DECEMBER 2025 10  Pratt Brothers Christmas 6 p.m. at Rawhide Western Town, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler. Featuring over seven million lights and a variety of attractions, this town isn’t short on cheer. There will be a holiday train ride, a nightly parade, stunt shows featuring the Arizona Roughriders, shopping, a gingerbread house light show, live entertainment, meet and greets with Santa Claus and more. Tickets start at $33 per person. prattbrotherschristmas.com  Nitro Circus 7 p.m. at Desert Diamond Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. Nitro Circus features jaw-dropping stunts, top-tier athletes and unstoppable energy. Co-founded by action sports icon Travis Pastrana, Nitro Circus features freestyle motocross, BMX, skate, scooter, and everything in between. Prepare to see mind-blowing stunts, high-flying tricks, and heart-pounding excitement. Tickets start at $40 per person. nitrocircus.com  Winter Artisans Gift Market 10 a.m. at The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. This market offers attendees the chance to shop one-of-a-kind fine art, jewelry, glass, mixed media, and more, while meeting the creators behind each piece. A community fundraiser showcasing themed trees and wreaths created by local artists and businesses, plus an art raffle, will also take place. Food and bev will be available for purchase. This event is free. hollandcenter.org  Fuelfest 1-8 p.m. at 20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler. Fuelfest boasts more than 700 custom, exotic, rare, and exclusive cars and trucks. There will also be exhibits, drag racing, drifting, ride-alongs, food, drinks and live music. A portion of proceeds benefits Reach Out Worldwide, the nonprofit founded by actor Paul Walker. Tickets start at $45, with VIP packages available. fuelfest.com Festival of Tales 9 a.m. at Paradise Valley Community College, 18401 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. Presented in partnership with Engelman Berger, the Festival of Tales aims to inspire a love of reading and cultural understanding in all ages. Guests will find immersive storytelling sessions, live music and dance performances, interactive arts and crafts, free books, and food and drinks will be available for purchase. paradisevalley.edu   Hanukkah Holiday Bazaar 3 p.m. at the Pardes Jewish Day School, 12753 N. Scottsdale Road. The Hanukkah Holiday Bazaar is a festive celebration of community, culture and creativity. Attendees will find vendors showcasing handcrafted gifts and decorations, arts and crafts, games for the kids, a silent auction and a children’s raffle. This event is free to attend but registration is required. bjephoenix.org  Christmas at the Princess 5 p.m. at the Scottsdale Fairmont Princess, 7575 E. Princess Dr. The resort has been transformed into a holiday haven for the annual Christmas at the Princess. Guests can go ice skating or slide down snow mountain, take photos with Santa and his elves, sip cider or cocoa and check out the ferris wheel. The lagoon lights and Princess Express are also available. Tickets are $40 for general admission. christmasattheprincess.com   Art at Anthem 10 a.m. at Outlets North Phoenix, 4250 W. Anthem Way, Phoenix. This three-day holiday art show features 60 juried artists and makers offering fine art, jewelry, pottery, photography, gourmet treats, and unique holiday gifts. Enjoy live music, festive shopping, Santa visits, and the iconic tallest fresh-cut Christmas tree in Arizona. oakcreekartsandcraftsshow.com  Tamale Class 3 p.m. at Macayo’s, 8608 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale. Making tamales for the holidays is a longstanding Mexican tradition that is alive and well at Macayo’s, and if you’re curious to learn the art, now is your chance. During the event, guests will learn how to assemble tamales as they enjoy a three-course lunch and a top- shelf margarita. They will also take home the tamales they assemble during the experience. Registration is $60 per person. macayo.com    Olivepalooza Harvest Festival 10 a.m. at Queen Creek Olive Mill, 25062 S. Meridian Road. Guests can enjoy two days of live music, tastings, and tractor tours. Witness olive pressing and harvesting, take an olive oil 101 class, visit the vendor alley, play games in the grove, watch live cooking demos, and maybe grab a bite to eat and a little something to sip while enjoying that Queen Creek scenery. Admission is free. queencreekolivemill.com    Chanukah in Carefree 5:30 p.m. at the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. The town of Carefree will celebrate all eight nights with specialty events, the lighting of the menorah, live      music, vendors, philanthropic talks, games, and more. On December 14 there will be a special intro by Mayors John Crane and Robert Morris as well as performances, holiday treats and beverages. These events will also be livestreamed. chanukahincarefree.com  Christmas Concert 7 p.m. at the