Experience Scottsdale lists Scottsdazzle as running from November 28 to December 31, 2026, a month-long celebration spread across Old Town's districts. The city's Scottsdazzle event calendar is more compact. Its events start on Saturday, November 28, and end on Saturday, December 19. Most of them fall on four Saturdays: November 28, December 5, December 12 and December 19.
Those four days also follow the same pattern. A Santa visit opens the morning, souvenir carts run through midday, a free show fills the early afternoon from December 5 on, and a canal-side gathering takes the evening. Once you know that pattern, you can plan each Saturday quickly. The events outside that pattern are fewer, mostly ticketed, and mostly held inside individual Old Town businesses.
This year also marks Scottsdale's 75th anniversary, and the season opens with it. The tree lighting is titled the Tree Lighting Spectacular – Celebrating 75 Years of Scottsdale, and the shopping promotion ties to the same milestone.
The Template Every Saturday Shares
Three things repeat on all four Saturdays.
Morning. Santa visits the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to noon on November 28, December 5, December 12 and December 19. It's free. The market itself runs 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., so you can shop for produce before or after the photo line.
Midday. The Scottsdale 75th Shopper Appreciation Days promotion is a running tally. The "$75" on its event listing is what you spend, not a ticket price. Spend at least $75 at Old Town businesses between November 28 and December 19, 2026, then bring your receipts to an Old Town Information Cart for a commemorative souvenir. Old Town Ambassadors hand out souvenirs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the same four Saturdays, while supplies last. The two carts are at Brown Avenue and Main Street and at the corner of 5th Avenue and Stetson Drive. Your receipts can add up over several weeks, so a Tuesday gift run still counts toward a Saturday pickup.
Evening. On December 5, 12 and 19, Winter at the Waterfront runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on the Scottsdale Waterfront canal bank. It's free, with holiday lights and décor, live entertainment, seasonal food and a pop-up market at Stetson Plaza. On November 28 the tree lighting takes that evening slot.
The afternoon slot changes each week, and that is the main difference between the four Saturdays.
| Saturday | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 28 | Santa at the Farmers Market, 9 a.m.–noon | Souvenir carts open, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. | Tree Lighting Spectacular, Waterfront, 7–9 p.m. |
| Dec. 5 | Ultimate Family Play Date, Civic Center, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. | Jingle Belles and Reindeer Dash, 1–3 p.m. | Winter at the Waterfront, 6–9 p.m.; Elf at the Civic Center East Bowl, 7–9 p.m. |
| Dec. 12 | Pancakes & Pajamas with Santa, 9–10:30 a.m. | Holly Jolly DIY Décor, 1–4 p.m.; Jingle Belles, 1–3 p.m. | Winter at the Waterfront, 6–9 p.m. |
| Dec. 19 | Holiday Harmony, Civic Center, 10 a.m.–noon | Dueling Pianos on the Bridge, 1–4 p.m.; Jingle Belles, 1–3 p.m. | Live Nativity, 5–8 p.m.; Winter at the Waterfront, 6–9 p.m. |
Santa at the Farmers Market and the souvenir carts also run on every row.
Each Saturday Leans on a Different Stage
The repeating pieces stay put. What changes is which part of Old Town gets the extra programming.
November 28 centers on the Waterfront. The Tree Lighting Spectacular runs from 7 to 9 p.m. on the Scottsdale Waterfront Canal Bank at 7135 E Camelback Rd, and it's free. Arizona Family anchor Jamie Ceretta hosts. The 10-piece band Phat Cat Swinger plays, Toyland is set up for young kids, Old Town vendors serve sweets and treats, and Santa and Mrs. Claus make an appearance. The Merchantile Market runs a pop-up of local makers. The night ends with the lighting of the 36-foot Scottsdazzle tree and what the city calls special festivities for the 75th anniversary. November 28 is also Small Business Saturday, and Experience Scottsdale lists Small Business Saturday giveaways among the season's highlights.
December 5 centers on the Civic Center. It's the fullest day of the season. The Ultimate Family Play Date runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Scottsdale Civic Center, where Scottsdale Public Library hosts winter-themed art, science and sports activities. It's free. The Jingle Belles, a dancing trio performing holiday songs with a sing-along, play the Civic Center's West Paseo near N Brown Avenue and Main Street from 1 to 3 p.m. After Winter at the Waterfront starts, the Civic Center East Bowl shows Elf outdoors from 7 to 9 p.m. for free. The Marshall Way Bridge at 7124 E Stetson Dr also hosts the free Reindeer Dash from 1 to 3 p.m., a family game of chance run by Kactus Jock Rydables with prizes to win.
