Phoenix Tourism Guide

Phoenix Events and Festivals: What’s On in the Valley

Phoenix Events and Festivals: What’s On in the Valley

Phoenix’s calendar runs backward from most of the country. The big months are January through March, when golf, spring training, car auctions and festivals arrive back to back; the fall brings a second, smaller season of fairs and festivals once the heat breaks; and June through August is the quiet stretch, when events move indoors or after dark. Knowing that rhythm is the key to planning a trip around Phoenix events: the same weekend can be a bargain in one month and sold out in another. This guide lays out the year ahead from October 2026, with dates, price levels, where to stay for each event and an honest verdict on which ones are worth building a trip around, plus early coverage of the biggest one on the calendar, NBA All-Star 2027.

Short answer: The standout dates for the coming year are the Arizona State Fair (Thursdays to Sundays, October 1 to November 1, 2026), the Desert Botanical Garden’s luminarias and the Phoenix Zoo’s ZooLights in December, the Fiesta Bowl playoff game on December 30, and a packed February 2027 with the WM Phoenix Open, NBA All-Star Weekend (February 19 to 21) and the start of spring training (checked September 2026). If you’re choosing one month to visit for events, make it February; if you want events without the crowds, make it November.

Prices, hours and rules in this guide were last checked on September 24, 2026.

Phoenix events at a glance Details (checked Sep 2026)
Peak event season January to March: Barrett-Jackson, the WM Phoenix Open, NBA All-Star, spring training, NASCAR, music festivals
Fall season October and November: Arizona State Fair, Phoenix Pride, NASCAR’s fall weekend, Canal Convergence
Holiday season Late November to early January: ZooLights, Las Noches de las Luminarias, Glendale Glitters, the Fiesta Bowl
Quiet season June to September: normal highs of 100 to 106.5°F; events move indoors or after dark
Biggest 2027 date NBA All-Star Weekend, February 19 to 21, at Mortgage Matchup Center downtown
Most crowded weekend February 19 to 21, 2027: All-Star plus the first spring training games plus a Renaissance Festival weekend
Free recurring events First Fridays downtown; the Scottsdale ArtWalk every Thursday evening
Arena name Mortgage Matchup Center since October 2, 2025; older listings still say Footprint Center or PHX Arena

How the Phoenix events calendar works

Heat writes the calendar here. From June through September the normal high at Sky Harbor runs from 100.4°F in September to 106.5°F in July (NOAA 1991–2020 normals), so outdoor festivals disappear and the events that remain are indoors, at night or in the water. When the heat breaks in October, the calendar fills quickly: the state fair, Pride, NASCAR’s fall race weekend, food and art festivals, and the start of the Suns’ season. The holidays bring the Valley’s light displays, which work precisely because December evenings are cool and dry.

Then comes the peak. From late January through March, Greater Phoenix stacks one major event on another: the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction, the WM Phoenix Open golf tournament, spring training, NASCAR’s spring weekend and a string of music, arts and cultural festivals. In 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend lands in the middle of it. That’s when hotel rates peak, restaurant tables disappear and Sky Harbor sets records; March 2026 was the busiest month in the airport’s history, with 5.13 million passengers.

For a visitor, the calendar is both an opportunity and a warning. Plan around a big event and you’ll pay for it; plan around the quieter weeks between them and you’ll get the same weather for much less. The month-by-month guide below shows where the gaps are.

Phoenix events by month, October 2026 to April 2027

These are the dated events worth knowing for the season ahead, with drive times from downtown Phoenix (off-peak, checked September 2026). A few dates were still unannounced in September 2026; those are marked, with the usual timing.

October 2026

Arizona State Fair. The fair runs from October 1 to November 1, 2026, on Thursdays through Sundays only, at the state fairgrounds on McDowell Road, 7 minutes from downtown Phoenix. Gates open at noon, with last entry at 9 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays and 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; children 4 and under get in free, and official parking in the North and South lots costs $20 per vehicle (checked September 2026). Confirm the gate price on the Arizona State Fair’s hours and tickets pages before you go. Its Coliseum concert series, with reserved seats that include fair admission, brings acts including The Offspring, Public Enemy, Becky G, All Time Low, The Cult, Mastodon and Brett Eldredge; shows start at 7 p.m. Worth a trip? Worth an evening if you’re in town, and a big one for families. Not a reason to fly in.

