Tumbleweed Tree lighting, Parade of Lights to take place this weekend in Chandler

PHOENIX — An East Valley holiday tradition is back in-person this year as event organizers prepare for the 65th annual Tumbleweed Tree lighting and the Parade of Lights on Saturday.

Festivities will begin at 4:30 p.m. in downtown Chandler with a carnival-like atmosphere where children can write letters to Santa and $1 tickets will be sold for entry into the inflatable bounce area.

The parade is set to begin at 6:45 p.m. at Frye Road and follow a 3/4-mile route north to Erie Street along Arizona Avenue.

The tree lighting will start at the conclusion of the parade at 8 p.m. with the event expecting to last until 9 p.m.

Almost 1,000 tumbleweeds were covered in glitter, white paint, and fire retardant to make up the tree. It’s also wrapped in more than 1,200 LED lights.

Chandler is the only city in the southwestern United States to have such a tree, according to the website.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early to find parking.

Various restrictions and closures will take place on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. and lasting through 10 p.m., including ones at Arizona Avenue from Frye to Pecos roads, between Frye Road and Chandler Boulevard and from Galveston Street to Chandler Boulevard.

Not too far away, at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park West, visitors can take a stroll down Sugarland to see giant marshmallows spilling out of a life-size cup of hot chocolate and walk through a canal that displays over 500 lights timed to dance to holiday music from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Sugarland kicked off Nov. 27 and will remain until Jan. 2.

For more information on Chandler’s holiday celebration, including a complete schedule of the entertainment, visits the information page online.

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