibrant ecosystem.

Desert Botanical Garden

 

The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power.

Through September 13, 2026

Experience the enduring impact of the world’s first wind instrument in The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power. Explore more than 100 remarkable flutes from the dawn of music to the present day and celebrate the resounding influence of the flute on cultures from around the world. Discover how people across history have used flutes of all forms, shapes, sizes, and materials to express the rich human experience.

Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)

 

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