Phoenix Events Calendar: What's On Now in November 2026

Happy Wednesday, neighbors. Halloween has come and gone, and the Valley is now in full celebration mode: Veterans Day parades this week, the Hondo Rodeo Fest and the Arizona Fall League championship in our own backyard, and the first glow of the holiday lights right around the corner. I have re-verified every date, venue, and ticket link below from official sources as of November 4 so you and your family can plan with confidence. I want to be your Realtor for Life, and part of that is helping you enjoy the community you call home, not just the house.

Previously Listed: Halloween Weekend (These Events Have Passed)

A quick housekeeping note before we get to what is on now: Halloween weekend has come and gone. DTPHX Hallows’ Eve, the DroneArt Show at State Farm Stadium, the Chandler Halloween Spooktacular, Water for Elephants at ASU Gammage, the final days of the Arizona State Fair, and the Dia de los Muertos celebrations on November 1 have all wrapped up. If you are planning ahead for next season, my Halloween 2026 guide keeps the full rundown as a reference. For what is happening right now, keep reading: everything below is verified and current as of November 4.

This Week: November 4 through 10

Goodyear’s Run. Remember. Celebrate. Veterans Week series at Goodyear Civic Square continues through Saturday, November 7, leading into the city’s Veterans Day celebrations. Details are on the city’s special events page at goodyearaz.gov.

The concert calendar stays warm through the week: Dan + Shay bring The Young Tour, with Tyler Hubbard and Josh Ross, to Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre on Thursday, November 5 at 7 p.m. (tickets at livenation.com), and Cristian Castro headlines Desert Diamond Arena on Friday, November 6. Tickets for the arena shows are on each venue’s official site.

Friday, November 6 is a banner night across the metro. In Peoria, the Peoria Night Market fills Centennial Plaza Park with local vendors, food, and live music. Downtown, Obsidian, the two-night electronic music festival at Eastlake Park (Saturday too, 18 and older), kicks off with tickets at obsidianphx.com. In Scottsdale, the Light The Night Walk, presented by Blood Cancer United (formerly the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society), steps off at 5:30 p.m. at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (7555 N. Pima Rd.) in a glow of lanterns that raises funds for blood cancer research and patient support. Registration is at lightthenight.org/events/greater-phoenix. A bit later, downtown Phoenix’s favorite free tradition returns: First Fridays Art Walk, run by Artlink, fills Roosevelt Row from 6 to 10 p.m. See artlinkphx.org/firstfridays.

Saturday, November 7 is one of the busiest days of the month, and the West Valley shines. Avondale’s 18th Annual Dia de los Muertos Festival fills the Goodyear Farms Historic Cemetery from 5 to 9 p.m. with music, food trucks, and a community ofrenda, free and family friendly (see balletfolkloricoesperanza.org). The 56th Annual Litchfield Park Festival of Arts brings more than 150 artists, live jazz and blues, and a beer and wine garden to Litchfield Square Park (279 N. La Loma Ave.), Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., free and dog friendly. Details at litchfieldpark.gov. In Carefree, the Fall Garden Art and Wine Festival fills Carefree Desert Gardens (101 Easy St.) Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission. See thunderbirdartists.com.

Over in Scottsdale, the Kierland Fine Art and Wine Festival fills Kierland Commons on Saturday and Sunday, and the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships bring the horses and tailgates to WestWorld of Scottsdale, with general admission starting around $45 at thepoloparty.com. In Tempe, the Sun Devils host Colorado at Mountain America Stadium for Salute to Service and Family Weekend.

Baseball fans, take note: the Arizona Fall League is in its championship stretch, and the biggest stage is at our doorstep. The Fall Stars Home Run Derby is Saturday, November 7 at 6:30 p.m. and the 20th annual Fall Stars Game is Sunday, November 8 at 6 p.m., both at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. The next weekend brings the playoffs at Sloan Park in Mesa and Peoria Sports Complex, followed by the championship game on Saturday, November 14. Tickets are at MLB.com/Arizona-Fall-League/tickets.

Runners can take on the Phoenix 10K and Half Marathon on Sunday, November 8; register at phoenix10k.com. And if you have not seen them yet, Canal Convergence, Scottsdale Arts’ free outdoor art festival along the Scottsdale Waterfront, is back for its 15th anniversary with the theme “Western Nature,” glowing nightly November 6 through 15 from 6 to 10 p.m. at canalconvergence.com. Over in Gilbert, Joe’s Farm Grill celebrates its 20th anniversary the week of November 9 through 15, a fun excuse for a family dinner out.

Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11

Veterans Day in the Valley is a day of parades, and this year the celebrations carry extra weight as America marks its 250th anniversary. Three of the biggest are worth planning around:

• The East Valley Veterans Parade in downtown Mesa, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the 2026 theme “250 Years. Ready Then, Ready Now.” Hosted by the East Valley Veterans Parade Association. Details at evvp.org.
• The Surprise Veterans Day Parade, 10 a.m. to noon at the Surprise Recreation Campus (15850 N. Bullard Ave.). See exploresurprise.com.
• The Phoenix Veterans Day Parade, celebrating its 30th anniversary and stepping off at 11 a.m. on Third Street from McDowell Road to Indian School Road, with the theme “250 Years of Freedom, 30 Years of Honor.” This year’s celebrity grand marshal is two-time Super Bowl champion Jim McMahon, joined by seven veteran grand marshals from World War II through the post-9/11 era. It is free to attend; route and lineup details at honoringamericasveterans.org.

That evening, The Smashing Pumpkins play Footprint Center with tickets on livenation.com.

Mid-November: Rodeo, Baseball, and Football

The headline act of the month is the Hondo Rodeo Fest at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix, November 13 through 15. Each night pairs a full pro rodeo with a major concert: Friday, November 13 features Tim McGraw and Miranda Lambert; Saturday, November 14 brings Blake Shelton and Turnpike Troubadours; and Sunday, November 15 closes with Parker McCollum and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Tickets are at thehondorodeofest.com/phoenix.

The Arizona Fall League crowns its 2026 champion on Saturday, November 14 at 6 p.m. at Peoria Sports Complex, aired live on MLB Network, after quarterfinal games at Sloan Park in Mesa on November 12 and semifinals at Peoria Sports Complex on November 13. Tickets at MLB.com/Arizona-Fall-League/tickets. Out west, the Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo Finals ride into the Buckeye Equestrian and Events Center on Friday, November 13; see the city’s events calendar at buckeyeaz.gov.

Football fills our weekend too: the Cardinals host the Rams on Sunday, November 15 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, and the Suns keep the home court busy at Footprint Center all month. Tickets are on azcardinals.com and footprintcenter.com.

Two more mid-month picks: Historic Downtown Glendale hosts the 30th Annual Holiday Open House in Old Towne and Catlin Court on Saturday, November 14 starting at 10 a.m., with shops, music, and festive sidewalks (details at visitdowntownglendale.com). And the arena calendar heats up the following week: Teddy Swims plays Mortgage Matchup Center (201 E. Jefferson St., the downtown Phoenix arena formerly known as Footprint Center) on Monday, November 16, and Steve Lacy brings his tour to Arizona Financial Theatre on Tuesday, November 17. Tickets are on each venue’s official site.

November 20 through 22: Cars, Crafts, and Holiday Openers

Goodguys 29th Speedway Motors Southwest Nationals brings its annual classic car spectacle to WestWorld of Scottsdale November 20 through 22, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Event details are on the WestWorld calendar at westworldaz.com.

Art lovers can drive the 30th annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour, a free self-guided tour across Cave Creek, Carefree, and North Scottsdale featuring more than 150 artists, on the weekends of November 20 through 22 and November 27 through 29, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See sonoranartsleague.org.

The holiday season officially opens out west as the Wigwam Holiday Festival of Arts returns to The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, November 20 through 22, and Desert Lights at Desert Farm Lights (14629 W. Peoria Ave.) switches on millions of lights, an ice rink, and train and carriage rides for the season at desertfarmlights.com. Music fans have Three Days Grace with I Prevail at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre on Saturday, November 21, and the Sun Devils host Oklahoma State at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe the same day. Adventure racers can tackle the Phoenix Spartan Trifecta Weekend at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale on November 21 and 22. Then Usher brings two nights to Footprint Center on November 23 and 24.

In Glendale, the Forever Tour brings Barbara Mason, Lisa Lisa, Next, and Trish Toledo to Desert Diamond Arena on Saturday, November 21 at 7 p.m. (tickets at livenation.com). Over in Scottsdale, Christmas at the Princess lights up the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess from Friday, November 20 through January 2, 2027, with holiday experiences for the whole family at christmasattheprincess.com. And KATSEYE brings The Wildworld Tour to Mortgage Matchup Center on Tuesday, November 24, right before Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Week: The Valley Lights Up

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26 this year, and the weekend after brings the lights on across the Valley:

• ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo opens November 25 and runs nightly through January 15, 2027, from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., with millions of lights and holiday activities. Tickets at phoenixzoo.org.
• Glendale Glitters begins its 33rd year in Historic Downtown Glendale on Friday, November 27 with the official lighting ceremony at Murphy Park at 5:45 p.m., then glows through January 1, 2027. Details at visitdowntownglendale.com.
• Merry Main Street in downtown Mesa kicks off Friday, November 27 from 5 to 10 p.m. with the lighting of the city’s 40-foot tree, an ice rink, and holiday fun. See mesaaz.gov.
• Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden returns Friday, November 27 for 26 nights of glowing luminarias among the cacti, running into early January. Tickets at dbg.org.
• Christmas at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek opens November 27 and runs Thursdays through Sundays through December 27, 5 to 10 p.m. Tickets at schnepfchristmas.com.
• Holiday Lights at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale runs November 27 through December 30, nightly 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., with train and carousel rides through the lights. See therailroadpark.com.
• Jonas Brothers play Desert Diamond Arena on Friday, November 27, and the Suns host the Dallas Mavericks at Footprint Center that same night in NBA Cup group play.

