Here are a few more holiday suggestions, from performances to parades!
Joyful holiday events downtown are sponsored by the Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance. Feel festive with the holiday shopping passport, winter wonderland and tree lighting in Heritage Square, window decorating contest, 12 bars of Christmas, winter movie series, and the Noon Year’s Eve event.
Bundle up and capture the magic with “Skate at the Station” in the heart of historic downtown at the Flagstaff Visitor Center open Dec. 10-11 and Dec. 16-31 from noon to 6 p.m. And, mark your calendar for the annual Snowflake Festival on Dec. 10 from noon to 4 p.m., also located at the Visitor Center.
Share your holiday spirit with a non-perishable food donation for the Giving Advent Box to benefit the Flagstaff Family Food Center. This year, get crafty and make a festive box and each day add a non-perishable item to the Giving Advent Box. On Wednesday, Dec. 21, deliver your filled box to the Family Food Center, Late for the Train, FlagTag AZ or the Flagstaff Visitor Center.
Enjoy millions of beautiful holiday lights on display at Little America Hotel! Also, purchase tickets in advance for an adventure of a lifetime with the North Pole Experience (NPX). You’ll delight in the magic of the holiday season at Santa’s enchanting workshop and discover a toy factory, Mrs. Claus’ Bakery, Santa’s Sleigh and have family time with St. Nick himself. AZ Foothills Magazine voted The North Pole Experience the best holiday experience for children in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020.
Riordan Mansion State Historic Park is festively decorated and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 1-Jan, 6. There are also twilight tours at Riordan Mansion, 5 to 6 p.m., Dec. 22, 23 and 26, 27. This special guided tour will focus on the history behind Christmas traditions and guests will have the special treat of seeing the Christmas tree and Billiards room photo transparency windows at night. Weather permitting, luminarias will light the path around the grounds. The tours are recommended for ages 12 and older. Space is limited, so purchase your tickets in advance.
Skiing, snowshoeing and snow play are snow much fun! Did you know that Flagstaff accumulates an average of 100 inches of snow annually, offering a multitude of winter activities? Experience skiing or snowboarding at Arizona Snowbowl, cross country skiing and snowshoeing at Arizona Nordic Village and snow play at Flagstaff Snow Park with tubing, hot cocoa and outdoor fire pits. Stay in the know. Download the winter recreation map at discoverflagstaff.com, call the winter information hotline at 1-844-256-SNOW and access the winter wonderland webcam for real-time views of weather downtown.
Coconino County Fort Tuthill County Park offers ample snow accumulation, where locals and visitors can play in the snow, snowshoe and cross-country ski. There are watchable wildlife opportunities at the park, too. The park is free and open for day use, from dawn to dusk. It is located two miles south of Flagstaff, on the west side of Interstate 17/Highway 89. Take exit 337 – the park is on the opposite side of the Interstate from Flagstaff Airport.
The annual Great Pinecone Drop is a must-do to ring in the new year Flagstaff style! This Flagstaff New Year’s Eve tradition began in 1999, when the Weatherford Hotel rang in the new millennium and honored the Hotel’s 100-year anniversary. There’s nothing like lowering a 70-pound, six-foot-tall, well-lit beautiful metallic pinecone. There will be three countdowns and lowerings on Dec. 31 — for the kids at noon, one at 10 p.m. to coincide with the New York Times Square celebration and another to mark Arizona’s midnight.
Here are a few more holiday suggestions, from performances to parades!
- Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival
- Holiday dining opportunities at Little America, Doubletree, Josephine’s and more.
- Holiday Parade of Lights
- Miracle on 34th Street at Theatrikos
- Nutcracker Ballet
- Santa at the Flagstaff Mall
Learn more at discoverflagstaff.com. FBN
By Meg Roederer
