Tucson
arts patrons can celebrate
the holidays with traditional events like “The Nutcracker” or
celebratory twists on traditional happenings. Want something low-key?
Visit Oro Valley or Marana for their tree-lighting ceremonies.
Celebrate
Centennial
Hall
1020
E. University Boulevard
7:30
p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, and
Wednesday,
Nov. 23
A
Magical Cirque Christmas
Magical
hostess Lucy Darling leads guests through dazzling performances and
breathtaking cirque artists, accompanied by holiday music. Get into
the spirit with this family-friendly show.
7:30
p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6
Mannheim
Steamroller
Mannheim
Steamroller has become a holiday staple as the show is one of the top
performances of the season. Enjoy Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
classics in a multimedia setting.
8
p.m. Friday, Dec. 9
Harry
Connick Jr.
Harry
Connick Jr. celebrates the holiday with his take on Christmas
classics, as well as his originals and fan favorites like “(It
Must’ve Been Ol’) Santa Claus” and “When My Heart Finds
Christmas.”
4
p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10
TDA:
Spirit of Christmas
Tucson
Dance Academy’s “The Spirit of Christmas” embraces “New York
City Broadway Holiday magic” (including Santa, Frosty, Rudolph and
the Grinch) and the spiritual dimension behind Christmas.
The
Century Room
311
E. Congress Street
hotelcongress.com/family/
century-room
7
p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23
“Nossa
Bossa Nova:
Jazz
Christmas Italiano”
Celebrate
the holiday season with Nossa Bossa Nova as it performs songs from
its 2020 album, “Jazz Christmas Italiano.”
Featuring
Brice Winston, Richard Katz and Alejandro Canelos with Theresa and
Mike Levy, the evening will blend traditional holiday standards, sung
in Italian with acoustic jazz quartet.
7
p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday,
Dec.
24
Britney
Chauntae:
“A
New Orleans Christmas”
New
Orleans vocalist Britney Chauntae travels to Tucson celebrate
Christmas with jazz music. In 2009, she competed, won, and toured
with (BET) 106 & Park “Wild Out Wednesday Competition.” After
that win, Chauntae wrote and performed music while living in
California. She then signed on to write music in Australia with the
likes of world-renowned aboriginal actor David Gulpilil.
Chauntae
first visited New Orleans in early 2012, when she volunteered with
the Boys & Girls Club and also sung on Bourbon Street at night.
She made it her permanent home in 2014 — the same year she
auditioned for season 14 of “American Idol.” She made it to
Hollywood Week.
Fox
Tucson Theatre
17
W. Congress
foxtucson.com
7
p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27
Jake
Shimabukuro
Jolly
ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro will celebrate the holidays with his
“Christmas in Hawai’i” show.
7:30
p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1
A
Carpenters Christmas featuring
Lisa
Rock
Singer/playwright
Lisa Rock and her six-piece backing band are keeping the Carpenters’
holiday traditions alive with their stage show.
Based
on the music of the Carpenters’ two holiday albums and Christmas
variety shows, “A Carpenters Christmas” features “Merry
Christmas Darling” and the jazzy “Santa Claus is Comin’ to
Town.”
7:30
p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3
Big
Bad Voodoo Daddy Holiday 2022
Big
Bad Voodoo Daddy turns holiday songs into their own with jazzy
versions of “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
and “Winter Wonderland.”
Expect
“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” with an Andrews
Sisters-meets-the-blues spin, and a take on Heat Miser’s song from
the classic “A Year Without a Santa Claus.”
The
band rips through Chuck Berry’s “Run, Run Rudolph” and Lou
Rawls’ “Merry Christmas Baby” and slows things down for Elvis
Presley’s “Blue Christmas.” There’s a New Orleans-flavored
“Frosty the Snowman” and a calypso “A Party for Santa.”
2
p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4
“Elf”
The
heartwarming “Elf” makes its way to the Fox Tucson Theater.
For
the few who have missed “Elf,” the 2003 film stars Will Ferrell
as the title character — a human raised by Santa’s elves — who
learns about his origins and heads to NYC to meet his biological
father. The Fox’s Mighty Wurlitzer plays a medley of holiday tunes
30 minutes before the movie starts.
7:30
p.m. Friday, Dec. 9
“In
the Christmas Mood: A Holiday
Music
Spectacular”
Produced
by Khris Dodge Entertainment, “In the Christmas Mood” showcases
holiday tunes such as “Sleigh Ride,” “Happy Holidays,”
“Jingle Bells” and “The Christmas Song.”
7:30
p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10
The
Mavericks’ “Very Merry Christmas Tour” with special guest
JD
McPherson
Grammy
winners the Mavericks will play selections from their 2018 holiday
album “Hey! Merry Christmas!” along with hits from their 30-year
career. JD McPherson guests.
8
p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15
Doo
Wop Project:
“A
Doo Wop Christmas”
Hear
holiday hits with a doo-wop twist. The show features Christmas
tracks as well as “doo-wopified” versions of hits by Michael
Jackson, Jason Mraz, Maroon 5 and Sam Smith.
7:30
p.m. Friday, Dec. 16
Merry-Achi
Christmas
Mariachi
Sol De Mexico with Jose Hernandez’s Merry-Achi Christmas has become
an annual tradition.
