Rio Rico's Holiday Season Starts in Town This Year. Here's the Calendar Through December.
November 12, 2026
November 12, 2026
"A Brighter, Stronger Rio Rico Together!" That line closes Rio Rico Rotary's listing for its 4th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, set for Saturday, Nov. 28, at Garrett's Plaza.
The tree lighting is the last of three Rio Rico events between Nov. 14 and Nov. 28. All three take place inside the community, and Triple Crown Events coordinates every one of them. In past years, holiday plans here often meant driving up to Tubac or Tumacácori. This year, Rio Rico's own November events are the most fixed part of the season. Most of the Valley's big December dates belong to other towns. The longest-running of them, La Fiesta de Tumacácori, was canceled in 2025.
| Date | Event | Where | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Giving Thanks Festival | Rio Rico | 9 a.m.–2 p.m. | Food drive |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Desert Eats: Rio Rico Black Friday | Círculo Mercado, 1144 Circulo Mercado | 5–10 p.m. | Pay per vendor |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Rio Rico Rotary Christmas Tree Lighting | Garrett's Plaza, 1060 Yavapai Dr. | 2–8 p.m. | Free |
The Giving Thanks Festival comes first, this Saturday morning. Its listing describes family activities and says organizers are looking for about 20 food, craft and small-business vendors. The festival also runs a community food drive for local families in need.
Desert Eats comes back to Círculo Mercado the night after Thanksgiving. Visit Nogales lists it from 5 to 10 p.m., with food trucks, food vendors, dessert makers and live music. Triple Crown Events also ran a Desert Eats on Oct. 30, so for some residents the Black Friday edition will be a second visit this fall.
The tree lighting fills Saturday afternoon and evening at Garrett's Plaza. Santa and the Grinch will be there, along with music, hot cocoa, local vendors, treats and the lighting of the tree. Admission is free.
Rio Rico doesn't have a town government putting on holiday events. These three come from a service club and a local events coordinator. Rio Rico Rotary presents the tree lighting and Triple Crown Events handles the logistics. Local businesses help fund it. The Rotary listing asks for $300 community sponsorships to "light up Rio Rico," and Theresa Astrain at 520-415-3407 is the contact.
That setup explains where the events land. Garrett's Plaza sits around Garrett's Supermarket IGA on Yavapai Drive. Círculo Mercado is the shopping area most residents already pass on errands. Both events happen at the places where Rio Rico already shops. The tree lighting has run four years now, which makes it the fixed point that the other November events form around.
Rio Rico's November dates leave room for the Valley's events in between, and the mid-month schedule works out evenly:
Between Rio Rico's own dates, the Art Walk, the history talk and the gift shop event fill two weekends and one weekday, all within a short drive.
After Garrett's Plaza lights its tree, the season shifts to other towns. Each December weekend draws Rio Rico residents in a different direction.
Tubac, Dec. 4–5. Luminaria Nights lights up the Historic Village from 5 to 9 p.m. both evenings, with luminarias, shopping, treats, music and entertainment.
Nogales, Dec. 5. The "Nogiville" Christmas Light Parade goes through downtown Nogales at 6 p.m. that Saturday, the same night as Luminaria. If you want both, you'll have to pick Tubac on Friday or Nogales on Saturday.
Sonoita, Dec. 12. Two events share this Saturday. Christmas at the Empire Ranch runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Santa, docent tours, ornament-making, refreshments and an auction and raffle. Separate 45-minute trail rides cost $55. Sonoita Small Town Christmas runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 3142 S. Highway 83. Visit Nogales lists more than 40 vendors, food trucks and family activities, with Santa handing out free gifts from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Small Town Christmas runs two hours later than the ranch event, so one drive out Highway 83 can cover both.
La Fiesta de Tumacácori has traditionally anchored the first full weekend of December. The National Park Service describes it as free, with around fifty food and craft booths, live entertainment on stage all day, and family activities each day. On Sunday, a procession leaves the Visitor Center at 10 a.m. and goes to the historic church for a multicultural Mass. The booths are reserved for cultural demonstrators and 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and everything sold must be handcrafted.
In 2025 the Park Service canceled it. Green Valley News reported that the reason was unclear, even though the fiesta had been held every year for more than 50 years. On the usual schedule, this year's first full weekend falls on Dec. 5–6, the same weekend as Luminaria Nights and the Nogiville parade. The park's Fiesta page is the place to check before you head up the Frontage Road.
If the Fiesta does run, the Park Service gives a few practical notes. Parking is very limited, and most cars end up along the Frontage Road. Pets aren't allowed on the Fiesta grounds, the mission grounds or in the Visitor Center. The vendor circle and parking area are unpaved and can be rocky, and horses aren't allowed on the Tumacácori section of the Anza Trail during the event.
The Giving Thanks Festival, Desert Eats and the tree lighting all have set dates, hours and organizers in Rio Rico. Desert Eats is at 1144 Circulo Mercado, and the tree lighting is at 1060 Yavapai Dr.
Our team lives and works in this part of the Santa Cruz Valley too, and we'll be at some of these events this season. If you're planning a move after the holidays, whether that means buying in Rio Rico or selling a home here, I Am Home Arizona Group can meet with you in English or Spanish and explain each step. A Free Home Valuation is a calm place to start.
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