Chandler Parade of Lights

Kick of the holiday season with Chandler's annual Parade of Lights event on Saturday, December 1. The fun begins at 4:30 pm with a variety of musical and dance entertainment, fun activities for children, and visits with Santa Claus in A.J. Chandler Park. The Parade of Lights begins at 7 pm. Immediately following the parade will be the lighting of the 56th Tumbleweed Tree.

The Tumbleweed Tree tradition began in 1957, when Chandler resident Earl Barnum raised the idea of a tumbleweed tree after he saw a similar one in Indiana built out of cone-shaped chicken wire with pine boughs stuck in the holes. Many members of the community helped create the first tree in Chandler using tumbleweeds that they gathered from around town. Today the city's Park Operations Division gathers tumbleweeds from the outskirts of the city, between 1,500 and 2,000 each year, and about half of them are used to adorn the 25-foot tall wire frame. The lighting of the Tumbleweed Tree draws a large crowd, with more than 12,000 expected to watch the Mayor and members of the City Council flip the switch to light this magnificent sight.

For more information, including a schedule of events, visit the City of Chandler's Special Events page. Also check this page for road closures and a parking map.