Sedona slows down a little once the summer heat is gone, and that’s exactly when it gets interesting. November brings a Día de los Muertos celebration in Tlaquepaque, a mountain bike festival on the red rock trails, stargazing in a state park and a string concert at the Sedona Performing Arts Center. December brings a tree lighting, a holiday artist market, a chocolate walk and a holiday train through the canyon next door. If you’re visiting this fall, or you live here and keep meaning to get out more, this is your list.
These are the ten events we’d actually plan a trip around, in date order, with what to pair each one with nearby. Every date was checked against the organizer’s or venue’s own website on October 14, 2026. Two of the ten are in neighboring towns, Clarkdale and Cottonwood, and we’ve labeled them clearly. If an event hadn’t posted its 2026 dates yet, it didn’t make the list, so a few local favorites are missing for now. More on that at the end.
The quick version
| Event | Dates | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Día de los Muertos at Tlaquepaque | Sun, Nov 1 | Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village |
| Sedona Mountain Bike Festival | Nov 6–8 | Sedona |
| Star Party at Red Rock State Park | Sat, Nov 7 | Red Rock State Park |
| Geology Hike at Red Rock State Park | Sun, Nov 8 | Red Rock State Park |
| Chamber Music Sedona: Revolutionaries | Sun, Nov 22 | Sedona Performing Arts Center |
| Sedona Turkey Trot 5K | Thu, Nov 26 | Posse Grounds Park |
| The Magical Christmas Journey | Nov 27 – Dec 24 | Verde Canyon Railroad, Clarkdale (nearby) |
| Tlaquepaque Tree Lighting | Fri, Dec 4 | Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village |
| Holiday Artist Market and Celebrate Sedona | Dec 4–6 | Sedona Arts Center |
| Old Town Chocolate Walk | Sat, Dec 5 | Old Town Cottonwood (nearby) |
1. Día de los Muertos at Tlaquepaque
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. · Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, 336 State Route 179 · Event listing
Start the season at Tlaquepaque, the arts and shopping village on State Route 179. The village holds a Día de los Muertos celebration honoring loved ones who have passed, and it runs from late morning through the afternoon, so you can wander in whenever suits you.
It’s an easy event to fold into a slow Sunday. Browse the shops and galleries, grab a bite, and take in the celebration as it unfolds around you.
Our tip: Tlaquepaque sits on State Route 179, the same road that runs south past the Chapel of the Holy Cross and Bell Rock. Visit the chapel in the morning, then head back to the village for the afternoon.
2. Sedona Mountain Bike Festival
November 6–8, 2026 · Sedona · Festival details
Sedona’s red rock trails draw riders all year, and this festival is three days of celebrating them. There’s an expo, bike demos, shuttled rides and skills clinics, and when you’re done riding, there’s a beer garden with bands and food trucks.
The expo, beer garden and live music are a fun way to soak up the atmosphere, and pass holders can take demo bikes out on real Sedona terrain.
Our tip: if you’d rather explore on foot, the trails around Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte are a scenic place to stretch your legs while the riders are out.
3. Star Party at Red Rock State Park
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 6 – 8:30 p.m. · Red Rock State Park · Park events
Sedona’s night skies are a big part of its appeal, and the Star Party is an evening stargazing program at Red Rock State Park. It falls on the same weekend as the bike festival, so you can ride or hike by day and look up at the stars by night.
November evenings get chilly in Sedona once the sun goes down, so bring warm layers. Registration is required, so sign up through the park’s events page. The park has a geology hike the next afternoon too, which is up next.
Our tip: come early and see the park in daylight first. Our Red Rock State Park guide covers the trails along Oak Creek, and our Sedona stargazing guide has more ways to enjoy the night sky on the other nights of your trip.
4. Geology Hike at Red Rock State Park
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 1 p.m. · Red Rock State Park · Park events
The day after the Star Party, head back to Red Rock State Park for a hike focused on the area’s geology. It’s a good way to learn a little more about the red rocks you’ve been looking at all weekend.
It’s also on the last day of the bike festival, so it’s an easy add if you’re already in town.
Our tip: check the park’s events page for details before you go. Our Red Rock State Park guide has more on the park’s trails.
5. Chamber Music Sedona: “Revolutionaries: Beethoven and America”
Sunday, November 22, 2026, 3:00 p.m. · Sedona Performing Arts Center · Concert details
For a quieter Sunday afternoon, Chamber Music Sedona brings a string concert to the Sedona Performing Arts Center. “Revolutionaries: Beethoven and America” features Chad Hoopes, Arnaud Sussmann, Milena Pajaro de Stadt and Nick Canellakis.
It’s a lovely way to spend the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and the afternoon start leaves the evening open for dinner.
Our tip: make a day of it in West Sedona. Hike to Devil’s Bridge or Doe Mountain in the morning, then head to the concert in the afternoon. If you can’t make this one, the group has more concerts in the new year, which you’ll find in our year-round events guide.
6. Sedona Turkey Trot 5K
Thursday, November 26, 2026 · Posse Grounds Park, 525 Posse Grounds Road · Race details
Earn your Thanksgiving dinner with a run in the red rocks. The 17th Annual Sedona Turkey Trot is a 5K that starts and finishes at Posse Grounds Park.
