Bring Your Furry Friends to Santa Paws at Merry Main Street

December 3, 2025 at 3:34 pm

Merry Main Street is unwrapping a brand-new holiday treat this year: Santa Paws! Every Sunday through Dec. 21, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Jolly 'Ol Saint Nick will be waiting to meet your four-legged family members. Bring your phone or camera and capture a "paw-sitively" priceless holiday moment with Santa himself.

You'll find Santa Paws west of the Winter Wonderland Ice Rink next to the Bumble and Hermey characters from the iconic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer television special. Mesa Animal Control will also be on-site with helpful tips, resources and information-perfect to check out before or after your festive photo op.

Santa will continue spreading cheer throughout Merry Main Street with free visits every Friday and Saturday at The Post, the City-owned community and event space at 26 N. Macdonald. Check online for his exact hours. And don't miss his final pre-flight stop on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when he'll take last-minute wish lists before heading back to the North Pole.

Merry Main Street runs through Jan. 10, featuring daily skating (closed Dec. 25), live entertainment, food trucks, Friday night movies and more. Full details are available at merrymainst.com.

Merry Main Street is presented in partnership with the City of Mesa; Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities; Downtown Mesa Association; Visit Mesa; Mesa Chamber of Commerce; Benedictine University; Google Fiber; Nesbitt Contracting; Sysco and VCA Animal Referral & Emergency Center of Arizona.

The Arizona Parks and Recreation Association (APRA) recently awarded the City of Mesa the Outstanding Special Event Award for cities with populations over 100,000 to honor the success of Merry Main Street. The six-week holiday festival has been lighting up downtown Mesa each winter since 2015.