Phoenix Pride Festival. Phoenix Pride’s 2026 festival takes place at Arizona Center downtown on October 11, from noon to 10 p.m. (checked September 2026). Arizona Center is 3 minutes from City Hall and a short walk from the light rail. Worth a trip? For many people, yes; it’s one of the region’s biggest fall gatherings.

NASCAR’s fall weekend. Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, 32 minutes west of downtown, hosts its fall “Chase Weekend” October 16 to 18, 2026, with the NASCAR Cup Series’ Freeway Insurance 500 on Sunday, October 18. Before it, the City of Phoenix hosts a free Phoenix Raceway Fan Fest downtown at Heritage and Science Park, home of The Square PHX, on Thursday, October 15, from 4 to 7 p.m., with show cars, displays and driver appearances, according to the city’s major events page (checked September 2026). Worth a trip? For race fans, yes. The free fan fest is an easy add for anyone downtown that evening.

October also opens the cool-weather calendar at Taliesin West, whose Golden Hour Sunset Hikes run on weekend evenings from October 3 to December 27, 2026, for $65 (checked September 2026), and it’s when the Suns’ season begins at Mortgage Matchup Center.

November 2026

Canal Convergence. Scottsdale’s festival of light and art installations fills the Scottsdale Waterfront from November 6 to 15, 2026, from 6 p.m. nightly, with closing times of 9 or 10 p.m. depending on the night (checked September 2026). It’s in Old Town Scottsdale, 22 minutes from downtown Phoenix. Worth a trip? A lovely evening, and the right excuse to spend a November weekend in Scottsdale.

Phoenix Art Museum Family Funday Sunday. On November 15, 2026, the museum holds one of its two free family days of the year (checked September 2026). The museum is 3 to 5 minutes from downtown on Central Avenue.

ZooLights and the luminarias begin. The Phoenix Zoo’s ZooLights runs from November 25, 2026 to January 15, 2027, with tickets good for any one night, and the Desert Botanical Garden’s Las Noches de las Luminarias begins on November 27, filling 20 evenings through December 30, 2026 with thousands of candle-lit paper lanterns; the garden closes at 4 p.m. on those days, and luminaria tickets are separate from regular admission (checked September 2026). Both are in Papago Park, 17 to 20 minutes from downtown. Worth a trip? The luminarias, yes, if you book early; they’re the Valley’s most beautiful holiday event.

Strings of small white lights and glowing paper lanterns along a garden path at night during Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden, one of the best-loved Phoenix events of the holidays
Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden in December 2009. The 2026 edition runs on 20 evenings from November 27 to December 30.

Glendale Glitters. Downtown Glendale’s holiday light display usually starts the weekend after Thanksgiving and runs into the new year; in 2024 the tree lighting was on November 29 and the lights stayed up through January 1. Check the organizer’s site for this year’s dates. Downtown Glendale is 17 minutes from downtown Phoenix. Worth a trip? A free, easy evening for families already in the Valley.

December 2026

Tempe Festival of the Arts. The 58th fall festival takes over Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe from December 4 to 6, 2026 (checked September 2026), with hundreds of artists’ booths, food and music. Mill Avenue is 17 minutes from downtown Phoenix and on the light rail. Worth a trip? A good weekend add, and an easy car-free outing from a Tempe or downtown Phoenix hotel.

White artists' tents lining Mill Avenue in Tempe under palm trees and a blue sky during the Tempe Festival of the Arts
The Tempe Festival of the Arts on Mill Avenue in December 2013. The 2026 fall festival runs December 4 to 6.

The Fiesta Bowl. The 56th Vrbo Fiesta Bowl is a College Football Playoff quarterfinal on December 30, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, 24 minutes from downtown Phoenix, with the winner advancing to a semifinal (checked September 2026). Ticket demand depends on the matchup, which isn’t known until the playoff field is set in December. Worth a trip? For the two teams’ fans, absolutely; for everyone else, it’s a great New Year’s week add if tickets are reasonable.

A packed State Farm Stadium under its translucent roof during the Fiesta Bowl, with the field and teams below
State Farm Stadium during the December 2019 Fiesta Bowl. The 2026 game is a College Football Playoff quarterfinal on December 30.