While
his family tree is rooted in five generations of Mariachi musicians
who hail from La Sierra del Tigre region of Jalisco, Hernandez grew
mariachi music in new lands, in new musical genres and in the hearts
of new audiences.
2
p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday,
Dec.
17
“The
Polar Express”
The
computer-animated 2004 film “The Polar Express” stars Tom Hanks,
with Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett and Eddie Deezen.
The
Fox’s Mighty Wurlitzer will play a medley of holiday tunes 30
minutes before the film begins.
7
p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18
“All
is Calm:
The
Christmas Truce of 1914”
A
German soldier sings “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary
night of camaraderie, music and peace. A true story, told in the
words and songs of the men who lived it.
2
p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23
“It’s
a Wonderful Life”
“It’s
a Wonderful Life” is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film
produced and directed by Frank Capra.
Based
on the short story and booklet “The Greatest Gift,” “It’s a
Wonderful Life” stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has
given up his personal dreams to help others in his community. His
suicidal thoughts on Christmas Eve bring about the intervention of
his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers). The Fox’s
Mighty Wurlitzer will play a medley of holiday tunes 30 minutes
before the movie starts.
Leo
Rich Theater
260
S. Church Avenue, Tucson
leorichtheater.com
Various
times Friday, Dec. 2, to Sunday, Dec. 4
Reveille
Men’s Chorus’ “The Gift”
With
a mission of promoting acceptance of LGBTQI individuals through
music, Reveille Men’s Chorus will present its 28th season holiday
show.
Family
Linda
Ronstadt Music Hall
260
S. Church Avenue
tucsonmusichall.org
2
p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and Sunday, Dec. 11
Tucson
Regional Ballet’s
“A
Southwest Nutcracker”
tucsonregionalballet.org
Tucson
Regional Ballet’s “A Southwest Nutcracker” transports
Tchaikovsky’s traditional Nutcracker to 1880s Tucson, giving the
characters and events a Sonoran Desert twist.
Since
2003, Tucson Regional Ballet has collaborated with the Tucson
Symphony Orchestra for live accompaniment.
Various
times Saturday,
Dec.
17, and Sunday, Dec. 18
Tucson
Symphony Orchestra: “Happy Holidays ¡Feliz Navidad!”
Join
Maestro José Luis Gomez, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus, the
Tucson Girls Chorus, the Tucson Boys Chorus and other special guest
artists to celebrate the holidays with a multicultural Tucson flavor.
Various
times Thursday,
Dec.
22, to Saturday, Dec. 24
“The
Nutcracker”
The
Tucson Symphony Orchestra teams with Ballet Tucson for “the
Nutcracker.”
Tucson
Convention Center
260
S. Church Avenue
tucsonconventioncenter.com
Various
times Sunday, Nov. 20, to Sunday, Jan. 8
Tucson
Holiday Ice
The
Tucson Holiday Ice Rink, hosted by the city of Tucson, will be
located on Church Avenue, south of Broadway, in front of the Tucson
Convention Center.
Skates
begin at size 8 for children and run as large as size 15 for adult
men. Socks are required, and gloves are highly recommended. Tickets
are for 90-minute sessions; adults $20, $14 for children younger than
12. Skate assists are $5. Private use is $700 per 90-minute session
during off hours.
Closed
on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Marana
11555
W. Civic Center Drive, Marana
maranaaz.gov
3
to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3
Marana
Holiday Festival & Christmas Tree Lighting
The
Marana Holiday Festival & Christmas Tree Lighting features
artisan and craft vendors; more than 30 food trucks and vendors; free
rides on the holiday train; free bouncy castles/inflatables
experiences; a photo booth with Desert Photo Booth; holiday laser
projections in Santa’s Courtyard/Christmas Tree Lighting (6 p.m.);
free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus; letters to Santa station;
community performances and a creation station with Lucky Cat Social
Art.
Oro
Valley
Oro
Valley Marketplace,
12155
N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley
orovalleymarketplace.com
Various
times Saturday,
Dec.
3, and Sunday, Dec. 4
Oro
Valley Festival of the Arts and Holiday Tree Lighting
Oro
Valley Marketplace hosts the Oro Valley Festival of the Arts and
Holiday Tree Lighting. Known as one of the largest fine art and craft
festivals in the region, the event is programmed for all age groups.
Hosted
by Mayor Joe Winfield and Santa, the Oro Valley Tree Lighting
Celebration is 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, preceded by cookie
decorating and free photos with Santa and the Golder Ranch Fire Truck
(3:30 to 5:30 p.m.). Arts Action Station will be available from 10
a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 3 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 4.
Tucson
Children’s
Museum Tucson
200
S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson
childrensmuseumtucson.org
10:30
a.m. or 1:30 p.m
Saturday,
Dec. 3, and Sunday, Dec. 4
Gingerbread
Workshop
For
$50, up for four guests can design a preconstructed house with tons
of icing and candy. Reservations required.
Southern
Arizona
Transportation
Museum
414
N. Toole Avenue, Tucson
tucsonhistoricdepot.com
10
a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday,
Dec.
17
17th
Annual Holiday Express
Features
visits with Santa in front of “Oklahoma’s” Locomotive 1673,
bilingual exhibits, a reading of “The Polar Express,” singing of
holiday music, and an arts and crafts show.
This article appears in Nov 17-23, 2022.