Autumn is in the air, pumpkins are in our lattes (and most everything else) and fun festivals are happening all across the region. Here’s our roundup of Phoenix fall festivals:
FOOD & DRINK FESTIVALS
Summer End’s Margarita Mojito Festival
September 22
Say goodbye to summer with over 20 craft house infused margaritas and mojitos. The third annual festival will have tasting stations set up around Sloan Park, where you can get your hands on cool and refreshing cocktails. Work up an appetite and grab a bite to eat at food trucks in attendance, and listen to live entertainment on the main stage starting at 5 p.m.
Sloan Park
2330 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Mesa
Chile Pepper Festival
September 29
Chile Pepper Festival is a local food, music and talent event hosted by Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation (CDC). Onsite chile roasting, cooking demos, live music, salsa dancing, activities for kids, a talent show hosted by PEP Rally, a beer garden presented by Deschutes Brewery and a gourmet margarita station will all be on the menu.
Roosevelt Row
128 E Roosevelt St Phoenix
Garlic Festival
September 29-30
To celebrate the thousands of bulbs of organically grown garlic grown this year on the Queen Creek Olive Mill property (and to share it with Arizona), they are hosting this huge two-day event in their grove! Get your garlic fill as they feature everything garlic – from organically grown garlic (while supplies last) to locally made garlic gelato. Enjoy live music, a beer and wine garden, cooking demos, games in the grove and more.
Queen Creek Olive Mill
25062 S. Meridian Road Queen Creek
Arizona Taco Festival
October 13-14
More than 50 teams take up the taco-making challenge as fans sample and savor their creations. Taco competitors are judged by officials of the National Taco Association. The event is filled with music, food, and fun including, lucha libre wrestling,a taco eating contest, more than 100 types of tequila and more.
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick
7555 N. Pima Road Scottsdale
Taste of Cave Creek
October 17-18
Ready to eat, drink, and be merry? Mark your calendars for the annual Taste of Creek festival, a valley tradition spanning more than 25 years. Mingle with neighbors, enjoy samples from local restaurants and bars, grab a drink from the beer garden, or dance your way between two stages of live music.
Stagecoach Village
7100 E. Cave Creek Road
AZ Barrels, Bottles and Brews Festival
November 3
Barrels, bottles, and brews go bottoms up at this inaugural beer fest. Over 25 local breweries gather at the Salt River Fields, featuring samples produced exclusively in Arizona. Wander through the park while enjoying releases from Arizona breweries, perfect varietals from Arizona wineries and exemplary tastings of the finest spirits distilled in Arizona.
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick
7555 N. Pima Road Scottsdale
Downtown Donut Fest
November 18
Feast your eyes (and your stomach) on doughy goodness at the first Downtown Donut Fest, where you can devour delicious donuts from 15 of the best local pastry chefs. Craft beer, mimosas, coffee, and good weather is sure to be the icing on the donut.
Margaret T. Hance Park
1202 N. 3rd St Phoenix
Phoenix Pizza Festival
November 21
An entire festival dedicated to everyone’s favorite food. The valley’s best pizza makers face off in downtown Phoenix to put their cheesy pies to the test, starting at just $2 a slice. Take a break between slices to listen to live music or challenge your friends to lawn games. Get your hands on tickets now so you can get pizza in your hands later.
Margaret T. Hance Park
1202 N. 3rd St Phoenix
OKTOBERFESTS & FALL FESTIVALS
Pumpkin Days and Corn Maze at Tolmachoff Farms
September 28-30, Friday-Sunday in October, and Thursday-Sunday in November
A great big pumpkin patch, six-acre family corn maze (search for pieces of your map as you walk through), mini corn maze, and a haunted corn maze highlight the seasonal offerings at Tolmachoff Farms. Other activities include a petting zoo, train ride, hay pyramid, corn box, pedal cart track, jumping pillow and more.
Tolmachoff Farms
5726 N 75th Ave, Glendale
SanTan Brewing Oktoberfest
Septermber 29
Fans of polka music, German food and craft beer will don their lederhosen and dirndls and gather in Downtown Chandler to celebrate SanTan Brewing’s 10th annual Oktoberfest. This year’s event will highlight beer games, Von Hanson’s brat eating contest, a stein holding contest, and weiner dog races.
Downtown Chandler
178 E Commonwealth Ave, Chandler
Schnepf Farms Pumpkin and Chili Party
Thursday-Sunday, October 4-28
Throughout October, Schnepf Farms offers fun fall activities like hay rides, a 4-acre corn maze, a pumpkin patch, pig races and, of course, chili. Grab party food like a burger, chili dinner or succotash, and take a spin on exciting rides or the farm’s train. Fireworks light up the sky Friday and Saturday nights.
