When did Dr. A.J. Chandler Park last get a full makeover? The answer is 1986. The park has hosted the Tumbleweed Tree, the farmers market and more than 100 events a year on a layout built for a much smaller downtown.
That changed in January. The City of Chandler started phase one of the park renovation early in 2026, with Willmeng Construction building it and Dibble Construction Management and Dig Studio supporting the project. On Saturday, Dec. 5, the Tumbleweed Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights come back to a park where work on the east side is scheduled to continue into spring. Because of that, this year's holiday season is spread across a much bigger stretch of Downtown Chandler than in years past.
A park caught between two versions of itself
The renovation covers both sides of Arizona Avenue between Buffalo and Boston streets. The City's goal is to finish the west side before the 2026 holiday season. The east side is scheduled to wrap up in early spring 2027.
Phase one is mainly about shade and space for events. The City's project description includes:
- Two large shade canopies and two park pavilions
- Two new restroom buildings and storage rooms
- Event lawns and seasonal plazas with seating
- Relocated and new public art, new park lighting and power infrastructure
- A new crosswalk signal at the existing Arizona Avenue pedestrian crossing
Phase one also removes the park's outdated water features and calls for more shade trees and for bringing the park's east side into regular use.
The City's Downtown Improvements bulletin lists the fall work in detail. On the west side, crews have been installing lighting and the metal skin on the west canopy, plus tongue-and-groove wood and exterior metal louvers on the south canopy into mid-November. They have also been tiling and painting the west restroom and pouring sidewalks at the south end of the park. Across Arizona Avenue, crews were finishing the last steel trusses for the east canopy in early November.
That puts the tree lighting right where the construction schedule is still shaking out, and you can see it in how the city laid out the event.
How the event moves around the work
Vendors cross to the east side
The City's event page says every vendor booth will be on the east side of Arizona Avenue, along Arizona Place or Commonwealth Place. Vendor spots filled up early enough that the City closed applications ahead of the deadline. The Chandler Fire Department's "Stuff the Truck" toy drive is on the same side of the street. Look for the fire engine on the east side of Arizona Avenue, north of Boston Street, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. They are collecting new, unwrapped toys.
Arizona Place already runs one way
During construction, Arizona Place only allows northbound traffic between Boston and Buffalo streets. The southbound bike lane on Arizona Avenue is closed through about Dec. 5 for the south-end sidewalk work. Parking along Arizona Avenue is limited, and a few angled spaces on San Marcos and Arizona Place are closed. So the street with the vendor booths is already a one-way construction route on a normal weekday.
One parking area is off the list
The City's parking guide for the night shows P2 street parking as closed for construction. All the other mapped options are still available. Garages are the easiest way to keep your car out of the closures.
| Lot | How to get in |
|---|---|
| P1 Overstreet Parking Garage | Chandler Boulevard and California Street to Buffalo Street |
| P3 Oregon Street Parking Garage | California, Oregon or Chicago streets |
| P4 City Hall Parking Garage | Frye Road and Washington Street |
| P9 Alexander Parking Structure | Chandler Boulevard to Delaware and Boston streets |
| P10 Downtown Library Parking Lots | Chandler Boulevard to Delaware and Boston streets |
| P11 Jonathon Parking Structure | Chandler Boulevard and Washington or Colorado streets |
| P5 through P8 surface lots | Dakota and Chicago streets, or Frye Road for P6 |
The City also lists Folley Park as supplemental parking. You can reach it from McQueen and Frye roads or from Pecos Road and Hamilton Street. The City asks guests to carpool and arrive early. Arizona Avenue closes in sections starting in the early afternoon, and Frye Road and Chandler Boulevard have restrictions in the evening. The exact times are posted on the Tumbleweed Tree Lighting page and the Parade of Lights page, so check them before you head out.
The evening itself, in order
The Tumbleweed Tree Lighting runs from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at 3 S. Arizona Ave., and it's free. The Parade of Lights steps off at 6:45 p.m. and runs about three-quarters of a mile, heading north on Arizona Avenue from Frye Road to Erie Street until 8 p.m. The tree lighting comes right after the parade, at about 8 p.m., according to Visit Chandler's event guide. Last year followed the same order, as the Chandler Independent reported.
