Tlaquepaque's Festival of Lights  Saturday, December 14, 2019

Tlaquepaque’s Festival of Lights has been a beloved signature Sedona event for over 46 years. If you have never seen the beautiful arts and crafts village awash in 6000 golden luminarias from every courtyard, balcony, walkway and parapet, then you must… onSaturday, December 14 th ! Spend the day and enjoy a fabulous holiday entertainment line-up throughout Tlaquepaque including: traditional holiday music in the Chapel and courtyards, jazz and Latin beats, sublime fusion flute renditions, a stunning violinist and a tabernacle choir.

Free hot cider, a visit from Santa and his elves, as traditional Christmas carols are sung, and then starting at 5:00 sharp (at the tolling of the bell tower), light your own luminaria and watch Tlaquepaque transform into a Festival of Lights!

Start the day in Patio Del Norte at 3:00 pm with the arrival of Santa Claus and his elf, accompanied by Sedona’s Tom and Shondra belting out Christmas favorites. During the afternoon candles will be passed out in anticipation of the lighting ceremony. Listen for the tolling of the bells from Tlaquepaque’s famous bell tower (at 5:00 pm) to signal the beginning. Kids, parents, grandparents and travelers from all over will enjoy lighting their candles and placing them in the luminaria bags. Not long after, the stunning spectacle of light, over 6000 luminarias is complete.

Cancer survivors will be honored and those that lost their lives to cancer will be remembered by dedicating a luminaria in their name. Names of survivors or special messages of hope are drawn on each bag, the candle is lit and the luminarias are placed around the fountain at Patio del Norte. Donations (suggested at $10 for each bag and candle) are gratefully accepted by the American Cancer Society. “It is important at this time of year among all the fun and family get-togethers to remember those that are heroically fighting this terrible disease or who overcame it… as well as those who did not. In a small way we pause to honor them,” offers Wendy Lippman.

At Plaza de la Fuente from 5:00 to 8:00 pm crowds will be treated to the full- throttle, perfect harmonies of the 100-person River of Life Tabernacle Choir. Astounding in their mastery of song, their repertoire is both traditionally seasonal and inspiring gospel. The choir has been a staple of our Festival of Lights for over 15 years!!!

2:30 - 4:30 pm: Flutist Sherry Finzer . Known for her bold musical style, Sherry brings together a new fusion sound, blending New Age, Latin, and classical music in the Tlaquepaque Chapel.

3:00 – 6:00 pm: Gather the kids for a visit with Santa while enjoying all the traditional Christmas carols and holiday favorites sung by Sedona’s favorite dynamic duo, Tom and Shondra (3:00 pm to 5:30 pm) . Purchase personalized luminaria to honor cancer survivors and family and friends lost to cancer. Patio del Norte.

5:00 - 7:00 pm: Enjoy the River of Life Tabernacle Choir in Patio de La Fuente. If you want to be moved to your core don't miss the straight from the heart performance directed by Ron Tolson.

5:00 pm sharp: Lighting of 6,000 luminarias throughout the entire arts village. Listen for the tolling of the bells to signal the lighting!

3:00 - 6:00 pm: Gypsy jazz, infectious swing and improvisation combine to help ring in the season, performed by the unforgettable ZAZU at Tlaquepaque North.

3:00 - 5:30 pm : Enjoy the get-down sounds of Ritmo Latino featuring the vocals of Andres Martinez, acoustic guitar, saxophone and Latin percussion. These crowd-pleasing guys bring it with lots of energy and passion. Get ready to bust a move or two! Patio de las Campanas.

6:00 - 8:00 pm : Violinist Jonathan Levingston.

This award winning violinist enchants his audiences with a wide ranging and versatile repertoire . Tlaquepaque Chapel

Don’t forget that during the Festival of Lights, Tlaquepaque’s world-class art galleries and specialty boutique shops will be open until 8 pm. All decked out and brimming with one-of-a-kind gifts for that special someone, be sure to see what treasures await. And if you get hungry know that any of the exceptional restaurants in Tlaquepaque offer a wide range of cuisines from fine continental dining at Rene Restaurant to a casual grill and brewery menu at Oak Creek Brewery, scrumptious Mexican dishes at El Rincon, excellent dinner fare at the Secret Garden, and the Pump House Eatery and Urban Market in Tlaquepaque North.

As this is a large event, please anticipate extra time for traveling and finding parking. Tlaquepaque is offering free shuttles from the Uptown Municipal Parking Lot at 260 Schnebly Road as well as another shuttle fromthe Morman Church of Latter Day Saints at 160 Mormon Hill Road.
The shuttles run from 2:30 until 8:30 in the evening and they are Free.

Home to over 45 shops and galleries and five restaurants, Tlaquepaque, now in its 47th year is located at 336 State Route 179 in Sedona, Arizona. Open daily at 10 a.m. For more information call (928) 282-4838, visit www.tlaq.com