December also brings the holiday light displays at their peak: ZooLights, the luminarias and Glendale Glitters all run through the last week of the year. For New Year’s Eve, book dinner or a resort party early, and check city calendars in December for any public celebrations, which are announced late in the year.

January 2027

Barrett-Jackson. The collector car auction’s Scottsdale event is scheduled for January 23 to 31, 2027, at WestWorld of Scottsdale, its first nine-day edition, with more than 2,000 vehicles (checked September 2026; confirm dates and ticket prices on the auction’s site). WestWorld is 23 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale and 39 from downtown Phoenix. Worth a trip? For car people, it’s the event of the year. For everyone else, it’s the week Scottsdale hotel rates jump.

ZooLights runs through January 15, 2027, and January is also the start of the Valley’s peak season for outdoor events, with dry, mild days and cool nights. The normal high in January is 67.6°F.

February 2027

February is the Valley’s biggest event month, and 2027 is bigger than most.

Heard Museum World Championship Hoop Dance Contest. February 6 and 7, 2027, at the Heard Museum on Central Avenue, 5 minutes from downtown (checked September 2026). It’s one of the most spectacular cultural events in the Southwest, as dancers from across North America compete with dozens of hoops. Worth a trip? Yes, especially paired with the Heard’s Indian Fair and Market in March.

Arizona Renaissance Festival. The 39th festival runs on Saturdays and Sundays from February 6 to April 4, 2027, plus Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at its grounds on U.S. 60 in Gold Canyon, 52 minutes east of downtown Phoenix and 45 from Tempe. Adults pay $39, children 5 to 12 pay $25, and children 4 and under are free (checked September 2026). A family of four with two children aged 5 to 12 pays $128. Worth a trip? Not on its own, but a fun full day for families and costume lovers already in the Valley.

WM Phoenix Open. The golf tournament at TPC Scottsdale runs February 8 to 14, 2027, 20 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale (checked September 2026). It famously draws some of the biggest crowds in golf, and its week pushes up Scottsdale hotel rates; the tournament itself gets full treatment in the Valley’s golf guide.

NBA All-Star Weekend. February 19 to 21, 2027, at Mortgage Matchup Center downtown; see the full section below.

Spring training begins. The Cactus League opens on Friday, February 19, 2027, with eight games at parks across the Valley, and runs through March 23 (checked September 2026). Spring training has its own guide on this site; for an events calendar, what matters is that its opening weekend is the same weekend as All-Star.

Innings Festival. The music-and-baseball festival returns to Tempe Beach Park and Arts Park from February 26 to 28, 2027; check the festival’s site for the lineup and tickets. Tempe Beach Park is 17 minutes from downtown Phoenix and on the light rail. Worth a trip? Depends entirely on the lineup; check it when it’s announced.

March 2027

M3F Music Festival. M3F, a nonprofit music festival, moves to Steele Indian School Park in midtown Phoenix for 2027; its site lists March 5 and 6, 2027 (checked September 2026); confirm the dates and look for details there. The park is 10 minutes from downtown and on the light rail.

Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market. The 69th fair runs March 6 and 7, 2027, according to the Heard Museum’s fair page (checked September 2026). It’s one of the most important Native American art markets in the country, with hundreds of artists selling directly. Worth a trip? For collectors and anyone interested in Native art, yes, and it pairs naturally with the Hoop Dance Contest a month earlier.

NASCAR’s spring weekend. Phoenix Raceway’s 2027 spring NASCAR weekend is March 12 to 14, 2027 (checked September 2026), in the middle of spring training.

Fans in the grandstand at Phoenix Raceway watching cars on the track beneath a clear blue sky
The grandstand at Phoenix Raceway during the March 2025 NASCAR weekend. The 2027 spring weekend is March 12 to 14.

Chandler Ostrich Festival. Chandler’s festival has run over two March weekends; in 2026 it ran March 13 to 15 and 20 to 22. Check the festival’s site for the 2027 dates.

Spring training continues through March 23, and Major League Baseball’s regular season begins that week, with Opening Day scheduled for March 25, 2027. The Renaissance Festival keeps running on weekends. March is the Valley’s busiest month for travel, so book early.

