74th Annual
Winterhaven
Festival of Lights

Festival History

In 1949 CB Richards created a cooperative water company and a modern residential development north of what was Tucson at the time. By 1957 all but 19 of the 257 original lots had been developed.

The Festival of Lights began in 1949. Mr. Richards was inspired to create the Festival after visiting a similar display in Beverly Hills, California in the 1930s. He purchased the first set of Christmas lights in 1949 and donated them to the neighborhood. He purchased the Aleppo pines from a local nursery that was going out of business. They were planted at regular intervals throughout the neighborhood and electrical connections were hooked up near each tree for the lights.

For the first few years of the festival Richards personally judged all the displays and the winner was awarded $100.00. After he moved to San Diego, Richards continued to visit Winterhaven for the Festival of Lights.

The Festival has been held continuously since 1949 except for two years: once during the 1970's energy crisis when the residents of Winterhaven voted to stay dark, and in 2020 due to coronavirus.

74th Annual Festival of Lights

This year would have been the 74th year for the Winterhaven Festival of Lights – one of the longest running festivals of its kind in the country.

The Festival of Lights celebrates the holiday season in Tucson and is visited by hundreds of thousands of people from all over southern Arizona. Moreover, the Festival is one the most important events for the Community Food Bank in Tucson. In 2022, $57,336 and 42,016 pounds of food were donated to the Food Bank through the Festival.

The subsidy from the City of Tucson that has been used to pay for safety and traffic control has been discontinued because of the City’s severe budget issues. Rather than cancel the Festival, we are turning to the Community for its support.

Winterhaven Public Events
Festival of Lights Policies

1. Dogs
Dogs are allowed at The Festival on leashes but the festival can get busy. We ask dog owners to exercise common sense and courtesy.

2. Cigarettes
The Festival is a family event with many elderly and young participants. We kindly ask you refrain from cigarette smoking.

3. Trash
Please dispose of trash in the many trash cans placed in and around Winterhaven

4. Bicycles
please be safe, use sound judgment and walk your bicycle when crowded.

5. Sounds Amplification
For pedestrian and vehicular safety, and to avoid residential disruption, only residents and approved vendors are approved for sound amplification.

6. Freedom of Speech
Individuals or groups wishing to use The Festival of Lights (FOL) for display of signage, distribution of materials, solicitation or other advocacy for social, cultural, political, religious or other ideological purposes during the Festival shall be treated the same as other individuals and groups. These individuals and groups are not endorsed by The Festival of Lights (Winterhaven Public Events) or The Winterhaven Neighborhood Home-Owners-Association.

The FOL has large crowds, takes place in a residential neighborhood on public streets, free of charge. FOL is concerned to protect the peace, welfare and safety of all residents, persons attending the Festival.

Individuals or groups wishing to engage in expressive activity may do so as long as they do not block, impede, or otherwise disrupt motorized vehicles, pedestrian traffic, or access to vendors. To safely accommodate these individuals and groups, they must:

• move with pedestrian flow and not be stationary
• not erect a display or structure on Festival streets and sidewalks designated for vehicles, pedestrians and vendors
• not transport a display or structure on Festival streets and sidewalks designated for vehicles, pedestrians and vendors
• not erect signage or sell products; This is a right reserved and paid for by vendors