Prescott Valley's Winter Spectacular Adds a Drone Show, and It Changes When the Parade Starts
In 2023 the Night Light Parade came first and the tree lighting followed. In 2024 the tree was lit at 5:30 and the parade ran from 6 to 8. Last year the lighting moved to 6 p.m. and the parade started right after it. On Saturday, December 5, the Town of Prescott Valley puts something new between those two moments: what it calls the community's first-ever Winter Spectacular Drone Show, a display of lights choreographed in the sky above the Civic Center.
That one addition moves the busiest part of the night. In 2026 the parade doesn't start at a set clock time. It waits until the sky show is over.
The event has stayed in the same place and kept the same hours. It runs from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Prescott Valley Civic Center, 7501 E Skoog Blvd. What has changed each year is the order of the evening.
| Year | Date | Evening order |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Sat., Dec. 2 | Light Parade 6 to 7 p.m., then the grand tree lighting |
| 2024 | Sat., Dec. 7 | Tree lighting 5:30 to 6 p.m., Light Parade 6 to 8 p.m. |
| 2025 | Sat., Dec. 6 | Tree lighting at 6 p.m., parade immediately after |
| 2026 | Sat., Dec. 5 | Tree lighting at 6 p.m., drone show, parade at 6:15 p.m. or after |
The Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce runs the parade, and its wording for this year matters. The Chamber's Winter Spectacular page says the parade "will start at 6:15 pm or immediately following" the Town's lighting of the Christmas tree and the Civic Center buildings and the drone show. So 6:15 is a target, and the drone show decides when the parade actually begins. Anyone who walks up to the curb at 6:15 expecting floats could be early. Anyone who shows up at 6:20 expecting to catch the sky show could miss it entirely.
The Civic Center campus is open from 2 p.m., and the Town lists photos with Santa, live entertainment, ice skating, food trucks and holiday-themed activities for 2026. Here is how the day lines up in order, using this year's announced times plus what earlier editions showed about the daytime pacing:
The ice rink is worth a note for anyone who skated in earlier years. In 2025 it was a synthetic ice surface with equipment provided. Ice skating is on the Town's 2026 activity list again.
This is where the new order pays off for people who plan ahead. The drone show is choreographed above the Civic Center. The Town says the parade will travel along Main Street and Lakeshore Drive, circle the Civic Center and return to Findlay Toyota Center. The Chamber describes the route as running down Lakeshore Drive and around Skoog Blvd around the Civic Center, and it posts a downloadable route map on its page.
Both descriptions loop the parade around the same building the drones fly over. A spot along the Civic Center loop puts you under the sky show at 6 and beside the floats a few minutes later, with no need to move between them. People watching from farther up Lakeshore Drive will see the floats after they leave the Civic Center, and their view of a show centered over the campus may be less direct.
The two previous years give a sense of what event day looks like around the Civic Center:
That parade-window restriction matters more this year. If the parade starts after the drone show and still runs toward 8 p.m., the window when you can't move your car shifts with it. Parking somewhere you can leave without crossing the route makes the drive home easier.
One more road factor for 2026: the Town expects the Glassford Hill Road widening between Long Look Drive and SR 89A to be finished in late December 2026, weather permitting. For households north of town, from Viewpoint or out along SR 89A, the drive to the Civic Center on December 5 will probably still pass through that work zone. Leave a few extra minutes so you're parked before six.
The Town also notes that events and activities can be canceled on the day itself because of weather, and it points people to Parks and Recreation at 928-759-3090 or the PV Parks & Rec Facebook page for updates. With part of the night now happening in the sky, check that page before you leave.
The Night Light Parade is open to businesses, community organizations and families. There's no theme, so entrants can build whatever they like. Entries cost $25 through Sunday, November 15, and $35 from November 16 through 29. The Chamber asks entrants to read its Parade Information Sheet for dates, rules and regulations, then fill out the entry application on the Chamber's Winter Spectacular page.
Entrants should also plan for the new timing. Staging opens at 3 p.m. at Findlay Toyota Center. With the drone show ahead of the parade, crews may wait longer in staging than they did in years when the parade followed the tree lighting directly.
Food trucks are back on the 2026 list. Last year's lineup included Kokopelli Grill, Eliza's Tamales, Sally's BBQ, Mile High Meltdown, Sauced Potstickers, Oogies Dogs and La Tapatia, plus Kona Ice and Popstar Kettlecorn for dessert. The 2025 event also had a s'mores roasting station.
For a sit-down meal before the 6 p.m. rush, Ciao Bella at 7025 Florentine Road placed second in the dinner category in the Town's 2026 Restaurant Week results. If you're coming from the north end of town, the Town's business directory lists Roast N Toast at 6443 N. Viewpoint Drive. A coffee there on the way in is a good way to start an evening that ends after dark in December.
Last year's Winter Spectacular was free, with admission open to all.
If you're thinking about what your home near the Civic Center or anywhere else in town is worth before the new year, ListingPrescott can help. Request a free home valuation.
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