April 2027

April is the last month of the peak season. The Renaissance Festival closes on April 4, 2027. The Phoenix Film Festival usually falls in the spring, but check the festival’s site for its 2027 dates. By the end of the month the heat is building, and outdoor events start to taper toward the summer lull.

NBA All-Star 2027: the complete early guide

Phoenix hosts the 76th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 21, 2027, at Mortgage Matchup Center, the Suns’ and Mercury’s downtown arena at 201 E. Jefferson St. The weekend includes the Rising Stars event on Friday, February 19, and State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on February 20 (checked September 2026). It’s Phoenix’s fourth All-Star Game, after 1975, 1995 and 2009, and the city’s biggest event of the coming year. The Suns’ All-Star page is the place to watch for venue and ticket announcements.

The glass entrance plaza of the downtown Phoenix arena with palm trees, photographed when its sign read Footprint Center
The downtown arena in August 2022, when it was Footprint Center. It has been Mortgage Matchup Center since October 2, 2025.

Get the arena’s name right

The arena was renamed Mortgage Matchup Center on October 2, 2025, under a 10-year naming deal. Before that it was Footprint Center (2021 to 2025), briefly PHX Arena in 2025, and earlier Talking Stick Resort Arena, US Airways Center and America West Arena. Some city pages still call it PHX Arena, and a lot of travel content still says Footprint Center. It’s the same building, a short walk from Chase Field and a few blocks from the light rail.

Where the events are, and what’s still unknown

The game itself is at Mortgage Matchup Center. Check the NBA’s All-Star site for the venues of the Friday and Saturday events. All-Star weekends usually add fan festivals, concerts and sponsor events around the host city that are announced closer to the date. Expect downtown Phoenix, and particularly the blocks around the arena and the convention center, to be the center of it all.

Tickets

All-Star tickets are among the hardest in sports to get at face value; most go to the league, teams and sponsors, and resale prices are high and change constantly. We don’t quote a price that won’t hold. Watch the NBA’s official channels for any public sale, treat resale listings with care, and be wary of anyone selling tickets before the league has released them. The surrounding fan events are often cheaper or free, and they’re the more realistic way for most visitors to experience the weekend.

Where to stay for All-Star

Downtown hotels will be the first to fill, and some may require minimum stays over the weekend. If downtown is full or priced beyond reason, look at three alternatives, all with easy access to the arena (off-peak, checked September 2026). Tempe, 17 minutes from the arena by car from Mill Avenue, sits on the light rail line that runs downtown, so you can skip parking entirely. The Sky Harbor area is 14 minutes from the arena, and the free PHX Sky Train connects to the light rail. Old Town Scottsdale is 20 minutes away by car, with no light rail, but it has a deep stock of hotels and its own nightlife. Add traffic time for event nights, when downtown streets close and garages fill.

The rest of that weekend

All-Star doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The same weekend brings the first eight Cactus League games on February 19 and full slates on the 20th and 21st, a Renaissance Festival weekend in Gold Canyon, and the tail of the Valley’s peak golf season; the WM Phoenix Open ends the Sunday before, February 14. That’s why this is the single most crowded weekend of the coming year. Book flights, rental cars and dinner reservations early, and if you’re coming for baseball rather than basketball, consider the following week, when the ballparks are just as good and the hotels are easier.

Getting around on game night

Light rail runs past the arena district, costs $2 a ride and caps at $4 a day with tap-to-pay (checked September 2026), and it’s the simplest way in and out on a closed-street night. Waymo’s driverless service covers downtown Phoenix, and rideshare works, but expect surge pricing and long pickup waits after the game. If you drive, prebook parking. February evenings are pleasant, with a normal high of 70.8°F, but cool quickly after sunset, so bring a layer for the walk.

The four best event weekends of the season

If you have flexibility and want to see several events in one short trip, these four weekends stack the most in the best weather, without the All-Star crush (dates checked September 2026).

November 6 to 8, 2026: Canal Convergence and the first cool weekend. Scottsdale’s light festival opens on the Waterfront on Friday, November 6, and the evenings are finally cool enough to walk for hours. Spend the days hiking or at Taliesin West, whose weekend Golden Hour Sunset Hikes run through December 27, and the evenings in Old Town. It’s also the tail of fall’s quiet pricing, before the holiday season begins. Base: Old Town Scottsdale.

