Ahwatukee Festival of Lights

Bringing Ahwatukee Together Since 1995

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Festival of Lights

Our Story

The Ahwatukee Foothills Festival of Lights (FOL) was founded in 1995 as an Ahwatukee community initiative after the developer of the Foothills, Del Webb, discontinued promotional festive-season lighting along the Chandler Blvd medians.

Three women, residents of Ahwatukee, felt that the lights were a beautiful landmark and should be present each festive season. They established the FoL as a 501C3 charity to implement substantial community events to raise money and fund the annual lighting. A substantial network of energetic and dedicated volunteers has sustained the effort every year since then.

As of 2020, The Festival of the Lights has morphed more into a charitable organization with a broader purpose as the committee is no longer responsible for setting up the Christmas lights along medians of Chandler Boulevard between Desert Foothills Parkway and 24th Street. That job now falls to the Foothills Community Association, however the FOL Committee is still raising money to help the HOA raise money for the lights as well as other charitable activities in Ahwatukee.

The Million White Lights that famously illuminate Chandler Boulevard from 24th Street to Desert Foothills Parkway stands as a remarkable example of community spirit. Through thick and thin, the organization has sustained and grown each year, frequently reinventing itself to refresh and maintain relevance.

FOL activities are centered on two events:

The Wine and Beer Tasting Festival, an adult-only event each spring at The Foothills Golf Club.
The Holiday Kick-Off Party, our day-long family celebration in Desert Foothills Park. The event commemorates the start of the holiday season and the illumination of the Chandler Blvd lights.

These two events provide financial support for selected charities in Ahwatukee and additional funding for the lights provided by two HOAs (Foothills and Club West).

Holiday Kick-Off Party

SATURDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING – SAT, NOVEMBER 19, 2022
Desert Foothills Park, 1010 E Marketplace SE, Phoenix, AZ 85048

The Festival of Lights Holiday Kick-Off Party is a premier family-fun event for the Ahwatukee community that raises funds for the lighting of the medians over the holidays on Chandler Boulevard

We have inflatables, a Marketplace Street Fair, the Tavern/beer garden, food trucks throughout the park, visits with Santa, entertainment for the family, live music and other fun activities. Up to 15,000 attend the day long festival.

We hope that you will join us! Read More

Vendors

Now accepting applications for:

Marketplace Vendors
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Food Truck Trail
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Get Involved

Spring Wine and Beer Tasting Event

TENTATIVELY: TBD

We’ll begin posting information about our springtime fundraising event after the first of the year. Please check back in January for information on how to participate, donate, or volunteer. Have questions? Contact us.

What’s New?

Letter from the President

Aug 30, 2020

WILL THERE BE LIGHTS? “It's all hands on deck and we're going to do everything we can to keep it going!” ~Raphael Isaac, Festival of Lights Board President We are doing everything we can right now to keep the lights on. We're planning on putting on the exact same...

New Festival of Lights Board Faces Present-Day Challenges

Apr 10, 2020

Janyce Hazlett, Co-Founder and President of the Festival of Lights board for nearly two decades, retired after the organization's Holiday Kick-Off Party last Thanksgiving weekend. Her long-time dedication is sorely missed and her service to the organization will be...

CALL FOR KICK-OFF PARTY VOLUNTEERS

Nov 11, 2019

Volunteers are needed to help with this year's Festival of Lights Kick-Off Party at Desert Foothills Park on November 29 and 30. The Holiday Kick-Off Party needs more than 300 volunteers to make this fun family event successful. Shifts are available on Friday for...