The East and West Valley light up their own way. Tempe’s Fantasy of Lights celebrates Saturday, November 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. with the street parade and tree lighting at Centerpoint on Mill (see downtowntempe.com), and Cotton Fest on 4th brings a holiday street fair to Downtown Buckeye on Saturday, November 28 from 3 to 8 p.m. with a car show, food trucks, Santa photos, and the tree lighting. The Cardinals host the Commanders on Sunday, November 29 at State Farm Stadium, and The Neighbourhood closes out the month at Footprint Center on Monday, November 30.

Also fresh on the calendar: Scottsdazzle lights up Old Town Scottsdale from Saturday, November 28 through December 31 with free events and glowing holiday displays (see experiencescottsdale.com), and Buckeye’s Holiday Lights and Candy Land Walkthrough at Sundance Park glows nightly from November 28 through January 1, with the downtown tree’s music and light show every 30 minutes until 10 p.m. The valley is truly at its most beautiful right now.

A Look Ahead Into December

A few December dates are worth putting on the calendar now. RUSH: Fifty Something plays Desert Diamond Arena on Tuesday, December 1 and Thursday, December 3, and Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical plays ASU Gammage December 1 through 6 at asugammage.com. The Tempe Festival of the Arts, the 58th fall edition, fills downtown Tempe’s Mill Avenue December 4 through 6 with artists, food, and live music, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See tempefestivalofthearts.com.

The weekend of December 4 and 5 is the big one. Peoria’s Christmas in the Village kicks it off Friday, December 4, and Sparkling Surprise returns to Surprise Community Park with its towering light tree, Santa’s workshop, and fireworks, running December 4 through 27; the opening weekend is the Surprise Party festival. On Saturday, December 5, Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights fills Dr. A.J. Chandler Park from 4:30 to 9 p.m., with the parade stepping off down Arizona Avenue around 6:45 p.m. and the lit tumbleweed tree glowing into the new year (see chandleraz.gov). Avondale’s WinterFest brings Santa, snow, and a tree lighting to the Avondale Civic Center from 5 to 9 p.m., free and family friendly (see avondaleaz.gov), and Peoria’s Mele Kalikimaka Market sets up at Centennial Plaza. Car fans can catch FuelFest at Firebird Motorsports Park in Mesa starting at 1 p.m.; tickets are listed on Eventbrite. That evening the 39th annual APS Electric Light Parade rolls down Central Avenue in Phoenix at 7 p.m., free to watch, with route details at phoenix.gov.

Sunday, December 6 brings the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and its 30th anniversary production of The Ghosts of Christmas Eve to Mortgage Matchup Center (201 E. Jefferson St.) at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; tickets are at livenation.com. The Hot Chocolate Run Phoenix is also that morning, a fun family race that ends with cocoa. Gracie Abrams brings her tour to Desert Diamond Arena on December 9 and 10, and the Avondazzle holiday light display at the Avondale Civic Center glows nightly December 6 through January 1 at avondaleaz.gov.

Saturday, December 12 is another full day: Peoria’s Holiday Festival lights up Downtown Peoria from 5 to 9 p.m. (see peoriaaz.gov), the Fantasy of Lights Boat Parade glides across Tempe Town Lake from 4 to 9 p.m. at Tempe Beach Park (see downtowntempe.com), Christmas in the Park fills Litchfield Square Park in Litchfield Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the Phoenix Marathon returns at 7 a.m. with a half marathon and 10-miler to follow. My holiday calendar has the full December lineup, and mark Wednesday, December 30 on the calendar now: the 56th annual Fiesta Bowl comes to State Farm Stadium in Glendale as a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at 5:30 p.m.

A Word on the Market From Susan

As we head into the holidays, our Phoenix market continues to read as balanced: more inventory, more time to tour, and more room to negotiate than buyers have had in years. Sellers who price well and prepare their homes are finding buyers ready to move. If you have been thinking about your next move, whether that is buying your first home, moving up, or selling, this is a genuinely good time to start the conversation. And one gentle reminder: if you are eyeing a new construction home, please contact me before you visit a builder on your own. A five-minute call can save you thousands.

I am always available to answer your questions and I want to share my knowledge in buying or selling a home with you. Call or text me at (623) 640-8840 or reach out online. I am here for you, before, during, and after your home purchase or home sale. That is what it means to be Your Realtor for Life. Have a wonderful fall week, enjoy everything this beautiful Valley has to offer, and talk to you soon!