December 4 to 6, 2026: art, lights and lanterns. The Tempe Festival of the Arts fills Mill Avenue, ZooLights is running in Papago Park, and the Desert Botanical Garden’s luminarias light up on the Friday and Saturday. The zoo and the garden are 8 minutes from Mill Avenue, so a Tempe base puts the whole weekend within a short drive or a light-rail ride. Book luminaria tickets as soon as they go on sale.

February 6 and 7, 2027: Hoop Dance and the Renaissance Festival. The Heard Museum’s World Championship Hoop Dance Contest runs on Saturday and Sunday, and the Arizona Renaissance Festival opens for the season in Gold Canyon the same weekend. The WM Phoenix Open starts the following Monday, so the weekend itself is calmer than the week after. Base: downtown or midtown Phoenix for the Heard, with a day trip east for the festival.

March 5 to 7, 2027: Native art, music and baseball. The Heard’s Indian Fair and Market fills its grounds on Saturday and Sunday, M3F plays Steele Indian School Park (confirm its dates), and spring training is in full swing across the Valley. It’s the peak of the travel season, so book early, but it’s the richest weekend of the year for culture. Base: midtown Phoenix, on the light rail between the Heard and the festival park.

Event weeks and hotel prices

Hotel rates in the Valley follow the event calendar closely. The weeks that push prices highest are predictable: Barrett-Jackson in late January for Scottsdale, the WM Phoenix Open in the second week of February for north Scottsdale, NBA All-Star Weekend for downtown Phoenix, and the whole of spring training for everywhere, with March as the peak. Big one-day events, like the Fiesta Bowl or a NASCAR weekend, tighten rooms near their venues without moving prices across the whole Valley.

Three tactics help. First, stay in a neighboring city: during Scottsdale’s big weeks, a Tempe or central Phoenix hotel 20 to 30 minutes away can cost far less, and during downtown events, Tempe’s hotels are a light-rail ride from the action. Second, book a refundable rate as early as you can, then keep checking; event-week prices often move as the date approaches. Third, shift by a week: the week after the WM Phoenix Open or All-Star weekend has the same weather and far easier bookings. We don’t quote nightly rates, because they change daily, but the pattern is reliable year after year.

Arts and culture seasons

Beyond the one-off festivals, the Valley’s performing-arts organizations run seasons that roughly follow the cool months, from early fall into spring: the symphony, opera, ballet and theater companies in downtown Phoenix, and the performing-arts centers in Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa. If you’re visiting between October and April, check the season calendars of the venues near your base; a weeknight concert or play is one of the easiest ways to fill an evening, and seats are far easier to get than for the big festivals. Museums add their own events: the Heard’s February and March events, the Phoenix Art Museum’s free family days, and the Desert Botanical Garden’s seasonal programs.

Family and free events

Families have plenty of choice in the cool months. The Arizona State Fair is a classic family night, with children 4 and under free; the Phoenix Art Museum’s Family Funday Sunday on November 15, 2026 is free; ZooLights and the luminarias fill December evenings; Glendale Glitters is free to walk; and the Renaissance Festival charges $25 for children 5 to 12 and nothing for children 4 and under (checked September 2026). Spring training is the best family sporting event of the year, with lawns where kids can roam.

For a free evening, start with First Fridays downtown, the Scottsdale ArtWalk on any Thursday, and the free Phoenix Raceway Fan Fest on October 15, 2026. Most of these happen in the evening, which suits the Valley’s climate for most of the year, and most are on or near the light rail or easy walks from central hotels.

Where to stay for each big event

For most Valley events, the right base is the one closest to the venue, because traffic around big events can double normal drive times. This table pairs each major event with its venue and the best place to stay (off-peak drive times, checked September 2026).

