Nearly thirty years ago, shop owners in the Catlin Court District started putting festive wooden toy nutcrackers by their front doors and on the patios of their historic bungalow-style shops. The soldiers stayed up for several holiday seasons and then went away.
They come back this year as eight-foot-tall displays handcrafted by local artisans. They arrive on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the 30th annual Holiday Open House, almost two weeks before anyone flips the switch on Glendale Glitters.
That timing explains how downtown Glendale actually runs its holiday season. The Historic Downtown Glendale Merchants Association opens the season, and its schedule follows one pattern from beginning to end: shopping in the morning, lights after dark.
The calendar runs on Saturdays, and the merchants set it
These are the dates on the 2026 schedule from the Historic Downtown Glendale Merchants Association.
| Date | Event | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 7 | LiVE! @ Murphy Park with the West Valley Youth Symphony | Gates 6 p.m., music 7 p.m. | 5850 W. Glendale Ave. |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | 30th annual Holiday Open House | Starts 10 a.m. | Old Towne and Catlin Court |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Glendale Glitters lighting ceremony | 5:45 p.m. | Murphy Park |
| Nov. 27 and 28 | Glendale Glitters kickoff | 5 to 10 p.m. both nights | Historic Downtown |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday | Starts 10 a.m. | Historic Downtown |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Tamale Festival & Christmas Marketplace | Noon to 7 p.m. | The Lot, 57th Ave. & Glenn Dr. |
| Through Jan. 1 | Nightly holiday lights | 5 to 10 p.m. | Historic Downtown |
This Saturday's symphony concert is free. Bring a chair or a blanket.
The lights also run one day later than last year. The City of Glendale's 2025 Glitters announcement set the kickoff for Nov. 28 and 29 and kept the display on nightly through Dec. 31. This season the kickoff starts Nov. 27, and the lights stay on through Jan. 1, so New Year's Day night now counts as a Glitters night.
Nov. 14 is the day planned around the shops
The Holiday Open House is about the district itself. The merchants association bills it as the kickoff to holiday shopping and dining in the Old Towne and Catlin Court retail districts, starting at 10 a.m. Here's what's planned for the day:
- The nutcrackers. Eight-foot wooden soldiers return downtown, a callback to the tradition Catlin Court shop owners started.
- A new charm. A new holiday charm debuts for the Historic Downtown Glendale charm bracelet.
- Shop windows and make-and-take stations. Holiday window displays go up across the area, with several craft stations set up throughout the district.
- Gift-wrapping stations. They're placed so you can finish your shopping and leave with everything wrapped.
- The Patriotic Community Tree. You can customize an ornament for the tree at the corner of 58th Drive and Palmaire. Every year it's decorated with handcrafted ornaments made by residents and visitors to honor the military.
The day starts at the Arizona Information Center, 5836 W. Palmaire Ave. Pick up the activity list, the commemorative event sticker and the walking map there. Visit Glendale describes Old Towne and Catlin Court together as a ten-block stroll, and lists free covered parking at 5835 W. Palmaire Ave., right across the street.
Where those ten blocks actually take you
The merchant directory is the most useful map for a day spent going door to door, because it shows how tightly the shops cluster. Hours vary by shop and by season, so check before you go.
North 58th Avenue, the 7000 block
Within a few addresses of each other you'll find Pink House Boutique at 7009 N. 58th Ave., which carries fashion, locally made goods and pieces from small designers, and Cactus VHS at 7011, which sells vintage and Y2K clothing, western shirts, graphic tees and denim. Next door for lunch are Blue Corn Cafe & Bakery at 7015, which describes its food as scratch-made with local ingredients, and Bitz-ee Mama's at 7023, a family-owned spot serving family-recipe Mexican and American dishes.
A little farther up the street, Tangled Root Botanicals–Casa Medicina at 7123 makes natural herbal wellness products. The Cottage Garden II at 7162 sells apparel and accessories. Packer Family Ice Cream, behind Packer Family Photography at 7146 N. 58th Ave., lists 24 flavors, including vegan and dairy-free options, plus fresh waffle cones and floats.
58th Drive, 57th Drive and Palmaire
Bears & More at 7146 N. 58th Drive mixes teddy bears, classic toys, gifts from local makers and vintage finds. That's one of the easier stops for a gift for a younger relative. Memory Lane Trinkets and Treasures fills nine rooms at 5836 W. Palmaire Ave. with work from local makers and artisans, Arizona souvenirs and décor. Down the block, the Palmaire location of The Cottage Garden at 5890 focuses on home and garden décor and gifts. A Touch of European Cafe at 7146 N. 57th Drive, Suite C, serves Polish home-style cooking, including goulash, pork loin and homemade kielbasa.
