With the holiday season rapidly approaching like a freight train made of gingerbread, kick off the festivities at the 13th Annual Oro Valley Festival of the Arts & Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration taking place on Saturday, December 2 – Sunday, December 3 at Oro Valley Marketplace. 

For 13 years, the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) and the Town of Oro Valley have presented the region’s largest celebration of arts and culture for free to the public.

Over the two days at 12155 N. Oracle Rd., this event showcases hundreds of local artists, exhibitors, musicians, dancers, carolers, student performers, and food vendors along with an assortment of holiday-themed activities — including photos with Santa — for the expected 30,000 attendees. 

Yet, what fun would a tree lighting celebration be without the lighting of the 35-foot Oro Valley Holiday Tree? Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield will join the big man in red as the tree illuminates the evening at 6 p.m. on December 2. 

Munch on homemade fudge and caramel apples from the San Francisco Chocolate Company, sip on a hot cup of tea from Tucson Tea Company, or get down on some lip-smackin’ barbecue and fair foods from Good Eats Catering.

For a full list of food vendors, visit the SAACA website.

To boot, the 2023 holiday festival presents TUBACHRISTMAS, a concert held in cities around the world that celebrates players, teachers, and composers of tubas and their kin such as the sousaphone, baritone, and euphonium. On December 2 at 2 p.m., revel in the sound of over 100 euphoniums at this year’s Oro Valley Festival of the Arts & Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration.  

Detailed Itinerary of the Weekend:

Saturday, December 2 

• 10:30 a.m. – Desert Dance Collective 
• 11 a.m. – Wilson Elementary School & Middle School Choir 
• 11:30 a.m. – Cross Middle School 
• Noon – 2 p.m. – Arizona Women’s Chorus  
• 12:30 p.m. – Maguire Academy of Irish Dance 
• 1 p.m. – Saguaro City Theater 
• 1:20 p.m. – Oro Valley Team Dance 
• 2 p.m. – TUBACHRISTMAS 
• 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – What the Dickens  
• 3 p.m. – Arrival of Santa Procession with the IRHS Nighthawk Vanguard Marching Band 
• 3:10 p.m. – Opening Ceremony w/ Emcee Andrew Capasso (KOLD), Color Guard Star Spangled Banner, Mayor, Council, and Santa 
• 3:30 p.m. – Ironwood High School Jazz Band 
• 4 p.m. – Ironwood Ridge Chordeiles  
• 4:30 p.m. – Tucson Girls Chorus Ladybugs 
• 5 p.m. – Kids Unlimited (Vocal and Dance Ensembles) 
• 6 p.m. – Lighting of Oro Valley Holiday Tree with Mayor Winfield and Santa 

Sunday, December 3 

• 11 a.m. – Saguaro Stompers Clog Dance Company  
• Noon – Sheryl Ann McKinley (Holiday Jazz) 
• 2 p.m. – Leman Marana Academy of Excellence Youth Choir 
• 2:30 p.m. – Enharmonics – STROLLING CAROLERS 
• Noon – 2 p.m. – Tucson Desert Harmony Chorus 
• 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – What the Dickens

The Oro Valley Festival of the Arts & Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration will take place at the Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N. Oracle Rd. For more information, visit saaca.org.

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