Event (checked Sep 2026) Venue Best base Drive from downtown Phoenix
Arizona State Fair State fairgrounds, McDowell Road Downtown or midtown Phoenix 7 min
Phoenix Pride Festival Arizona Center, downtown Downtown Phoenix 3 min
NASCAR at Phoenix Raceway Avondale, West Valley West Valley or downtown Phoenix 32 min
Canal Convergence Scottsdale Waterfront Old Town Scottsdale 22 min
ZooLights and the luminarias Papago Park Tempe, Scottsdale or downtown 17–20 min
Tempe Festival of the Arts, Innings Festival Mill Avenue and Tempe Beach Park Tempe 17 min
Fiesta Bowl State Farm Stadium, Glendale Glendale near Westgate 24 min
Barrett-Jackson WestWorld, north Scottsdale North Scottsdale 39 min
Heard Museum events Central Avenue Downtown or midtown Phoenix 5 min
Renaissance Festival Gold Canyon, far east Valley Mesa or Tempe 52 min
WM Phoenix Open TPC Scottsdale North Scottsdale 33 min
NBA All-Star Mortgage Matchup Center Downtown, or Tempe on the light rail 2 min
M3F Music Festival Steele Indian School Park, midtown Midtown or downtown Phoenix 10 min

Which events are worth planning a trip around?

An event is worth building a trip around when it’s rare, when it can’t be experienced any other way, and when it lands in good weather. By that test, a handful of Phoenix events clear the bar, and many more are best treated as a bonus on a trip you’d take anyway.

Plan a trip around: NBA All-Star 2027, if you can get in, because it comes to Phoenix roughly once every 15 to 20 years; the Heard Museum’s Hoop Dance Contest and Indian Fair and Market, which have no equivalent elsewhere; Las Noches de las Luminarias, which is at its best on a cool December evening; spring training, which is a whole trip on its own; and Barrett-Jackson, for car people.

Add to a trip: the Arizona State Fair, Canal Convergence, the Tempe Festival of the Arts, ZooLights, Glendale Glitters, the Renaissance Festival, NASCAR weekends for non-fans, and the music festivals once their lineups are known.

Plan around, not toward: the WM Phoenix Open week and All-Star weekend, if you’re not attending. Those are the weeks when Scottsdale and downtown hotel rates spike and restaurant reservations vanish; a visitor who just wants sun and hiking is better off coming a week earlier or later.

Recurring events: every week and every month

Some of the best Valley events don’t need a calendar. Downtown Phoenix’s First Friday art walk fills Roosevelt Row and the surrounding galleries on the first Friday evening of each month, and the Phoenix Art Museum is free on First Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m. and pay what you wish on Wednesdays from 3 to 8 p.m. (checked September 2026). In September 2026 the Phoenix City Council approved a one-year pilot letting art and food vendors set up on private property in Roosevelt Row between 7th Street and 7th Avenue, so expect more stalls and pop-ups on those evenings.

In Scottsdale, the no-charge ArtWalk runs every Thursday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. except Thanksgiving, along Main Street and Marshall Way in the Arts District (checked September 2026).

Once a month, on the second Tuesday, the Desert Botanical Garden holds its Community Day, when admission is pay what you can: $5, $10, $15 or any amount you choose (checked September 2026). These recurring events are the ones to build into a trip of any length: they cost little, they happen whatever the season, and they show you the city at its most local.

Summer: the quiet season

From June through September, the Valley’s event calendar thins and moves indoors. The normal highs of 104.2°F in June, 106.5°F in July and 105.1°F in August (NOAA 1991–2020 normals) rule out daytime outdoor festivals, and the monsoon season from June 15 to September 30 brings evening storms that can cancel outdoor shows. What stays on: indoor concerts, baseball at Chase Field downtown, where the Diamondbacks play under a retractable roof in air conditioning, the Mercury’s WNBA season at Mortgage Matchup Center, and a scattering of evening and resort events.

For visitors, summer’s event scene is a reason to come only if you’re already planning around the heat, but it has an upside: the prices. With few major events and the lowest resort rates of the year, a summer trip built around a ballgame, an indoor concert and a pool can cost a fraction of the same trip in February.

Sports on the calendar

Regular-season sports get their own guide, but they shape the events calendar, so here’s the outline. The Suns play at Mortgage Matchup Center from October into April, and the Mercury play there in the summer. The Arizona Cardinals play at State Farm Stadium in Glendale from September into January. The Diamondbacks play home games at Chase Field; check the team’s site for the 2027 schedule. Spring training runs February 19 to March 23, 2027, and the WM Phoenix Open is February 8 to 14. NASCAR comes to Phoenix Raceway twice: October 16 to 18, 2026, and March 12 to 14, 2027 (checked September 2026). Arizona has no NHL team; the Coyotes left for Salt Lake City in 2024, whatever older listings say.