It’s a nice way to start the holiday before the cooking takes over. Check the race page for start time and course details before you go.
Our tip: Thanksgiving weekend is busy in Sedona. If you’re staying for the long weekend, book your hikes and tours early. Our Pink Jeep Tours guide and Trail Horse Adventures guide are good places to start.
7. The Magical Christmas Journey on the Verde Canyon Railroad (Clarkdale, nearby)
November 27 – December 24, 2026 · Verde Canyon Railroad, Clarkdale, about 30 miles from Sedona · Event details
This one is just outside Sedona, in Clarkdale, but it’s worth the drive. The Verde Canyon Railroad runs its Magical Christmas Journey from the day after Thanksgiving right up to Christmas Eve. The holiday train heads to the “North Pole” for a visit with Santa.
Because it runs for nearly a month, there are plenty of dates to choose from. Check the railroad’s page for the schedule and book ahead.
Our tip: the drive from Sedona to Clarkdale runs through the Verde Valley. If you’re heading that way on a weekend in early December, pair it with Old Town Cottonwood’s Chocolate Walk (number 10 below) on the way back.
8. Tlaquepaque Tree Lighting
Friday, December 4, 2026, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. · Tlaquepaque North, Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, 336 State Route 179 · Event listing
The village’s holiday tradition returns this evening. Santa arrives at Tlaquepaque, there’s festive entertainment and children’s activities, and then the village’s big Christmas tree lights up.
Arrive a little early to find your spot before Santa gets there.
Our tip: December 4 is a busy night in Sedona. The Sedona Arts Center’s Holiday Artist Market opens the same evening (see the next entry), so you can catch the opening reception first and then head to Tlaquepaque for the lighting.
9. Holiday Artist Market and Celebrate Sedona at the Sedona Arts Center
December 4–6, 2026 · Sedona Arts Center, 15 Art Barn Road · Holiday Artist Market · Celebrate Sedona
If you want to bring home something handmade from local and Arizona artists, this is your weekend. The Sedona Arts Center’s Holiday Artist Market brings artists and makers together to sell handmade gifts and fine art. It opens with a reception on Friday, December 4, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m., and the market continues on Saturday, December 5, 2026, and Sunday, December 6, 2026.
The opening night doubles as Celebrate Sedona, the Arts Center’s monthly community gathering in its upper parking lot, from 4 to 6 p.m. Expect local music, food and drink and artist demonstrations.
Our tip: the Sedona Arts Center is at the edge of Uptown Sedona, at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon. If you’re here on Saturday or Sunday, shop the market, then take the scenic drive up the canyon.
10. Old Town Chocolate Walk (Cottonwood, nearby)
Saturday, December 5, 2026, 3 – 7 p.m. · Old Town Cottonwood, about 20 miles from Sedona · Event details
Our second pick from the Verde Valley is a sweet one. Old Town Cottonwood’s Chocolate Walk lets you stroll the decorated historic Main Street and sample chocolates and holiday treats at Old Town’s merchants and tasting rooms. Ticket and bag pickup is at the Civic Center (Cottonwood Community Club House).
If you want to start the weekend early, Old Town also hosts a VIP Wine & Chocolate Pairing the night before. We’ve listed it below.
Our tip: Old Town Cottonwood’s tasting rooms make this a natural late-afternoon outing. Plan a designated driver for the trip back to Sedona, or stay the night in the Verde Valley.
A few more worth a look
These didn’t make the top ten, but their dates are posted and they’re worth your time.
- Snakes of Arizona at Red Rock State Park: Sunday, November 1, 2026, a program at the park. Details.
- Chamber Music Sedona’s Autumn Salon: Sumptuous Strings: Friday, November 20, 2026, a salon concert at a private home for season subscribers, two days before the Revolutionaries concert. Details.
- Friday VIP Wine & Chocolate Pairing (Cottonwood, nearby): Friday, December 4, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. in Old Town Cottonwood, for ages 21 and up, kicking off the Chocolate Walk weekend. Details.
A few traditions we’re still waiting on
Some local holiday favorites hadn’t posted their 2026 dates when we checked, so we left them off rather than guess. Keep an eye out for the Festival of Lights, the Sweet Stroll and the Lighting of the Menorah at Tlaquepaque, the Cottonwood Christmas Parade, Camp Verde’s Christmas Magic on Main and Jerome’s Light Up the Mountain. We’ll add them once the dates are official.
How to make the most of a Sedona holiday season
- Book the popular days early. Thanksgiving weekend and the first weekend of December are busy, and the holiday train runs on a set schedule, so book ahead.
- Stack your days by area. Tlaquepaque and the Chapel of the Holy Cross are both on State Route 179. Posse Grounds Park and the West Sedona trailheads are close together. Clarkdale and Cottonwood pair nicely for a Verde Valley day.
- Dress in layers. Sedona days can be mild in November and December, but evenings get cold fast, especially at the Star Party and the tree lighting.
- Hike early. Shorter days mean less daylight, so start your hikes in the morning and save the evenings for events.
- Check before you go. Dates and times come from each organizer’s website and can change, so follow the links above for the latest.
That’s our list. From Día de los Muertos in Tlaquepaque to Santa on a canyon train, Sedona packs a lot into these two months. Which one are you most excited about?
Last checked: October 14, 2026.
