What's on in Surprise, November 2026 to February 2027

Surprise saves its best calendar for the cool months. From a science festival in November to the first pitch of spring training, the city's civic center and parks fill up with free festivals, holiday lights and Sunday shopping, and most of it happens within a few blocks of City Hall. Here is what is on from now through the end of February, with the dates each organizer has published.

Every Sunday: The Sunday Market on Elm

The seasonal market on Elm Street at Surprise City Center runs on Sundays from October through April, with local growers, makers, food and live music along the street. Its organizer lists themed editions on November 22 (Friendsgiving), December 20 (Christmas) and January 3 (New Year's). There is no market listed for December 27, so check the schedule over the holidays. The market's season continues past February, so it is an easy standing plan for any weekend in this guide.

November: sketchbooks, music and a science fair

Surprise Arts is running free Outdoor Art Sketching Tours with teaching artist Rae Wilson from October through April. The remaining dates are December 10 and February 11 at City Hall and January 7 at Surprise Community Park, each from 9 to 11 a.m. Sketchbooks and pencils are provided, and reservations are required.

On Thursday, November 19, LIVE at Asante brings a free outdoor evening concert to Asante Library, with free hands-on art from the library and a local food truck. The next one is Thursday, December 17. Bring a lawn chair.

The Surprise SciTech Festival takes over the Surprise Recreation Campus on Saturday, November 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ottawa University Arizona presents it with the City, and this year it promises more than 65 hands-on exhibits: robots, solar telescopes, a live science stage, police and fire vehicles, food trucks and a sensory-friendly space. It is free, and parking is in the Surprise Stadium lot.

December: lights, Santa and a two-night party

The City's biggest holiday weekend is the Surprise Party, Friday and Saturday, December 4 and 5, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Surprise Recreation Campus. Expect a tree lighting, a roller rink, roaming entertainers, a kids zone, food trucks and photos with Santa.

The same night, Sparkling Surprise switches on at Surprise Community Park. The free light display runs nightly from December 4 through 27, and this year the City says the lights wrap almost all the way around the park's lake, which makes for an easy evening walk. Afterward, Saigon Kitchen is a short drive east on Bell Road for a bowl of pho.

Parks & Recreation also lists its fifth Sensitive Santa on Saturday, December 12, at Surprise Stadium, with the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix and T.E.A.M. 4 Kids. It is for children and adults with special needs and their families: games, crafts and a private one-on-one visit and photo with Santa, without long lines, bright lights or loud noise. Registration is required. Cookies & Crafts with Santa follows at the stadium on Sunday, December 13, for ages 3 and up.

January and February: service, stories and baseball

The 11th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration & Service fills The Vista Center for the Arts on Saturday, January 16, from 8 a.m. to noon, with local service projects and a program of performances.

Surprise Arts brings The Little Mermen and the Princess Pals to The Vista on Saturday, February 13, at 2 p.m., with a live band playing rock and pop takes on Disney songs and sing-alongs for all ages. Tickets are sold through SurpriseArts.com.

And on Friday, February 19, Surprise Stadium opens its 25th spring training season, with the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals playing each other at 12:35 p.m. The 30-game home schedule runs through March 20. Single-game tickets go on sale online on November 17. A good stop on the way is The Boyer Bakery on Litchfield Road, which bakes a rotating case of pastries every morning it is open.

Before you go

Dates and times can change, and Surprise's outdoor events depend on the weather (October's Fiesta Grande was canceled because of it). Check the City's calendar, SurpriseArts.com and SurpriseStadium.com before heading out. Most of these events are free, and the ones that need registration say so on their own pages.