If you want an NBA game without All-Star crowds, a weeknight Suns game in November or December is the easy version: the downtown hotels are calmer, the weather is ideal for walking to the arena, and you can pair the game with a luminaria evening or a zoo night. Weekend games against the league’s biggest draws cost more and sell out sooner, so decide early if a particular opponent matters to you.

Tickets, getting there and staying cool

Buy event tickets through the event’s own site or its official ticket seller, and be cautious with resale sites for high-demand events like All-Star, the Fiesta Bowl and the Open. For outdoor events, check the rules on bags, water and chairs before you go; many Valley venues allow a sealed bottle of water, and in the warm months you’ll want it.

Getting there is half the planning. Downtown Phoenix, Tempe and midtown events are on the Valley Metro light rail, $2 a ride with a $4 daily cap on tap-to-pay (checked September 2026), which beats event parking and post-event traffic. For West Valley events like NASCAR and the Fiesta Bowl, and for Gold Canyon’s Renaissance Festival, you’ll need a car or a long rideshare; leave early, because traffic around a big event can double the normal drive. Rideshare pickups after a sellout are slow and surge-priced; walking a few blocks away from the venue before you book usually helps.

Even in the cool months, the desert sun is strong. At daytime outdoor events from October to April, bring a hat, sunscreen and water; the normal high is still 89.2°F in October and 85.5°F in April. At evening events from December to February, bring a warm layer, because temperatures drop quickly after sunset.

Month (NOAA normals, checked Sep 2026) Normal high Event season
October 89.2°F Fall festivals begin: state fair, Pride, NASCAR
November 76.5°F Canal Convergence; holiday lights begin
December 66.2°F Luminarias, ZooLights, Fiesta Bowl
January 67.6°F Barrett-Jackson; peak season begins
February 70.8°F Hoop Dance, WM Phoenix Open, All-Star, spring training
March 78.1°F Indian Fair and Market, NASCAR, M3F, spring training
April 85.5°F Renaissance Festival ends; season winds down
June to August 104.2–106.5°F Quiet season: indoor and evening events

An event-trip booking timeline

The Valley’s big events reward early planning, and a simple timeline keeps you ahead of the crowds (dates checked September 2026).

Now, in the fall of 2026: if All-Star weekend (February 19 to 21) or spring training is on your list, book refundable hotel rooms and flights now; downtown and Scottsdale rooms for February and March are the first to go. October: watch for luminaria and ZooLights tickets, and book Canal Convergence weekend hotels in Old Town Scottsdale. November and December: Fiesta Bowl tickets become meaningful once the playoff field is set in early December; decide then, not before. December and January: buy WM Phoenix Open passes and spring training single-game tickets as they go on sale, and reserve rental cars for February and March. Two to four weeks out: book dinners for event weekends, when restaurants near the venues fill up. The week of: check start times, road closures and the weather; even a February evening can turn chilly, and an October afternoon can still reach the 90s.

One more habit: before you book anything around an event, confirm its date on the organizer’s own site. Several 2027 dates were still unannounced in September 2026, and third-party listings often recycle last year’s dates.

Buying tickets without getting burned

For high-demand events, buy from the event’s official site or the ticket seller it links to, and use resale only through platforms that guarantee delivery. Be wary of listings that appear before an event’s own sale has opened, of prices far below market, and of sellers who want payment outside a platform. Mobile tickets are now the norm at the big Valley venues, so download them to your phone before you leave the hotel; stadium and arena cell service can slow to a crawl as crowds arrive. And read the venue’s bag policy the day before; many allow only small or clear bags, and a trip back to the car in event traffic can cost you the first quarter or the first inning.

What to skip

Skip booking the All-Star weekend on a whim. February 19 to 21, 2027 is the most crowded weekend of the year, with All-Star, the first spring training games and a Renaissance Festival weekend at once. If you’re not attending, come another week.

