Start a new festive tradition at Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and studio, at the first Home for the Holidays experience featuring a variety of special activities, crafts, holiday music and performances on Friday and Saturday Dec. 9-10 and Dec. 16-17.
Experience the event, presented by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, from 4 to 8 p.m. both weekends and offers guests the opportunity to explore and learn about the rich history of the UNESCO World Heritage site while participating in an array of merry celebrations.
“Wright, his family and his apprentices celebrated many holidays here over the course of the two decades that they migrated between Taliesin in Wisconsin and Taliesin West in Arizona,” said Alex Freyermuth, manager of cultural programs at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. “We want to capture that magic and share that with the community when they come to visit us for Home for the Holidays. This will be a great opportunity for visitors to see the grounds in a new way, as well as to create unforgettable and cherished memories with their loved ones.”
Attendees can admire the Community Gingerbread House Showcase, which will feature spectacular gingerbread houses crafted by local families, individuals, businesses and organizations. There’s still time to participate in the showcase, too. To get involved, individuals are encouraged to fill out the registration form and check the rules to participate. All entries are due by Friday, Dec. 9. Those who partake in the showcase will have their gingerbread houses on display during Home for the Holidays, as well as will receive one free ticket to the event.
For those who enjoy getting creative but may not be ready to have their work on display, there will also be crafting stations where guests can build and decorate 3D house ornaments, turning collage materials into wearable buttons, and try block printing techniques to make homemade holiday cards featuring unique Taliesin West designs.
There will be a variety of entertainment throughout the event, as well. Guests can enjoy live musical performances from the Scottsdale Community College Jazz Students, School of Rock and The King’s Carolers. And, stop by the Cabaret Theater to catch a glimpse of some heart-warming holiday cartoons from Wright's time, including “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Jack Frost” and “Christmas Comes but Once a Year.”
Of course, sweet treats and warm hot cocoa will also be available from local food trucks at the Garden Squares.
Visitors looking to find unique gifts and stocking stuffers for friends and family can stop by the Frank Lloyd Wright Store to browse through the selection of home décor, apparel, accessories, books and art that celebrate Wright’s life and the work that he inspired.
Then, before heading home, commemorate the moment by getting a polaroid picture taken at the photobooth station with props, holiday décor and the warm glow of Taliesin West’s Garden Room lights.
The price of admission is $25 for adults, $15 for kids 6 to 18 and free for children 5 and under. For the most up-to-date information on events and programs at Taliesin West, to book a tour, to donate or to become a member, visit FrankLloydWright.org.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, established by Wright in 1940, is dedicated to preserving Taliesin and Taliesin West, both on the UNESCO World Heritage List, for future generations, and inspiring people to discover and embrace an architecture for better living through meaningful connections to nature, the arts and each other. The foundation continues the Frank Lloyd Wright legacy by broadening access to his ideas, works and organic design principles — considered just as relevant today as in his own time — and provides new pathways for audiences to create beauty and connectedness in their own lives.
Visit FrankLloydWright.org for more information on tour schedules, cultural and educational experiences and events. To shop the latest Wright-inspired home, design and lifestyle products, visit FrankLloydWrightStore.com.
