September
Rockin' Taco Street FestSept. 14
178 E. Commonwealth Ave., Chandler
Twenty restaurants and food trucks will pull up to downtown Chandler’s Dr. A.J. Chandler Park for the 13th Annual Rockin’ Taco Street Fest. Creative tacos will be available for purchase alongside aguas frescas, margaritas, micheladas and more. After you guac out at the food stalls, get ready to rock out with a round-up of musicians, including the headlining Van Halen tribute band Bottoms Up. Intrepid festivalgoers can test their mettle on the mechanical taco ride or enter the taco-eating contest. The festival also is packed with a variety of chill, family-friendly activities, including yard games and a play area. Tickets can be purchased online and are $15 for one, $22 for a pair or $44 for a group of four. Prices will increase as the festival date nears. Admission for children ages 12 and younger is free.
Arizona State Fair
Sept 20-Oct. 27
1826 W. McDowell Road
There are countless fun, kitschy and nostalgic things to do at the Arizona State Fair. But, have you really done your visit right if you haven’t eaten something that’s on a stick, deep fried or dusted in Hot Cheetos? Arizona takes the (funnel) cake for some truly weird and whimsical dishes. While we don’t yet know who will be serving at this year’s fair, we’re sure it will be delicious and decadently over the top. The fair runs every Thursday to Sunday from Sept. 20 to Oct. 27. Tickets are available online and are $15 for those ages 8 years and older.
Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails is one of the nearly 200 restaurants that will participate in Arizona Restaurant Week this fall.
Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails
Sept. 20-29
Multiple Locations
While not a festival per se, Arizona Restaurant Week is one of the biggest, and most customizable, dining events of the fall. For 10 days, approximately 200 restaurants around the Valley and beyond will offer prix fixe menus for $33, $44 or $55 per person, or, in some cases, per couple. Restaurants often curate these special menus around their most popular dishes or use it as an opportunity to showcase unique specials. Some restaurants that will participate this fall include Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails, Fire at Will, Pa’La Downtown, The Mission Kierland and Wally’s American Gastropub. Reservations are recommended and can be made directly with each restaurant.
11th Annual Queen Creek Garlic Festival
Sept. 21-22 and 28-29
25062 S. Meridian Road, Queen Creek
Queen Creek Olive Mill will offer garlic lovers two weekends to fill up on all things allium. Although the mill specializes in crafting olive oils, when fall rolls around, garlic comes into focus. The mill will offer a variety of garlic-inspired dishes and products over the course of the event, including garlic-infused olive oil and garlic-stuffed olives. The mill’s Del Piero Kitchen will serve a garlic-inspired menu, and the mill’s co-owner Perry Rea will host live cooking demonstrations. In addition to food, the Queen Creek Garlic Festival will feature live music, a market of local artisans, games and a garlic-themed tractor tour. Admission is free, and no reservations are required.
Oktoberfest Celebrations
Multiple dates and locations
Oktoberfest is a classic reason to celebrate in the fall, and breweries across metro Phoenix will present their own festivals throughout the season. The oldest and largest Oktoberfest in the area is Tempe’s Four Peaks Brewing-hosted version, running this year from Oct. 11 through 13. But Oktoberfest fans who can’t wait to get a pretzel and brat can get an early start on the festivities at Downtown Chandler Oktoberfest on Sept. 27 and 28, Pedal Haus Oktoberfest on Oct. 5 or any number of smaller fests happening throughout the Valley. Prost!
October
Schnepf Pumpkin & Chili Party Oct. 3-31
24810 S. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek Even if it still feels a bit like summer outside, Schnepf Farms is ready to help you dive head-first into autumn with its Pumpkin & Chili Party. Probably the Valley’s closest thing to a traditional fall festival, the event includes a pumpkin patch, hay rides, a corn maze and a petting zoo. There are also pig races, carnival rides, a ropes course and much more fun for the whole family. Once you've worked up an appetite, check out the vendors selling brats, roasted corn, barbecue and funnel cakes, or head to the farm cafe for a sit-down meal. End a fun day at the farm with a fireworks show. This festival takes place every Thursday through Sunday in October, and tickets, available for $25.95 per person, can be purchased online.
Phil Johnson is known by the nickname "Phil the Grill." He's ready to compete in the Southwest Chef Showdown.
Phil Johnson
Oct. 10-13
16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale
The car collectors’ event has injected a dose of culinary competition into its fall auction. Thirty chefs will face off in timed head-to-head battles throughout the weekend in the exhibitor marketplace of Barrett-Jackson. Showdown winners will receive a golden ticket, granting them access to the World Food Championships in Indianapolis and the opportunity to take home part of a $450,000 prize pool. Local chefs who are gearing up to throw down include Phoenix pitmaster Phil Johnson and Aioli Gourmet Burger co-owner Tom D’Ambrosio. Access to the Southwest Chef Showdown is included with admission to Barrett-Jackson; tickets are available online.
The Original Phoenix Greek Festival
Oct. 11-13
1973 E. Maryland Ave.
Every fall, the Original Phoenix Greek Festival is a calendar highlight. Dancing, music, performers and plenty of delicious Greek food make this festival one you won’t want to miss. There’s food to enjoy on the spot, pastries and sweets to take home and a Greek market chock-full of imported ingredients you'll want to add to your pantry. This family-friendly festival has been sharing Greek culture and traditions with the Valley for 63 years. Tickets cost $5, and food and drinks can be purchased for an additional cost.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Phoenix Fest
Oct. 11-14
455 N. Third St.
The third annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day Phoenix Fest, an event that celebrates Indigenous heritage and culture, will take place in downtown Phoenix from Oct. 11 through 14. The festival will feature a vendor market, local food trucks, live music and more. Admission is free, and there are additional ticketed events throughout the weekend, including a launch party and art exhibition, a 1K walk and 5K run, and a VIP party on Oct. 12. The party — Golden Dreams & Silver Nite — will offer cocktails, mocktails and culinary stations while showcasing art, fashion, dance and music. Tickets for this special event start at $50 and are available online.