Skip the WM Phoenix Open week for a quiet Scottsdale getaway. February 8 to 14, 2027 fills north Scottsdale’s hotels and restaurants. The week after is quieter and just as sunny.

Skip listings that still say Footprint Center or PHX Arena. The arena has been Mortgage Matchup Center since October 2, 2025. Old names often mean an old event listing, so check the date.

Skip the Renaissance Festival as a half-day outing. It’s 52 minutes from downtown Phoenix in Gold Canyon, and at $39 per adult it’s worth a full day or not at all (checked September 2026).

Skip outdoor summer festivals at midday. From June to September, the only sensible outdoor events start after sunset, and even then the air is often above 100°F.

Skip driving to downtown events if you’re on the light rail line. Arena, convention center, Heard and Tempe events are all on the line, and the ride beats event parking and post-game traffic.

Skip unconfirmed dates. Several 2027 events hadn’t announced dates in September 2026, including the Phoenix Film Festival and the Ostrich Festival. Don’t book flights around an assumed weekend.

Frequently Asked Questions

What big events are in Phoenix in 2027?

The biggest is NBA All-Star Weekend, February 19 to 21, 2027, at Mortgage Matchup Center. February also brings the Heard Museum’s Hoop Dance Contest (February 6 and 7), the WM Phoenix Open (February 8 to 14) and the start of spring training (February 19). March adds the Heard’s Indian Fair and Market (March 6 and 7) and NASCAR (March 12 to 14).

When is the Arizona State Fair in 2026?

From October 1 to November 1, 2026, on Thursdays through Sundays only, at the state fairgrounds on McDowell Road in Phoenix. Gates open at noon, children 4 and under are free, and official parking costs $20 per vehicle (checked September 2026). Coliseum concerts include fair admission with a reserved seat; check the fair’s site for the gate price.

When is NBA All-Star 2027 in Phoenix?

The 76th NBA All-Star Game is on Sunday, February 21, 2027, at Mortgage Matchup Center, the Suns’ downtown arena. Rising Stars is on Friday, February 19, and All-Star Saturday Night on February 20. It’s Phoenix’s fourth All-Star Game, after 1975, 1995 and 2009. Venues for the Friday and Saturday events hadn’t been announced in September 2026.

What is the best month for events in Phoenix?

February, for the sheer number of major events and ideal weather, with a normal high of 70.8°F. November is the best month for events without the crowds, with Canal Convergence, the start of the holiday light displays and mild weather. Summer, from June to September, is the quiet season, when events move indoors or after dark.

What free events are there in Phoenix?

First Fridays in downtown Phoenix, when the Phoenix Art Museum is free from 5 to 8 p.m.; the Scottsdale ArtWalk every Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m.; the free Phoenix Raceway Fan Fest downtown on October 15, 2026; and the Phoenix Art Museum’s free Family Funday Sunday on November 15, 2026 (checked September 2026). Glendale Glitters’ holiday lights are free to walk through.

What holiday events are in Phoenix?

The Phoenix Zoo’s ZooLights runs November 25, 2026 to January 15, 2027; the Desert Botanical Garden’s Las Noches de las Luminarias fills 20 evenings from November 27 to December 30, 2026; and downtown Glendale’s Glitters light display usually runs from the weekend after Thanksgiving into January. The Fiesta Bowl playoff game is December 30.

When is NASCAR in Phoenix?

Phoenix Raceway in Avondale hosts NASCAR twice a year. The fall “Chase Weekend” runs October 16 to 18, 2026, with the Cup Series race on October 18, and the 2027 spring weekend is March 12 to 14 (checked September 2026). A free fan fest is held downtown on October 15, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Where should I stay for events in Phoenix?

Stay near the venue, because event traffic can double drive times. Downtown or Tempe for arena, convention center, Heard and Tempe events, since both are on the light rail; Old Town or north Scottsdale for Canal Convergence, Barrett-Jackson and the WM Phoenix Open; Glendale for the Fiesta Bowl; the East Valley for the Renaissance Festival.

Sources and verification

This guide is built from research, not hosted visits. Event dates, prices and rules were checked on September 24, 2026 against the organizers, venues and city pages listed below, and drive times were measured the same day with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (free-flow times, so add more at rush hour and far more around big events).

Photo Credits

Phoenix Tourism Guide