Santa's House is set up at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park with free photos, sponsored by the Chandler Lions Club. It closes from 6:30 to 8 p.m. while Santa rides in the parade, so families who want a photo should go before 6:30 or after 8. Kids can also decorate letters to Santa and drop them in Santa's mailbox.
The tree is put together by City Parks crews, and its size usually draws people downtown on its own. The City's explainer on how the tree is built describes a typical year as more than 1,000 tumbleweeds, about 10 Parks Maintenance workers and 13 working days. The Chandler Independent reported that the 2025 tree was 35 feet tall and 20 feet wide, built from nearly 1,000 tumbleweeds and lit by more than 1,200 LEDs.
Downtown fills in around the park
The other half of the story is how much holiday programming lands in the blocks around the park. Apart from the Holiday Magic lights, which stay up through the whole season, every one of these events falls on a date other than the big Saturday. The Downtown Chandler Community Partnership's light display, the City's extra Santa days and a December pub crawl together stretch the season to more than five weeks.
| Date | Event | Where and what |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday | Live music 1 to 4 p.m. and a free holiday stocking and shopping guide at Crust Lawn, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Prancer's Pajama Party | Free kickoff for Holiday Magic, 4 to 6 p.m., with reindeer games, crafts and hot chocolate |
| Nov. 28 to Jan. 3 | Holiday Magic Featuring Sugarland | Holiday light display across the district |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Tumbleweed Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights | 4:30 to 9 p.m., parade 6:45 to 8 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Santa's House | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Sippin' Santas Pub Crawl | $20 Nice or Naughty tickets, $50 VIP |
| Tue., Dec. 15 | Santa's House | 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Thu., Dec. 17 | Community Nights in the Courtyard, Holiday Edition | 5 to 7 p.m., Chandler Community Center, 125 E. Commonwealth Ave. |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | Santa's House | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
Holiday Magic Featuring Sugarland is built to be walked through. It includes a walk-through gift box you can step inside, an oversized Santa sofa, a candy sleigh, giant gumdrops, oversized candy canes, and life-size Santa figures and lights placed around the district. With the park in the middle of its rebuild, having the decorations spread across downtown means the season doesn't hinge on one lawn being finished.
The Sippin' Santas Pub Crawl on Dec. 12 works the same way, sending people up and down the street. The $5 drink specials run in two shifts. Nice List tickets cover noon to 3 p.m., and Naughty List tickets cover 3 to 6 p.m. Both register at 178 W. Boston St. The $50 VIP ticket starts with a 10:30 a.m. experience at The Perch Brewery and then covers the full crawl from noon to 6 p.m. The 2026 participating spots are Murphy's Law Irish Pub, The Stillery, Lola's Liquors, SanTan Spirit House, SanTan Brewery, Rebel & Rogue, Mic Drop Comedy Chandler, Craft 64 Chandler, Mingle + Graze and Pedal Haus Chandler.
The extra Santa's House days are a good option for families who'd rather skip the parade-night crowds. The Dec. 12 and Dec. 19 morning sessions and the Tuesday evening session on Dec. 15 are all at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park and all free.
What the finished park adds to future seasons
If the city keeps its construction timeline, the east side will be done by early spring 2027. That would make the 2027 tree lighting the first one held with both sides of the rebuilt park open. The plan's two large shade canopies, two pavilions, new restrooms and expanded event lawns are aimed at the kind of crowd the tree lighting draws. The new crosswalk signal at the Arizona Avenue pedestrian crossing will link the two halves of the park that this year's event spreads across. If you have questions about the construction before Dec. 5, the City's project hotline is 480-898-4060.
Here at Rebecca Smith Real Estate, we love seeing downtown Chandler fill up for the tree lighting every December. If you live near the park and want to know how the renovation could affect your home's value, just ask. Request your free home valuation, and I'll be glad to walk you through it over a cup of hot chocolate.
