Carefree Lights Up! — Tree Lighting and Christmas Concert

The town page now prints last year's date (Dec. 6); the 2026 date is not confirmed yet.

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About this adventure

Carefree Lights Up! is the Town of Carefree's annual tree lighting, held around the 20-foot Christmas tree beside the Veterans Memorial in Carefree Desert Gardens, followed by a Christmas concert at the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion next door. The town's official calendar lists the 2026 edition for Saturday, November 28, from 5 to 7 PM. The event page has not been updated yet and still describes last year's program, which shows the shape of the evening: holiday carols by a local choir, a countdown to light the tree led by the mayor, then free hot cocoa and live music (strings, handbells and a youth saxophone quartet) while people find seats, and an hour-long Christmas concert with local singers and dance groups. For children, the countdown and the moment the tree lights up are the highlight, and the concert puts young local performers on stage. It is a small-town event, easy to combine with a stroll through the gardens and downtown Carefree; check the town's page closer to the date for the 2026 line-up.