Events' Realm

Santa's Secret Tracks to the North Pole are right here in Arizona!


The spirit of Christmas will be visible long before guests reach the depot grounds, brilliantly illuminated with colorful lights, luminaria and decorated with fun photo-ops. Festive holiday food items and yummy beverages are available for purchase at the station. Prior to boarding, families will tour a miniature village featuring 10 tiny houses on a town square offering an eagle’s eye-view of what the majestic birds, that live in our canyon, see in flight. A beautiful Christmas princess and "wild" animals including a bear, a burro and a bald eagle will greet the children as families arrive.


Children are asked to drop their “letters to Santa” in a mailbag which will be delivered to the North Pole during each train ride.


After savoring the festivity at the depot, it's time to board the train! This 1-hour, round-trip journey through a magic tunnel onto Santa's Secret Tracks to the North Pole and back is the perfect holiday excursion for even the tiniest tot. 


At the magical North Pole passengers will see 12 creatively-decorated buildings featuring of course Santa’s Workshop, Mrs. Claus’ Bakeshop, Naughty Kids Coal Mine, the Antler Inn, Reindeer Flight School, Ice Fishing Hut, Elf School and Ugly Sweater Factory to name a few!  Mrs. Claus and acrobatic elves will wave good-bye to Santa Claus as he boards the train for the return trip to Clarkdale. The man in the big red suit will interact with all the children and gift them with a little memento as a reminder of their Christmas Adventure aboard Verde Canyon Railroad. 


4:00, 5:30, 6:30  and 7:00 p.m. departures on various nights Thanksgiving weekend through Christmas Eve.

Phoenix

United States

Arizona

300 N. Broadway

Verde Canyon Railroad

The Magical Christmas Journey to the North Pole with Verde Canyon Railroad

Pleasant Grove

Utah

The Smith Grand Theater at The Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater - Complex

Elf Jr.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Las Vegas

Nevada

Ka Theatre at MGM Grand Hotel

Cirque du Soleil: KA

Stubhub

Join us for Naughty or Nice Drag Bingo — Phoenix's longest-running drag bingo event — hosted by Olivia Gardens with Barbra Seville.


Free to play for a chance to win prizes from Off Chute Too.


Masks required and enhanced cleaning procedures are in place.

Kobalt

Naughty or Nice Drag Bingo

Desert Botanical Garden is embarking on a new partnership with London-based pioneering artist studio ScanLAB Projects, bringing its groundbreaking visual and technical artwork here in 2025. The exhibit will be a first-of-its-kind in the Valley to connect science and nature at this scale in both indoor and outdoor environments.


In October 2023, ScanLAB Projects, led by cofounders Matt Shaw and William Trossell, started a unique experience for the Garden titled DESERT PULSE — a spatialized installation that displays footage of the desert landscape and desert flora in a remarkably new way using LiDAR 3D scanning.


ScanLAB Projects has selected 15 distinct sites across the Valley and at the Garden. These daily 3D scans will be recorded over a 12-month period. The recorded data will reveal unseen environmental changes — the result of human, natural and industrial processes — all impossible to see with the naked eye or through the lens of traditional cameras. The team will document cactus flowering and fruiting, shifting sediment patterns along the Salt River, recent fire-damaged desert and desert blooms. Locations include a desert development in Rio Verde, a saguaro growth monitoring site near Needle Rock, a recovering fire area in McDowell Mountain Preserve and a working landfill.


Through their specialized rendering techniques, ScanLAB Projects will turn the recorded data into breathtaking visuals that will be exhibited as an impressive multi-screen digital installation to be exhibited amongst the Garden’s plants and trails, as well as its new Exhibits Gallery.


DESERT PULSE is not just artwork, the data collected will contain empirical, measurable facts that can and will be used for research by the Garden’s team of scientists.

1201 N. Galvin Parkway

Desert Botanical Garden

Desert Pulse

Confluence Park is our award-winning oasis where sustainability, art, and architecture come together in a harmonious blend of innovation and beauty. During our Ecology and Nature tour you'll explore innovative designs, eco-friendly structures, and stunning artworks that harmonize with nature. Tours are scheduled every fourth Saturday of the month with our Master Naturalist Docent, Bob Morris.

During the tour, you'll learn about the story of sustainability, focusing on the essential roles of water, soil, and air—three fundamental renewable natural resources that are crucial for all life on Earth. Confluence Park was built by forming a partnership between Nature and Architecture. These two attributes were melded into one to create a Vision of Sustainability for every visitor that comes here and provide a tangible benefit to all that reside in the SA River Basin.

Please note, the tour may be canceled if no reservations are made by the day prior. Each tour will last between 1.5 to 2 hours, and participants are welcome to join or leave as needed to accommodate different attention spans or ages. The pathways are accessible to all mobility levels, and bathrooms and water fountains are available on-site. We encourage you to bring a water bottle and sun protection.

Registration required. Ticket costs will be refunded to the original payment method as long as you are present for the program. If you are not present for the program the $5.00 payment will be donated to San Antonio River Foundation.

Space is limited. If you are no longer able to attend, please cancel your reservation in order to release your ticket(s) and get a refund. Thank you

Events

In the morning

Desert Pulse

Desert Pulse

Confluence Park Ecology and Nature Tour - Every 4th Sat of the Month 2025

Confluence Park Ecology and Nature Tour - Every 4th Sat of the Month 2025

Yankee Stadium Gameday Express Tour

Ryman VIP Tour

Ryman VIP Tour

In the afternoon

The Magical Christmas Journey to the North Pole with Verde Canyon Railroad

The Magical Christmas Journey to the North Pole with Verde Canyon Railroad

The Magical Christmas Journey to the North Pole with Verde Canyon Railroad

Elf Jr.

Elf Jr.

Elf Jr.

Elf Jr.

In the evening

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Cirque du Soleil: KA

Naughty or Nice Drag Bingo