WOW FactorDifficulty$ InvestmentGearSolitude5.0Editor's Overall RatingHow Does This Rating System Work?San Xavier del Bac Overview While Mission San Xavier del Bac is a worthwhile cultural excursion any time (I first went on a junior high field trip!), my favorite time to visit is the invitation-only Christmas concert hosted at the Mission each year. There are other concerts held throughout the year, but there is just something magical about Christmas at San Xavier del Bac. Traditionally there is a sampling of featured performers mixed into a series of songs by the Orpheus Men’s Choir and the Tucson Boys Choir, though the performer line up can change each year. The first time I went to the Christmas Concert at San Xavier in 2014, the well-traveled, elderly gentleman sitting next to me leaned over after the concert and shared, “That is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced!” Logistics First off, you will need to contact the Patron San Xavier to request your name be put on the invitation list. In a traditional format, only mailed invitations are sent; nothing is electronic! Be sure to have your name added to the invitation list by late summer in order to improve your chances of being added to the invitation list. Contact Patronato San Xavier at 520-407-6130 or by email: info <at> patronatosanxavier.org. Once you receive an invite, be sure to promptly return your request for tickets, as there is only seating for approximately 300 people for each concert. The Christmas concerts always sell out! Tickets are typically in the ballpark of $90 each, with the majority of that amount being a tax-deductible donation towards the Patronato San Xavier for continued stewardship of the building. If traveling to the concert for the evening and you don’t live in the Tucson area, be sure to leave plenty of margin in your itinerary for traffic and other dynamics that could add to your travel journey. Alternately, plan an overnight trip or extended weekend around the concert. Plan to be there at least 15 minutes ahead of your concert time. The doors at the Mission close PROMPTLY at the concert’s commencement and ticket holders are not allowed in thereafter. View from the East Chapel Bench Gear and Gadgets There is quite a bit of thermal mass in the building walls, but be sure to dress appropriately given the respective evening’s weather. There are no modern heating or air conditioning systems in the mission. If you are not a fan of sitting on hard surfaces for extended periods, you might want to bring some sort of pad to sit on; seating is functional, but was not designed to the same standards and comfort levels as modern concert venues! 🙂 Further Reading Patronato San Xavier Website Mission San Xavier Website Cape Royal Read Post » Point Imperial Read Post » Point Sublime Read Post » Siphon Draw to The Flatiron Read Post » Piestewa Peak Summit Read Post » Chiricahua National Monument Read Post » Canyon de Chelly Read Post » Tempe’s Hayden Butte Read Post » Weaver’s Needle Read Post » Monument Valley Read Post » Wilson Mountain Summit Read Post » Hart Prairie Road Read Post » Mountain Sheep Canyon Read Post » Rattlesnake Canyon Read Post » Lower Antelope Canyon Read Post » Upper Antelope Canyon Read Post » Keet Seel Anasazi Ruins Read Post » Devil’s Bridge Read Post » Flagstaff Lava River Cave Read Post » Cathedral Rock Read Post » Mount Baldy Read Post » Devil’s Chasm Ruins Read Post » West Baldy Trail Read Post » Havasupai West Mesa Trail Read Post » Upper Navajo Falls Read Post » Kitt Peak National Observatory Read Post » Humphreys Peak Read Post » Havasupai Guide Read Post » Lockett Meadow Read Post » Mission San Xavier del Bac Read Post » Lower Navajo Falls Read Post » Beaver Falls Read Post » Mooney Falls Read Post » Four Peaks – Brown’s Peak Summit Read Post » McDowell Mountains – Gateway Loop Trail Read Post » Battleship Mountain Read Post » Camelback Mountain – Cholla Trail Read Post » Camelback Mountain – Echo Canyon Trail Read Post » Oak Creek Canyon – West Fork Read Post » Quartz Ridge Read Post » Aravaipa Canyon Read Post » Tom’s Thumb (and Ogre Cave) Read Post » Havasu Falls Read Post »