We track 6 displays in Glendale — the 5th-densest city for lights in Arizona. 3 of them are free to visit.
Displays here switch on around sunset. In Glendale that means about 5:21 PM in early December and 5:22 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 5:50 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Glendale typically drop to around 41°F.
| Date | Sunset | Fully dark |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1 | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM |
| Dec 15 | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM |
| Dec 25 | 5:27 PM | 5:54 PM |
We ordered every display in Glendale into the shortest sensible driving loop: roughly 19.5 miles and 71 minutes of driving, before you count time spent parked and looking. Start wherever is closest to you and follow it round.
Residential displays have no facilities of their own — no parking, no toilets, nowhere to warm up — so it is worth knowing what is around. Within about three miles of the Glendale cluster, OpenStreetMap maps 3 public car parks and 12 public toilets. There is no shortage of cafés and takeaways for a hot drink on the way round.
free entry; vendor costs varyattraction2,000,000 lightsholiday marketSanta's workshopfireworkscarolers
Glendale Glitters wraps downtown Glendale's Murphy Park district in roughly two million lights, with a holiday market, carolers, Santa visits and fireworks on event nights. Entry is free, one of the state's biggest free light festivals.
✓ Last confirmed for the 2025 season
Freeresidential24ft RGB Christmas treeanimated Santa's Factory15ft Christmas dragonanimated penguin villageThe Grinch and friendscomplimentary photos and chocolate
The Meci family's Glendale display packs in a 24-foot RGB tree, a 15-foot Christmas dragon, an automated Santa's Factory, elves climbing into a 12-foot stocking and an animated penguin village. Santa appears Saturday evenings with complimentary photos and holiday chocolate.
✓ Last confirmed for the 2024 season
ticketedattractionwalk-through lantern and light installationsfamily four-packs
An enchanting nighttime walk-through at Camelback Ranch that combines nature and art with large-scale illuminated installations. Tickets are required, with family four-packs available.
✓ Last confirmed for the 2024 season
Freeattractionlight showpaid Santa visitsoutdoor ice rink (Skate Westgate, Nov 7 - Jan 12)
Westgate runs a free holiday light show across its entertainment district, with paid Santa photo visits and the Skate Westgate outdoor ice rink operating from early November into January. A one-stop evening for west Valley families.
✓ Last confirmed for the 2025 season
ticketeddrive-thruanimated drive-through light showcelestial holiday theme
World of Illumination's Cosmic Sleighride is a drive-through animated light show with a celestial holiday theme, staged at Desert Diamond Casino. Visitors experience the show entirely from their cars.
✓ Last confirmed for the 2024 season
Freeattraction10,000 lightslit palm treesgames
A Glendale dental office decorates its property with about 10,000 lights, illuminated palm trees and games for kids. An unexpected free stop in the Arrowhead area.
✓ Last confirmed for the 2025 season
Know a display we're missing in Glendale?Add it to the guide.