Events in Cave Creek & Carefree
Holiday lights, art tours, markets and museum days in the Desert Foothills, with a link to each organizer.
Last checked against each organizer's or business's own website. Details change, so please confirm before you go.
Past events drop off this page automatically. This list covers November and December 2026 and will be refreshed for the new year.
Upcoming
- Sat, Nov 7 · 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Cave Creek Roundup Farmers Market
Cave Creek area · Cactus Shadows High School, 5802 E Dove Valley Rd
A new local market with growers, makers and food trucks. It also runs Sat, Nov 21; Sat, Dec 5; and Sat, Dec 19 (same hours), plus some Sundays.
Source: Town of Cave Creek calendar and the market's printed 2026–27 schedule
- Sat–Sun, Nov 7–8 · 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Fall Carefree Garden Art Experience Free
Carefree · Carefree Desert Gardens, 101 Easy Street
Thunderbird Artists' 33rd fall art show in the gardens around the Sundial. Admission is free; wine tasting is extra.
Source: Thunderbird Artists
- Wed, Nov 11 · 3–5 p.m.
Veterans Day Celebration
Carefree · Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, Carefree Town Center
The Town of Carefree's yearly afternoon of music, stories and tributes for veterans.
Source: Town of Carefree
- Sat, Nov 14 & 28 and Dec 12 & 26 · 10–11:30 a.m.
Arizona Gold Mining Experience™ at the Cave Creek Museum
Cave Creek · Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E Skyline Drive
Watch the museum run its mine shaft, tramway, ore carts and stamp mill. Buy tickets in advance; check-in opens at 9 a.m.
Source: Cave Creek Museum
- Select Saturdays, 1–3 p.m. (Nov 14 & 21; Dec 5, 12, 19 & 26)
Sanderson Lincoln Saturdays: live music
Carefree · Carefree Town Center
Free afternoon sets by local musicians. Stroll the shops on Easy Street while you listen.
Source: Town of Carefree
- Third Thursdays: Nov 19 & Dec 17 · 4–7 p.m.
Carefree Art Night
Carefree · Carefree Town Center
Monthly evening of art in downtown Carefree, October through May.
Source: Town of Carefree
- Thu, Nov 19
Desert 101 Hike at Cave Creek Regional Park
Cave Creek · Cave Creek Regional Park, 37019 N Lava Lane
A ranger-led introduction to desert hiking. Registration is required and the group is limited to 20 people. Park entry fee applies.
- Nov 20–22 & 27–29 · 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour Free
Cave Creek, Carefree & North Scottsdale · Artist studios across the Desert Foothills (map on the organizer's site)
The Sonoran Arts League's free, self-guided tour of working artists' studios over two weekends.
Source: Sonoran Arts League
- Sat, Nov 21 · 2–4 p.m.
Cave Creek Museum Presents: Life and Foodways of the Salt River People
Cave Creek · Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E Skyline Drive
Gary Owens Jr., director of the Huhugam Ki: Museum, talks about traditional gathering and farming of indigenous foods.
Source: Cave Creek Museum
- Sat, Nov 21 · 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Desert Foothills Library Annual Craft Fair
Cave Creek · Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N School House Rd
The library's yearly craft fair, a good stop for handmade holiday gifts.
Source: Desert Foothills Library
- Fourth Sundays: Nov 22 & Dec 27 · 2:30 p.m.
Sundial Community Drum Circle
Carefree · Carefree (details on the town's events page)
The Jubilate Conservatory of Music invites all ages and skill levels to drum together.
Source: Town of Carefree
- Sat, Nov 28 · 5 p.m.
Carefree Lights Up!
Carefree · Carefree Desert Gardens & Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion
The town switches on its holiday lights for the season.
Source: Town of Carefree
- Sat, Nov 28 · 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Kiwanis Christmas for the Kids Free
Carefree · Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy Street
The Kiwanis Club of Carefree's free family holiday day, with activities, animals, treats and giveaways.
Source: Kiwanis Club of Carefree
- Nightly, Dec 4–11 · 5:30 p.m.
Chanukah in Carefree
Carefree · Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy Street
An outdoor nightly menorah lighting in its 10th year. Some nights are also live-streamed.
Source: Chanukah in Carefree
- Starts Fri, Dec 4 · 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Winter Artisan Gift Market
Cave Creek area · The Holland Center, 34250 N 60th St, Bldg B, Scottsdale
The 5th annual handmade-gift market from the Holland Center and the Sonoran Arts League, billed as a Friday-and-Saturday market. Check the calendar for Saturday hours.
Source: The Holland Center
- Sat, Dec 12 · 1–4:30 p.m.
Gold Fever Jeep Adventure
Cave Creek · Starts at the Cave Creek Museum
A guided Jeep tour into local gold-mining history. Limited to 9 adults; reserve ahead.
Source: Cave Creek Museum
All listed events have passed. Check the organizer calendars below for what's next.
Day trips nearby
- Fri–Sun, Nov 13–15
47th Annual Wickenburg Bluegrass Festival
Day trip: Wickenburg (about 53 miles) · Wickenburg, AZ
Three days of bluegrass music and contests, run by the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce. Three-day passes and single-day tickets are sold on the chamber's site.
Source: Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
More distances are on our Things to Do page.
Organizer calendars
- Town of Carefree events
- Town of Cave Creek calendar
- The Holland Center calendar (community arts & education classes, gallery shows and events)
- Cave Creek Museum events
- Sonoran Arts League
- Desert Foothills Library calendar
How we picked
We include public events in or near Cave Creek and Carefree that a visitor could attend, and only when the date and time appear on the organizer's own website (or, for the new Roundup market, the Town of Cave Creek's calendar plus the market's printed schedule). Where a printed flyer and the organizer's website disagreed, we used the website. No organizer paid to be listed.
Questions
What's happening in Cave Creek and Carefree this holiday season?
Highlights for late 2026 include Carefree Lights Up! and Kiwanis Christmas for the Kids on Saturday, Nov 28; the nightly Chanukah in Carefree menorah lighting Dec 4–11; the Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour on Nov 20–22 and 27–29; and the Holland Center's Winter Artisan Gift Market starting Dec 4.
Which events are free?
The Fall Carefree Garden Art Experience (free admission), the Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour and Kiwanis Christmas for the Kids are listed as free by their organizers. Others may charge or need tickets, so check each link.
Where is the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion?
It is in downtown Carefree at 101 Easy Street, next to the Carefree Desert Gardens and the Sundial. Many Carefree town events happen there.
How current is this list?
We checked every item on November 2, 2026 against the organizer's own website and remove events once they're over. Times and dates can change, so always confirm with the organizer before you go.
Is there a calendar for the Holland Center?
Yes. The Holland Center keeps its own up-to-date events calendar for classes, gallery shows and community events, so we link there rather than copy dates that go stale.