We track 16 displays in Mesa — the 2nd-densest city for lights in Arizona. 15 of them are free to visit.
When to go
Displays here switch on around sunset. In Mesa that means about 5:19 PM in early December and 5:21 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 5:48 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Mesa typically drop to around 42°F.
Date
Sunset
Fully dark
Dec 1
5:19 PM
5:46 PM
Dec 15
5:21 PM
5:48 PM
Dec 25
5:25 PM
5:53 PM
The Mesa lights loop — 16 stops
We ordered every display in Mesa into the shortest sensible driving loop: roughly 43.7 miles and 169 minutes of driving, before you count time spent parked and looking. Start wherever is closest to you and follow it round.
Driving estimate assumes a 25 mph average on residential streets plus four minutes stopped per display. Straight-line distances with a road-network allowance — treat it as a planning figure, not a satnav route.
Practicalities
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 Mesa cluster, OpenStreetMap maps 0 public car parks and 2 public toilets. There is no shortage of cafés and takeaways for a hot drink on the way round.
The Mesa Arizona Temple grounds glow with around 200,000 lights alongside nativity scenes from around the world, in what is described as one of the largest volunteer-driven Christmas lighting displays in the country. Admission is free.
Freeresidential30,000 animated lightscomputer-animated to music and videotune to 107.5 FM
Around 30,000 lights animated by computer to music and video, broadcast on 107.5 FM. The show runs 6 to 9 p.m. nightly from Thanksgiving evening through Christmas.
Freeattraction750,000 lights12 scenes with app/brochure guide
Red Mountain Community Church lights up roughly 750,000 bulbs arranged into 12 scenes, with an app and brochure to guide visitors through the story. Free and open nightly, weather permitting.
Vertuccio Farms stages a five-million-light Christmas Fest with an illuminated walk-through tunnel, a giant ornament photo op and a 25-foot tree built from corn stalks. Select weekends add a Mistletoe Marketplace with more than 40 vendors.
This Eastmark home claims a million lights along with Disney character displays and a photo arch for visitors. It's one of the most ambitious single-home shows in the Valley.
typically late Nov – early Jan (check before visiting) · typically dusk – 10 PM
Freeresidential
A verified home display on East Sheffield Drive in Mesa, a block that hosts multiple decorated houses. See it together with the Biggs Family show next door.
typically late Nov – early Jan (check before visiting) · typically dusk – 10 PM
Freeneighborhoodcommunity-wide displays
Mesa's Eastmark community hosts coordinated holiday displays across the neighborhood, including several of the Valley's best-known individual home shows. Worth an evening of slow cruising on its own.
typically late Nov – early Jan (check before visiting) · typically dusk – 10 PM
Freeresidential120,000+ lightsnativityphoto booth
More than 120,000 lights surround a nativity scene at this Mesa home, which also sets up a photo booth for visitors. A faith-themed favorite in the East Valley.