Schnepf Farms
24610 S Rittenhouse Rd, Queen Creek
Corn Maze and Fall Festival at Vertuccio Farms
October 1 – November 4
Celebrate the season at Vertuccio Farms with this family-friendly festival. A seven-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, barrel train rides, farm animals and lots more are part of the festivities. Pick up a perfect pumpkin for your Halloween jack-o-lantern while you’re there.
Vertuccio Farms
4011 S. Power Road, Mesa
DTPHX Oktoberfest
October 6
Start working up an appetite: Downtown Phoenix is hosting an Oktoberfest complete with traditional German bier, paired with brats, schnitzel, pretzels and more. Lace up your lederhosen and head to the dance floor or test your skills in a stein holding competition.
CityScape Phoenix
1 E Washington St, Phoenix
Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake
October 12-14
Come out and enjoy three full days of activities at Four Peaks Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake, including a variety of German beer and food, kid’s zone, a 5k fun run, and musical performances.
Tempe Town Lake and Beach Park
80 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe
Fall Festival at Goodyear Ballpark
October 20
Celebrate fall with free and fun family activities at the ballpark, including train rides, a pumpkin patch, rock wall, inflatables, costume contest, trick-or-treating, photo station and arts and crafts activities.
Goodyear Ballpark
1933 S. Ballpark Way, Goodyear
ARTS,CULTURE AND MUSIC FESTIVALS
Furry Friends Fine Art Festival
September 15
The Furry Friends and Fine Art Festival returns to the Shemer Art Center for both animal and art lovers. Highlights include paw readings and pet adoptions by the Arizona Humane Society and Woofs, Wiggles & Wags. Artists will showcase animal-themed paintings, drawings, photography, ceramics and more. Live music, business vendors, entertainment, and snacks from Black Cat Coffee and Short Leash Hot Dogs will make it a day to remember.
Shemer Art Center
5005 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix
Founders Day Festival
September 22
You’re invited to come out and celebrate Queen Creek’s 29th anniversary at a family-friendly community event in Founders’ Park. The event will feature fun activities, great music and entertainment, pig races, vendors, lawn games, corn-hole tournament, a 4-H zone with equine experiences, a FFA Zone with agricultural experiences, and the Battle of the Badge relay style competitions.
Founders’ Park
22407 S. Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek
La PHNKRA Music Fest
September 23
Celebrate the talented Latinx music community at the inaugural La PHNKRA Music Fest. The fest will take place at downtown’s Monarch Theatre and feature bands and DJs that play rock en español, cumbia, banda, hip-hop, afro-beats and other genres.
Monarch Theatre
122 E Washington St, Phoenix
Firebird Music Festival
September 23
The inaugural Firebird Music Festival is an experiential event featuring unparalleled performances by both the biggest names in jazz music. Firebird will embrace music lovers and provide them with the atmosphere to connect with the artists who inspire them. The festival will feature interactive cutting edge technology, creative freedom for artists, unique experiences, amazing sound and visuals.
WestWorld of Scottsdale
16601 N Pima Rd, Scottsdale
PoeFest
Friday-Saturday, October 5-29, and Wednesday October 31
PoeFest, produced by Arizona Curriculum Theater, is not a reading. The actors perform Edgar Allan Poe’s stories in character as inmates from a 19th Century asylum for the criminally insane. Poe’s stories rotate nightly and are presented inside the Ghost Lounge at the historic Hotel San Carlos, frequently listed among the top ten most haunted hotels in America. PoeFest ends on Halloween night at Rosson House Museum with performances of The Raven every twenty minutes.
Hotel San Carlos
202 N Central Ave, Phoenix
Phoenix Greek Festival
October 12-14
This festival is an opportunity to share in the rich history, culture, and culinary delights of Greece, including dance performances and family-friendly activities.
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
1973 E. Maryland Ave Phoenix
Rainbows Festival and Street Fair
October 20-21
The annual Rainbows Festival and Street Fair is a celebration of the diversity of the LGBTQ community. The event is located in historic Heritage Square Park in downtown Phoenix and is free and open to the public. There will be two stages of entertainment and nearly 150 exhibitors and sponsors throughout the two-day event.
Heritage Square Park
801 N. 2nd Ave., Phoenix
Autumnfest Arts & Crafts Fair
October 20-21
This family-friendly event celebrates the season with fall-flavored festivities including arts and crafts vendors, carnival rides, pumpkin picking, an apple pie baking contest, and live entertainment.
Anthem Community Council Community Park
41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Phoenix
Herberger Theater Festival of the Arts
October 27
Live and visual art collide in this colorful annual celebration presented by the Herberger Theater Center. The ninth annual festival celebrates the arts in the community with performances by over 25 organizations, live music on two stages, craft beer and wine tasting, vendor booths and more.
Herberger Theater Center
222 E Monroe St, Phoenix
Dia de los Muertos Festival
October 27-28
Spirits will connect at the Mesa Arts Center’s annual Dia de los Muertos Festival – a community celebration complete with a community altar, live music and performances. The Day of The Dead festival will also feature delicious foods and a colorful mercado featuring a wide assortment of jewelry and crafts.
