At Southern Arizona holiday markets, handmade art could become meaningful gifts for loved ones. 

The markets don’t just offer a chance to find that perfect handmade gift, it’s also a chance to showcase artists from Arizona and around the country.

Here are a few upcoming markets in Southern Arizona:

56th Annual Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair 

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec.12-13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 14 on North Fourth Avenue, between Eighth Street and University Boulevard, fourthavenue.org/fourth-avenue-winter-street-fair/

Casey Anderson, executive director and business consultant for the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association, said hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the street fair, now in its 56th year.  The fair is one of the biggest events in Tucson and it takes place twice a year, in the winter and spring.

New this year, the merchants association has partnered up with TRU RIDAZ car club to bring OG hand-painted low riders. They will be there Saturday and Sunday only on West Seventh Street. 

Anderson said the car show will “showcase that car art is a thing” while also providing “outreach to different demographics for community health and wellness.”

Included with the car display, the Unicycling Unicorn will be among the performers at Fourth Street west of Fourth Avenue.

“You’re walking down the street and here’s a man dressed like a unicorn unicycling on this very high unicycle,” Anderson said. “It’s just things you would never see anywhere else.”

The street fair has all types of vendors that sell sculptures, jewelry, art works  and license plate art.

There will be plenty of food and beer booths on the avenue including from Fourth Street to Eighth Street and at Haggerty Plaza, 316 N. Fourth Ave.

Anderson said the twin street fairs have a $50 million economic impact  in the community, between sales tax revenues “and the donations we make to groups and other nonprofits.”

Town of Marana Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting 

2-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Marana Town Hall, 11555 W. Civic Center Drive, www.maranaaz.gov/Departments/Parks-Recreation/Signature-Community-Events/Holiday-Festival-Tree-Lighting

The Town of Marana is introducing a 30-foot holiday light tunnel to go along with its 45-foot Christmas tree at its annual Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting event on Dec. 6.

“It’s going to be a big part of our holiday celebrations,” said Recreation Supervisor Shelby Scheer. 

The tunnel is a part of the 200,000-plus light spectacle that guests can walk through, including the tree area.

Alongside the lights spectacle, the Marana event features the Mistletoe Market where local artists and craft vendors will sell their wares and 30 food trucks offering hot and cold snacks. 

The Marana Food Bank has partnered with the Town of Marana for not just this event but all events in Marana since the start of this year. Scheer said the town is “encouraging people to bring a non-perishable food item, or dog or cat food to donate to the Marana Food Bank.”

Combining the partnership with the food bank, the event will have 20 independent and diverse performances on the two stages, from student groups representing Marana Unified School District to folklórico and Irish step dance troupes, Scheer said.

Tucson band Znora will perform on Santa’s Courtyard stage from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

“We like their high energy and holiday music. They keep that side of the event engaged for the evening,” Scheer said. “I really think there’s an incredible amount of value to the community and to those individuals to have the opportunity to perform on those stages.”

All told, 1,000 performers will take the two stages from 2- 7 p.m.

14th Oro Valley Holiday Festival of the Arts & Tree Lighting Celebration 

10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7; tree lighting ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at 12155 N. Oracle Road, artstateaz.org/oro-valley-holiday-festival-of-lights-tree-lighting-celebration/

Formerly known as the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance, Art State Arizona is a non-profit organization whose sole focus is to make the arts a part of everyday life.

The arts will take centerstage at the annual Oro Valley Holiday Festival with 150 artisans showing their wares. Among them, Tucson sculpture artist John Benedict of Some Distant World will have his metal sculptures crafted from recycled materials. Heather Burton of Bisbee’s 19 Nighthawk Designs will also show off her handmade jewelry, trinkets, printmaking and more. 

“Supporting an artist, a local community member, who’s going to be able to use that to create more art, to continue to inspire others, then being able to give a gift that is so unique,” said Da’Lice Shepard, Art State Arizona’s director of marketing and programs.

Alongside the artisans and vendors, there will be over 500 performances between the two stages from local elementary, middle and high schools choirs, dance ensembles and much more. 

Sunday will feature many of the school choirs however one must see groups will be Arizona Women’s Chorus performing on the main stage at 2:30 p.m. 

The main event on Saturday begins at 6:15 p.m. with the lighting of the 35-foot Christmas tree. Before the ceremony begins guests will be able to have free pictures taken with Santa, watch Santa’s parade featuring the Ironwood Ridge High School band, decorate ornaments at Santa’s workshop and much more.

“It really becomes a full sort of collective of the community coming together for a joyous holiday experience,” Shepard said.

Sonoita Small Town Christmas 

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 13 at at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 3142 Arizona 83 in Sonoita, https://www.sonoitafairgrounds.com/christmas/

More than 40 vendors, Santa, talent show, chance to win a free fence-line advertisement by bring the decorated tree

Just an hour south of Tucson, the wine country town of Sonoita is where guests can slip into a small-town Christmas. The event features more than 40 vendors selling handcrafted items, art and an appearance by Santa from 11-1. 

There are plenty of family activities for all ages including yard games and a jumping castle for the kids.

There also will be food trucks. Admission is free and the festival is open to the public.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.