Ravenscroft, 8445 E. Hartford Dr., Scottsdale. Fans of jazz and Christmas songs won’t want to miss this show. Valley Jazz Cooperative program alums join forces with of leading jazz artists and perform big band arrangements of the classics, infusing Ravenscroft Hall with the Spirit of Christmas. Tickets start at $35. theravenscroft.com Hi-Fi Holidays 7:30 p.m. at Hale Concert Hall, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. The folks at Hale have enlisted the help of the elves to go through their vinyl record collection and create a night of everyone’s favorite Christmas hits. The concert will feature guest stars from around the country and the North Pole, and include songs made famous by Judy Garland, Julie Andrews, Burl Ives, Bing Crosby, and more. Tickets start at $60. haletheatrearizona.com   A Christmas Carol 2 p.m. at the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, 10580 N. 83rd Dr. This timeless story of kindness, compassion, and redemption is the perfect way to finish out the season – and this is the last day to check out the Theaterworks version! Dickens’ beloved characters – Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, and Tiny Tim – will come to life with all-new costumes, props and more at this evening’s performance. Tickets start at $45. theaterworks.org Fuelfest in Chandler. 4144 E. Indian School Road | teepeemexicanfood.com | 602-956-0178 HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE TEEPEE FAMILY CLOSE 5:00 PM XMAS EVE | CLOSED XMAS DAY | OPEN NEW YEARS ORDER YOUR TAMALES FOR THE HOLIDAYS $35 PER DOZEN Open Sun-Mon-Tues 11am-9pm Wed-Thurs 11am-9:30pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm • Dine in • Patio Service • Sat-Sun Brunch menu with drink specials • Happy Hour Specials • Pickup Orders Try our full catering service: 602-300-7133 Safety guidelines are being followed. 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11 DECEMBER 2025 By Rachael Bouley Scooptacular, a handcrafted ice cream shop founded in Laveen that expanded to Arcadia in 2024, has become a go-to spot to satisfy sweet tooth cravings. The neighborhood shop launched a new initiative to end the year on a high note: The Scooping Kindness Campaign. Customers can purchase a star from the display wall and label it for someone else to redeem for free, so long as the person matches the description of that star. It could be the letter of their name, the color they’re wearing, or how old they are. The possibilities are endless as locals are invited to connect and ‘scoop it forward’ at their locations. “Our goal is to encourage community members to engage in small acts of kindness and to create a ripple effect of positivity,” Owner Carissa Wadhwa said. “We hope people purchasing scoops for others will create a sense of togetherness in Arcadia and beyond.” Wadhwa was inspired by a similar campaign at a coffee shop she visited in Kentucky. The promotion is one way to deliver on the mission of encouraging kindness in the community through customer service, smiles, and, of course, ice cream. This first-ever campaign will run through the end of January; however, the team hopes it could become a year-round initiative in the future. “We are so excited that we have received more initial engagement than expected and look forward to seeing it continue to grow,” Wadhwa added. “Supporting community connection and giving back helps create a stronger, more compassionate neighborhood. For us, it’s about using our business as a platform to bring people together and make a positive difference.” They are proud to play a part in encouraging acts of kindness, and employees are happy to see that even small gestures can have a big impact. “We have been handcrafting our award- winning ice cream in Phoenix for 15 years with the same premium ingredients and love. What sets us apart is our commitment to cultivating a positive customer experience,” Wadhwa said. Arcadia’s signature flavor, the Camelback Crunch – brown sugar ice cream with praline crumbles and dark chocolate shavings – is the most popular seller. Other big hits include Teddy Graham with a cookie butter base and award-winning Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean. There’s sorbet, shaved ice, and ice cream cakes, too. In addition to the scooping kindness campaign, Scooptacular supports fundraisers for sports teams, schools, churches, and community groups. They also offer morning tours to get a behind-the-scenes look at how their ice cream is made. “We love seeing our regulars and people who have never set foot in the store before,” Wadhwa added. “Whether it’s through events or everyday interactions, our goal is to make Scooptacular a place where kindness, creativity, and joy are always on the menu.” scooptacular.net Scooptacular pay-it-forward with kindness campaign The Scooping Kindness campaign encourages community members to create a ripple effect of positivity. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARISSA WADHWA