Mesa Arts Center
1 E. Main St., Mesa
Dia de los Muertos PHX
October 28
Celebrate life as spirits arise at the annual Dia de Los Muertos festival. Decorate a sugar skull, create a mask and grab a bite at a food booth. Don’t forget to bring a blanket and a lawn chair to experience an authentic celebration of ancestors and a diverse community.
Steele Indian School Park
300 E. Indian School Rd Phoenix
Litchfield Park Festival of Arts
November 1
For two days this historic resort community of Litchfield Park is transformed into a vibrant street scene filled with colorful art, lively music and irresistible aromas. The festival features over 250 fine artists and craftsmen exhibiting a wide selection of original arts and crafts, ranging from functional to decorative, and contemporary to Native American.
Local First Arizona Fall Fest
November 3
The Arizona Fall Fest, a free and family-friendly celebration of all things uniquely Arizona, features exclusively Arizona-owned businesses and organizations. Attendees can expect more than 200 vendors, food samples from some of the best Arizona restaurants, local chefs, and food trucks; Arizona-produced wine, beer, and spirits; live entertainment and activities for kids.
Margaret T. Hance Park
1202 N. 3rd St Phoenix
Mesa Music Festival
November 8-10
The Mesa Music Festival returns for a weekend of music appreciation and discovery. Stop by or spend the weekend at the free festival, showcasing more than 300 local and international artists. Click here to view the lineup and start practicing your dance moves.
Downtown Mesa
38 W Main St Mesa, AZ
Fountain Hills Festival of Arts and Crafts
November 9-11
The Fountain Hills Festival of Arts and Crafts features nearly 500 artists, artisans and gourmet food provisioners. Over 200,000 visitors are attracted to this event to do their holiday shopping, purchase art and enjoy good food and live entertainment.
Fountain Hills
12925 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills
Arizona Harvest Festival
November 11
Activities include live entertainment, a pumpkin toss, pumpkin pageant, cornhole, pie eating contest, corn shucking, cake walk, hay maze, and a kid’s zone. Food and craft vendors will offer seasonal eats, treats, trinkets and gear. Enjoy the flavors of fall in the seasonal beer garden featuring local pumpkin ales and other brews.
A.J. Chandler Park
178 E Commonwealth Ave, Chandler
ArtFest of Scottsdale
November 17-18
Visitors to Downtown Scottsdale’s ArtFest can browse the fine art and crafts of over 150 vendors, meet local authors, enjoy live music throughout the festival, and taste tempting foods in a beautiful sculpture garden setting.
Scottsdale Civic Center Plaza
7380 E. 2nd Street, Scottsdale
Tempe Fall Festival of the Arts
November 30 – Dec 2
While the award-winning Tempe Festival of the Arts primarily focuses on art and the artists that create it, there are also a wide variety of other activities for guests to enjoy. Live entertainment stages provide musical entertainment for festival-goers. Performances by a number of well-known local musicians keep audiences in high spirits throughout the day. In addition to the scheduled entertainment, street performers, vendors, sponsor exhibits and entertainment booths are set up for the amusement of festival visitors.
Downtown Tempe
Mill Ave. and University Dr., Tempe
COMMUNITY FESTIVALS
Phoenix Children’s Festival
September 22
This festival features five zones of fun, food, interactive experiences and adventurous activities for children and families. The event will include multiple adventure stages/zones with group-specific or themed adventures for the entire family with entertainment stages throughout the day. Gourmet food trucks will provide eating options
CityScape Phoenix
1 E Washington St, Phoenix
Somos Peoria
September 29
Along with a live concert and additional entertainment, festival goers will be able to enjoy a delicious variety of traditional foods, arts and crafts shopping and an activity zone that includes inflatables, carnival rides, rock wall, face painters and more. A cigar bar, beer and margaritas will also be available.
Old Town Peoria
10510 N 83rd Ave, Peoria
Arizona State Fair
Wednesday-Sunday, October 5-28
The state fair returns for another year of classic carnivals rides and cuisine, motor racing, a petting zoo, musical guests and more family-friendly activities. This year’s concert lineup features The Flaming Lips, Gary Allan, Paulina Rubio and more.
Arizona State Fair Grounds
1826 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix
Latino Pride Festival
October 13-14
Thousands of LGBTQ Latinos and allies celebrate their culture and community traditions at the inaugural Latino Pride Festival, coinciding with Hispanic Heritage Month. Show off your moves in the dance tent, listen to national and local DJ’s, or grab a drink in the relaxation area.
Corona Ranch & Rodeo Grounds
7611 S. 29th Ave., Laveen
Festival of the Superstitions
November 10-11
Enjoy live music, beer garden, petting zoo, over 80 vendors, bounce houses, food vendors, car show, veteran’s tribute, movie on the back lot at night, and much more.
Flatiron Community Park
567 W. Apache Trail Apache Junction