How much of Prescott Valley's holiday season fits inside one parade route? Most of it. Between tomorrow night and mid-December, nearly every big event in town happens at Findlay Toyota Center at 3201 N. Main St. or at the Civic Center that the Night Light Parade circles before heading back to the arena. A lot of it takes place on ice.
That makes the calendar simple to plan. The arena sets the pace on weekends, December 5 is the one day when the big events converge along the parade route, and Fain Park offers the only holiday outing you can take any night you like.
The Arena Sets the Weekend Rhythm
Findlay Toyota Center hosts four events between now and mid-December that are worth putting on the calendar, and three of them involve the ice or a holiday show. In date order:
- ERAU Ice Hockey vs. NAU, Friday, November 6. Doors open at 6 p.m., the puck drops at 7 p.m., and admission is free. You can't find a cheaper night out in town this month.
- Alice Cooper, Sunday, November 15. Doors at 6:30 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m. The arena's event page links out to ticket sales without listing a price.
- The 3rd Annual Grand Canyon College Hockey Classic, Saturdays, November 21 and 28. Grand Canyon University plays the University of Arizona on the 21st and Arizona State University on the 28th. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the puck drops at 7:35 p.m. for both games.
- Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland, Sunday, December 13. Doors at 5 p.m., show at 6 p.m. A limited family four-pack sells for $100 at the arena box office.
The Grand Canyon College Hockey Classic is the one families should plan around. General admission is $26, with group, high school and college student offers. Yavapai County students in grades K-8 get vouchers through participating schools for free admission plus a free hot dog and soda. For a family with two grade-schoolers, those vouchers cut the ticket cost of a Saturday night roughly in half. The games are ACHA Division 1 college hockey.
The second game falls on Thanksgiving weekend. Thanksgiving is November 26 this year, so the GCU-ASU game on the 28th is a ready-made plan for a house full of visiting relatives on the second night of the holiday.
Parking is easy. According to the arena's FAQ, parking is free in its lots for most events, and more parking is available in the surrounding Town Center lots. Remember those Town Center lots, because they come up again on December 5.
December 5 Brings the Big Events Together
The Town of Prescott Valley calls Winter Spectacular the community's biggest holiday celebration. This year it adds something new. On Saturday, December 5, the Civic Center at 7501 E. Skoog Blvd. hosts the event from 2 to 8 p.m., and right after the 6 p.m. tree lighting comes Prescott Valley's first-ever Winter Spectacular Drone Show, choreographed in the sky above the Civic Center.
Ice is part of this day too. The Town lists ice skating alongside photos with Santa, live entertainment, food trucks and holiday-themed activities.
Here's how the afternoon and evening fit together, using times from the Town and the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce:
- 2 p.m. Winter Spectacular opens at the Civic Center.
- 3 p.m. Parade entries start staging at Findlay Toyota Center.
- 6 p.m. Community Tree Lighting Ceremony, with the drone show right after. The parade lineup starts moving at the same hour.
- 6:15 p.m. The Chamber's Night Light Parade begins on Main Street and Lakeshore Drive, circles the Civic Center and returns to Findlay Toyota Center. The Chamber's listing runs the parade from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- 8 p.m. Winter Spectacular wraps up.
The tree lighting, the drone show and the parade all happen within about fifteen minutes. If you want a good view of the drone show over the Civic Center and the parade passing by, choose your spot before 6 p.m. and stay there.
Businesses, clubs and groups that want to join the parade can still register. The fee is $25 through November 15 and $35 from November 16 to 29, and registration is at pvchamber.org/winter-spectacular.
One caveat from the Town: activities can be canceled the day of the event because of weather. Parks & Recreation takes questions at 928-759-3090 and posts updates on its Facebook page.
Brunch before the gates open
Winter Spectacular starts at 2 p.m., which is when Salt & Pepper closes. The breakfast and brunch spot at 2970 Park Ave. in Town Center serves coffee, juices and a full bar in the former Colt BBQ building, and it's owned by Leon Moise and business partner Juve Rodriguez. It held its ribbon-cutting on October 19 after several months of serving customers. Salt & Pepper is open Wednesday through Monday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and closed Tuesday. December 5 is a Saturday, so a late brunch and a short walk to the Town Center lots fit neatly ahead of the festival's 2 p.m. start.
Fain Park Is the One Event Open Every Night
The arena and the Civic Center run on set dates. Valley of Lights at Fain Park, 2200 N. 5th St., runs every night from Thanksgiving through December 30.
It's a one-mile drive through more than 60 lit and animated displays. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 to 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. According to the Chamber's listing, the event is free, and a $5 donation per vehicle helps keep it going.
That schedule makes Valley of Lights the fallback for almost any December evening. If weather cancels part of Winter Spectacular, the hockey games are sold out in your section, or guests arrive on a Tuesday, the drive-through is still running. Weeknights close at 9, so plan an earlier start Sunday through Thursday than on weekends.
Smaller Dates Around the Big Ones
A few Town events between the arena nights are worth adding.
Turkey Trot, Saturday, November 21. Prescott Valley Parks & Recreation hosts a fun run for ages 17 and up from 8 to 11 a.m. at Santa Fe Station Park, 6751 Santa Fe Loop Rd. Registration costs $10, and runners are asked to bring a food-bank donation in exchange for raffle tickets. The GCU-U of A game is that same evening, so it's possible to fill November 21 from the morning run through the 7:35 p.m. puck drop.
Library holiday programs. The Town calendar lists a run of hands-on library sessions:
- Handmade Hangout, Thanksgiving Pie Felt Garland, Friday, November 6, at 5:30 p.m.
- Thanksgiving Pie Felt Garland, Friday, November 13, at 10 a.m.
- Holiday Themed Candle Making Workshop, Tuesday, December 8, at 10 a.m.
- Paint and Sip Hot Cocoa, Wednesday, December 9, at 9 a.m.
- Handmade Hangout, Fabric Covered Push Pin Ornaments, Wednesday, December 9, at 5:30 p.m.
The November 6 garland session starts at 5:30 p.m., the same evening as the free ERAU-NAU game, which drops the puck at 7 p.m.
If your holiday plans include more than events this year, such as a move, a sale, or simply wanting to know what your home is worth in today's Prescott Valley market, Real Prescott Property Group is glad to help, even during the busiest weeks on Main Street. Request a Personalized Market Plan, and we'll build it around your timeline.