North 59th Avenue, for anyone who plans ahead
Two tearooms sit a few doors apart. The Pink Door Tea House at 7153 N. 59th Ave. serves afternoon tea, lunch and desserts. The Spicery in Our 1895 Home at 7141 N. 59th Ave. is a tearoom in a historic house, known for fresh rolls, chicken salad, quiche and desserts. Its three-course tea needs a reservation two days ahead, so an Open House tea should be booked by Thursday, Nov. 12.
Glendale Avenue has the newest table on the route
Glendale Avenue holds the denser run of storefronts. ABD Antique Appraisers at 5809 W. Glendale Ave. sells antique, vintage and collectible pieces and also handles appraisals and estate sales. Next door, 2 Share A Unique Boutique at 5805–5807 combines vintage, antiques, modern trinkets and handmade items. Drawn to Comics is at 5801. Heading west you'll pass The Astrology Store at 5735 and The Scribbled Hollow at 5719, which sells books, fandom gear and custom items. On the other side of the block, Knokies Fashions at 5750 carries men's formal, business and casual clothing, including suits and tuxedos, and Status 24 at 5754 focuses on sneakers and streetwear.
The newcomer is in the historic Gaslight Building on the southeast corner of Glendale and 58th avenues. Mouth by Southwest reported in February that Cornish Pasty Co. had opened its Glendale location there after a longer-than-expected wait. The outlet described the room as dimly lit, with brick and wood, an extensive draft and whiskey list, and pasties like the Oggie, filled with steak, potato, onion and rutabaga, along with the Lamb & Mint and the Cajun Chicken. It's open for lunch and dinner daily.
That makes this the restaurant's first Glitters season, and it fits the schedule's handoff from day to night well. A table at Glendale and 58th sits in the middle of the shopping blocks and is open through dinner, and the lights come on at 5 p.m.
Farther down Glendale Avenue are two specialists worth adding to a gift list. Auntie Em's Miniatures and Smilin' Jack's Pedal Cars at 5625 W. Glendale Ave. specializes in dollhouse miniatures, small vehicles and toys. Cerreta Candy Company at 5345 W. Glendale Ave. is a family-run maker of handmade candy and chocolate.
Nov. 28 hands the afternoon straight to the lights
Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28 makes the merchants' pattern easiest to see. It starts at 10 a.m. at the same Arizona Information Center. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Downtown Docents hand out walking maps along with shopping and dining information, and the first 50 visitors get a free Small Business Saturday gift. The association says the district has more than 70 independently owned shops, and it encourages visitors to stay into the evening for the Glitters lights.
The night before, Glitters marks its 33rd year with the lighting ceremony at Murphy Park at 5:45 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27. The two-night kickoff includes light displays, interactive attractions, holiday photo spots, local vendors, seasonal treats, live entertainment, carolers and a visit with Santa. The Friday after Thanksgiving is the night for the lighting. Saturday is the day for the shops, with the lights waiting at dusk.
After the kickoff weekend, the season keeps going
On Sunday, Dec. 6, the West Valley Foundation presents the Tamale Festival & Christmas Marketplace at The Lot, 57th Avenue and Glenn Drive, from noon to 7 p.m., with music by New Destiny and Mariachi Rodgriquez. It ends two hours after the lights come on, so the same afternoon-into-evening plan works here too.
For a weekday visit or a quieter December evening, the Peacock Passport gives the walk a purpose. The merchants association created it as a free guide through Historic Downtown Glendale and Historic Sahuaro Ranch. You look for metal peacocks and collect stamps at participating businesses. Collect at least six of the eight stamps and bring the passport back to the Arizona Information Center for a free gift. The passport also covers the history of peacocks in Glendale, which goes back to 1933.
The lights stay on every night from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1. Any evening from Thanksgiving weekend to New Year's Day can start with a pasty or a shop or two on Glendale Avenue and end under the lights. The nutcrackers will already have been standing for two weeks when Glitters lights up.
At The Gillette Group, we pay close attention to the local calendars that shape a season like this one, from Catlin Court's nutcrackers to the night the lights first come on at Murphy Park. If you'd like that same local insight on your next move anywhere in the Valley, Contact Us.
