Prescott’s New Christmas Village & Christkindl Market Opens
December 16-18 with Unique Gifts, German Food and Drink,
Live Music, Santa Visits, and More
Organizers of Prescott’s annual holiday attractions have added a new event for 2022. Inspired by a centuries-old European tradition, Prescott’s inagural Christmas Village & Christkindl Market will feature holiday gift items from more than 20 local vendors, German-style foods, a beer and mulled wine garden, a carousel, live Christmas music, visits with Santa, and horse-drawn carriage rides around the beautifully lit Courthouse Plaza. The event will be open Friday and Saturday, December 16 and 17 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on West Goodwin Street in downtown Prescott. Admission is free.
“For years, we’ve wanted to plan a big event for the weekend before the Christmas holiday,” said Sheri Heiney, President of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce. “It is so exciting that the new, three-day Christkindl Market will add to the events for Arizona’s Christmas City. Folks can shop for great last-minute gifts, and then literally eat, drink, and be merry!”
Organizers emphasized that the new Christkindl Market is only one of many, free holiday events happening in downtown Prescott this year.
“Prescott is a magical place for the holidays,” said Audra Yamamoto, Executive Director of the Prescott Downtown Partnership. “Now there are even more ways for people to celebrate the season in Prescott.”
Other Holiday Events for 2022
Prescott’s 25th Annual Holiday Light Parade & Bonfire Festival takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 26). From 6 to 9 p.m., approximately 40 colorfully lit floats will light up the night around Courthouse Plaza in downtown Prescott. The parade ends at the Mile High Middle School field, where participants gather for a roaring bonfire, Christmas music, reindeer races for the kids, and a closer look at those impressive, illuminated floats, parked for viewing. Attendees can enter the field through the gate on Goodwin Street (across from Old Firehouse Plaza). This event is sponsored by the Prescott Downtown Partnership and admission is free.
Prescott’s 40th Annual Christmas Parade and 68th Annual Courthouse Lighting take place Saturday, December 3 from 1–3 p.m. The Christmas parade will fill downtown Prescott with floats, marching bands, and music – all leading up to the arrival of Santa in a horse-drawn carriage. That evening is the Courthouse Lighting from 6–6:30 p.m. Live Christmas music starts at 5:30 p.m. as attendees wait for the moment when the Courthouse and more than one hundred trees surrounding it come to life in brilliant light. Admission is free.
The 34th Annual Acker Night will take place Friday, December 9, downtown. The Opening Ceremony, which features a children’s choir, will begin at 5 p.m. on Gurley Street. On Acker Night, people stroll through downtown Prescott, taking in the holiday lights and listening to live music by more than 500 performers. More than 100 Prescott businesses open their doors to these volunteer musicians with the shared goal of keeping music alive for local schoolkids. While admission is free, all tips to artists provide music lessons and instruments to local youth and support school music programs.
The 12th Annual New Year’s Eve Boot Drop will take place Saturday, December 31 on historic Whiskey Row. This jubilant celebration starts at 8:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve and lasts until 12:30 a.m. New Year’s Day. The Boot Drop is fun for all ages, with boot drops at 10 p.m. and midnight. Participants can count down as the six-foot-tall, lighted cowboy boot is lowered from the Palace Building. The event also features live music, fireworks, food, and giveaways. Admission is free.
All the Arizona Christmas City Events are presented by Desert Financial Credit Union and the City of Prescott. Additional support provided by Ability Remodeling, Springhill Suites, Galpin Ford, Residence Inn, Findlay GMC, Fancy That!, Matt’s Saloon, Prescott Landscape Professionals, Daily Courier, Blind Brothers AZ, KPPV, Further West, Sparklight Advertising, Prescott Living, Prescott Now, Magic 99.1, Prescott Woman Magazine, Talking Glass Media, and Copper State News.
About Prescott, Arizona’s Christmas City
Prescott’s mayor in 1989, Rose Mofford, designated the city as Arizona’s Christmas City because it had long been known for its festive holiday events. Today, Prescott offers a multitude of holiday attractions and is increasingly a destination for visitors looking for special ways to celebrate.
In 2022, the city of Prescott and Prescott Chamber of Commerce Foundation formed the official Arizona Christmas City Organization. This organization brought the city’s main holiday events together under one umbrella, enabling event organizers to collaborate on marketing, fundraising, and sponsorship assistance.
The following events now work together within the Arizona Christmas City Organization: the Prescott Holiday Light Parade, hosted by the Prescott Downtown Partnership; the Christmas Parade & Courthouse Lighting, hosted by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce; the Acker Night Music Festival, hosted by the Acker Foundation; and the Whiskey Row Boot Drop, hosted by the Whiskey Row Boot Drop, LLC.
This collaboration will continue to grow and help support each event financially for years to come.
Learn more at www.ArizonaChristmasCity.com.