The long awaited light rail is finally going live this weekend and to celebrate the oocasion you can ride free through December 31st.

Metro light rail plans weekend grand opening events, free rides through Dec. 31: More than 200,000 people will likely take free rides on the Metro light rail during opening weekend, which will feature celebrations, ribbon cuttings and live music from one end of town to another, Metro executives said. After more than three years of construction, light rail cars will start carrying passengers Dec. 27. Everyone will ride free through Dec. 31. Celebrations, live events and music will be featured in downtown Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe, while smaller events and activities will be offered at stations along the 20-mile line. Large festivities will be held in downtown Phoenix with music, street performers, exhibits and vendor booths, as well as children’s activities and interactive courts provided by the National Basketball Association. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, U.S. Reps. Ed Pastor and Harry Mitchell, both D-Ariz., Mesa Mayor Scott Smith and Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman are expected to kick off Saturday’s events at 8:30 a.m. at the Metro Operations and Maintenance Center on 48th Street just south of Washington Street. From there, the mayors will return to their respective towns via light rail, where the celebrations will continue. The Mesa event, titled “It All Starts Here,” will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sycamore Transit Center, near Main Street and Dobson Road. Live music including headliner Grand Funk Railroad and exhibits including a classic car show will be featured. The Tempe event, titled “Destination: Tempe,” will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. near the Tempe Transportation Center, at Fifth Street and College Avenue. Exhibits, previews of the Insight Bowl and Insight Block Party, and live music with headliner Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers will be on hand. Phoenix’s celebration, titled “Phoenix Rising: A Downtown Celebration” includes a ribbon-cutting at the newly expanded Phoenix Convention Center, which will debut along with the light rail. That will occur at 10 a.m. on Third Street, north of Washington, under the pedestrian bridge. Other small events will be held at light rail stops including19th and Montebello avenues; at Campbell and Central avenues, near Central High School; at Central and Thomas Road, near St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center; and at Central and Encanto Boulevard, near the Heard Museum and the Phoenix main library. While trains will run every 10 minutes, additional cars may be deployed at certain stations or stops to help transport people as needed. Buses will also be on hand to take the departing evening crowds back to their respective train stations and park-and-ride sites, officials said. Several streets will be closed for the crowds, including Main Street between Sycamore and Dobson in Mesa; Third Street between Monroe and Jefferson streets; Washington Street between Second and Fifth streets; and parts of Third and Fifth streets and sections of College and Forest avenues in downtown Tempe. For more: www.metrolightrail.org/grandopening ; www.destinationtempe.com and www.mesaaz.gov/lightrailgrandopening .