Nearly three decades have passed since the first community-wide celebration officially opened the holiday season in Ahwatukee.
And while the organizers and format of that celebration has changed over time, Ahwatukee still parties on right around Thanksgiving.
Come Saturday, it’s time to party on again.
The Light Up Ahwatukee Holiday Festival will open at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Desert Foothills Park, 1010 E. Marketplace, with enough family friendly activity to keep the party going until 11 p.m.
Until 2023, the timing and purpose of the party remained pretty much the same.
It was held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and called the Festival of Lights Kick-Off Party to herald the million Christmas lights’ arrival along Chandler Boulevard.
Three women in the late 1990s came up with the idea for the party to help pay for the lights tradition, which developer Del Webb created as a marketing gimmick and then ended when it felt Ahwatukee had become attractive enough to prospective homebuyers to drop the expense of lighting up Chandler Boulevard.
But a sea change began in 2020 when one of the Kick-Off Party’s founders moved out of Ahwatukee.
In 2021, the Foothills Community Association assumed responsibility for maintaining the million lights display, getting some big help from the Foothills Club West Association.
With fate of the Thanksgiving party in question, a small group of volunteers created a nonprofit called Light Up Ahwatukee.
They moved the party to the Saturday before Thanksgiving, renamed it the Light Up Ahwatukee Holiday Festival and redirected its purpose to supporting local charities.
The one thing they didn’t touch was the overall makeup of the party itself, maintaining but enhancing its traditional mix of activities for young and old alike that includes entertainment, unique shopping experiences, a visit from Santa and even the lighted motorcycle parade.
While the party is a family friendly event, it will again offer special features for kids and for adults.
For kids, Candy Cane Lane will offer inflatables for which a wrist band purchase will be needed.
Adults with no kids can amble over to the tavern/beer garden, hosted by Wren House Brewing Co., where beer and wine will be available for purchase from the festival’s start to its finish. From 10:15-11 p.m., solo guitarist Tom Mein will perform.
Families have a long list of features they can enjoy together.
That includes a Santa’s Village, noon-5:30 p.m., where complimentary family photos will be offered, and a dog adoption with the Arizona Humane Society from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
The Marketplace Street Village will feature scores of vendors all day and evening selling arts and crafts, jewelry, candles, woodworking, holiday gifts, children’s books and some food and snacks.
Among the merchants and artisans are: Desert Beach Co., with resin creations; jewelry artisans Desert Beach Co., LQ Gemworks, Permanent Jewelry Club, Tocala Jewelry and Eagle Creations; Beekeeper Candles with unique soy candles, wickless warmers and scent shakers; Charitable Hooker and Crochety by Vy with crochet items.
Others include Damsel in Defense, with personal protection devices; Glitter Crush and Sugar Candle Co., with glitter & rhinestone custom tumblers/cups, pens, and other items; Inked in Gray Press with books, totes, journals and other items;
Also on hand will be My Sassy Bags, Opal Moon Facepaint and Makeup, Wonda’s Scented Body Oils and Incense, Arctic Freeze with freeze-dried candy, Loco Sourdough with sourdough baked goods and Magical Creations with handmade crystal, metal and wood jewelry.
Food Truck Trail will be open all day with food and beverages available for purchase.
Bands will play from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m
Light Up Ahwatukee Director Bobbi Roberts said the headliner for the band portion of the festival is The Amber Band, featuring vocalist Amber Rogers, which will play 7-10 p.m.
“The Amber Band brings the energy every time they take the stage – blending R&B, funk, and soul in an unforgettable live show,” Roberts said.
The band features guitar, bass, drums, and a saxophone and trumpet whose “high-energy sets combine original hits and hand-picked covers spanning the 1960s through today guaranteed to get the crowd dancing,” Roberts added.
The series of band sessions – sponsored by Big O Tires – will be introduced with a 45-minute performance by Brandon My Special World. Brandon Riggs, who started his nonprofit My Special World to help make autistic kids feel special, will perform some signature dance moves, accompanied by a DJ from 10:15-11 a.m.
The Dickens Carolers will perform after the lighted motorcycle parade.
Light Up Ahwatukee last year brought back the parade, which will feature choppers spruced up with holiday decorations rolling down Marketplace.
And throughout the day, attendees can do what they were always intended to do at the event.
Party on.
Light Up Ahwatukee Holiday Fest schedule
10 a.m. Doors open, admission free.
10 a.m.-11 p.m. Tavern Beer Garden for those 21 and over.
10 a.m.-8 p.m. Candy Cane Lane. All-day wristbands available for purchase.
10 a.m.-11 p.m. Food Truck Trail.
11 a.m.-3 p.m. Human Society dog adoption.
Noon-5:30 p.m. Santa’s Village.
10 a.m.-11 p.m. Marketplace Street Village.
6:15 p.m. Lighted motorcycle parade.
More info: lightupahwatukee.org.
Entertainment lineup
10:15-11 a.m. Brandon My Special World.
11 a.m.-noon. Same Time Tomorrow.
12:30-2 p.m. Contents May Shift.
2:15–3:45 p.m. Music Maker.
4-6:15 p.m. Lil’ Debbie Band.
6:45 p.m. Dickens Carolers.
7-10 p.m. The Amber Band.
10:15–11:00 p.m. Tom Mein on solo guitar in the Beer garden.