December 12 centers on the Marshall Way Bridge. Pancakes & Pajamas with Santa runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Marshall Way Bridge and Scottsdale Waterfront. It costs $30 per attendee and includes breakfast, a Santa meet-and-greet, music, crafts and a take-home gift. In the afternoon, Scottsdale Artists' School leads Holly Jolly DIY Décor on the bridge from 1 to 4 p.m., with live holiday music and a decoration to take home. It's free. Tickets aren't required, but the city asks you to register.
December 19 spreads across all of Old Town. The last Saturday uses the most venues. Holiday Harmony runs from 10 a.m. to noon on the Civic Center's West Paseo, with music, crafts and activities drawn from holiday traditions around the world. It's free. Mikey and Fouad play Holiday Dueling Pianos on the Bridge from 1 to 4 p.m. and take requests. At the Old Adobe Mission, 3817 N Brown Ave, a free Live Nativity and Choir Concert runs from 5 to 8 p.m., with a Christmas choir and an outdoor Nativity with performers and animals. The last Winter at the Waterfront follows from 6 to 9 p.m.
The Ticketed Sessions Sit Inside Old Town Businesses
Most of the free, open-air events fall on Saturdays. The paid, hands-on sessions are spread across the rest of the calendar, mostly inside Old Town businesses. If you'd rather sit at a table than stand in a crowd, look at these.
- Holiday Morning Magic, Saturday, Dec. 5. Experiment Coffee & Pastry at 7109 E 2nd Street runs two sessions, 9–10 a.m. and 11 a.m.–noon, at $20 each. Each includes the bakers' story, a hot-chocolate-with-ganache demonstration and a pastry tasting.
- A Dazzling Cookie Affair, Friday, Dec. 11, and Thursday, Dec. 17. Paula Jacqueline Cakes and Pastries at 4151 N Marshall Way hosts cookie decorating from 6 to 7 p.m. for $35, with a hot-chocolate bar and four cookies per participant. All ages are welcome.
- Snowflake Sips, Sunday, Dec. 13. Los Milics Scottsdale Tasting Room at 7045 E Third Ave pours four Arizona wines with seasonal charcuterie from 4 to 5:30 p.m. for $25.
Thursday, December 10, is the one weekday with free public events. Chabad of South Scottsdale hosts a Public Hanukkah Celebration at Soleri Plaza, 4420 N Scottsdale Rd, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., with a menorah lighting, music, singing and kids' crafts. From 7 to 9 p.m. the same evening, the Gold Palette ArtWalk opens Old Town's galleries and the Western Spirit Museum with holiday art and live entertainment, starting from 7056 E Main St. It's free. The ArtWalk already runs on Thursday evenings, so this edition is a holiday version of something that happens all year.
After December 19
The last Winter at the Waterfront closes on the night of December 19, and the souvenir offer also ends that day. The Scottsdazzle season runs until December 31. Experience Scottsdale describes seasonal décor, public art installations and local artists' paintings along Merry Main Street across Old Town. On the Scottsdazzle site, the Merry Main Street paintings are described as temporary artwork painted on Main Street storefront windows.
December 20 through December 31 has no scheduled events. The season's décor runs through December 31, so it's a good time for a walk after dinner with visiting family when you don't need to be anywhere at a set time.
One Way to Do December 5
December 5 has the most going on, so it's the hardest Saturday to plan. Here's one order that avoids overlaps.
- Park once. Experience Scottsdale notes free public parking in Old Town's garages and surface lots, including the Waterfront and Civic Center garages. The Civic Center garage puts you closer to the morning events.
- See Santa at the Farmers Market any time between 9 a.m. and noon, then take kids to the Ultimate Family Play Date, which runs until 1 p.m.
- If you're shopping, drop your receipts at the Brown Avenue and Main Street cart before 4 p.m. It's a short walk from the Civic Center.
- Catch the Jingle Belles on the West Paseo at 1 p.m., or walk to the Marshall Way Bridge for the Reindeer Dash, which also runs from 1 to 3 p.m.
- In the evening, start at Winter at the Waterfront at 6 p.m., then head back to the Civic Center East Bowl for Elf, which starts at 7 p.m.
The other Saturdays need less planning. On November 28, the evening at the Waterfront is the main event. December 12 is centered on the bridge. On December 19, plan around the 5 p.m. Nativity and the 6 p.m. Waterfront opening, since both start within an hour of each other.
At The Mitchell Group AZ, we're glad to see Old Town marking Scottsdale's 75th year with a free Saturday calendar that feels like a neighborhood gathering. If the season has you thinking about what your own Scottsdale home is worth heading into the new year, reach out to Get Your Home's Value. Mitch, Curtis and the team will prepare it by hand, and we'll gladly trade notes on the best spot to watch the tree lighting.