Uncorked: AZ Fall Wine Fest
Oct. 12
7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale
Pair your pinot with a view of the ballpark during Uncorked at Salt River Fields. During the national festival's stop in Scottsdale, more than 100 wines from around the world will be poured. Choose from two tasting sessions: General admission includes three hours of sipping, while early admission gives imbibers an extra hour of tasting and special bonus pours from select wineries during the first hour. There also will be music from a live DJ, a photo booth and local food trucks (food purchases are separate). Tickets start at $65 and may be purchased online.
Arizona Craft Beer Festival
Oct. 19
660 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
The Arizona Craft Beer Festival is back for its third year, with a new location at Centerpoint Plaza in Tempe. The festival showcases all that Arizona’s craft brewing scene has to offer, as well as recognizes the winners of the Arizona Craft Beer Awards. The awards will be given out in early October, and fans will have an opportunity to taste the beers and meet the brewers at this celebratory event. Tickets, which are available online, include a commemorative cup and 15 drink tickets. Designated driver tickets also are available for a much-discounted rate.
Scottsdale Italian Festival
Oct. 19-20
7135 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale
Do you love pasta, pizza and Italian wines? If so, the ninth annual Scottsdale Italian Festival might be your perfect fall food event. This year’s theme is “La Strada del Vino,” meaning “the street of wine,” and the two-day festival will showcase more 30 wines from Tuscany, Veneto, Sicily and beyond — taking attendees on a tour of Italian wine country without leaving Scottsdale. Live musicians, restaurant vendors and artisans also will be part of the festivities. Tickets are available online, and children ages 12 and younger get in for free.
Taco Fest
Oct. 19-20
7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale
Get ready to celebrate two days of tacos at Salt River Fields. Taco Fest is back with more than 30 local taqueros serving tasty bites atop tortillas paired with margaritas and cervezas, tequila and mezcal tastings and more. The event will also include live music and art, plus a kid zone. Tickets are $15 and kids 12 and under get in for free. Tacos and drinks are sold separately.
The Kierland Fine Art and Wine Festival returns with delicious, locally made wines.
Kierland Fine Art and Wine Festival
Oct. 26-27
15205 N. Kierland Blvd., Scottsdale
Scottsdale’s Kierland Commons shopping plaza will become a destination for wine lovers and art connoisseurs in late October. Take a stroll through Main Street and view works from more than 100 artists, including bronze and glass sculptures, paintings, jewelry and photography. Then taste your way around Arizona’s wine regions with samples from 15 of the state’s top vineyards. Tickets for the Kierland Fine Art & Wine Festival are available online and include admission for one of the two days, 10 wine-tasting tickets and a commemorative glass.
Arizona Bao and Dumpling Festival with Nom Nom Noodles Festival
Oct. 26-27
8401 W. Monroe St., Peoria
A festival that celebrates all things bao and dumplings is coming to Peoria this fall. On Saturday, the Arizona Bao and Dumpling Festival will showcase all sorts of creative dumplings, while the focus on Sunday will be on noodles. Vendors from around the Valley will be on hand to serve fried chicken, Japanese cheesecake, Korean sandwiches, mochi doughnuts and more. Retail vendors and anime artists will keep the entertainment going between bites of delicious dumplings. Tickets are available online.
November
Southwest Belgian Beer Fest Nov. 9
245 E. Jackson St.
A brand new festival that celebrates all things Belgian beer is coming to downtown Phoenix this fall. The Southwest Belgian Beer Fest will feature bocks, pils, lambics, saisons and other Belgian styles created by international, domestic and local breweries. Guests will enjoy live music, seminars from beer experts and meet-and-greet events. Tickets start at $60 online and include 20 samples and a souvenir glass. Upgraded VIP tickets also are available, and attendees may buy tickets at the door for an increased price.
Arizona Fall Festival
Nov. 9
67 W. Culver St.
The original Arizona Fall Festival was held 18 years ago in the parking lot of Duck and Decanter. In the nearly two decades since, the event has grown to include more than 200 vendors who take over Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown Phoenix. More than 40 restaurants and food trucks will come together to create a food court packed with flavor. There’s also a beer garden with $2 samples of Arizona beers, wines and spirits. This event is family- and dog-friendly, and admission is free.
Phoenix Pizza Festival
Nov. 16-17
1202 N. Third Street
Cheese slice anyone? The Phoenix Pizza Festival is back this fall with plenty of pepperoni to go around. For two days, Arizona’s finest pizza makers will serve up slices at Margaret T. Hance Park alongside a vendor market, kids zone, live music stage, beer and wine bars, and more. Tickets are $16 and must be purchased online; admission for kids ages 5 is free. Pizza and drinks can be purchased from vendors separately.
AZ Barrels, Bottles & Brews
Nov. 16
7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale
Can't decide between attending a festival for beer, wine or spirits? Then grab tickets for AZ Barrels, Bottles & Brews — an event that has it all. You'll even find ciders and hard seltzers on the menu. The event takes place at Salt River Fields, and tickets, which start at $60 and are available online, include 15 different samples. Food trucks and vendors will be on hand to provide some eats to soak up those sips.
