Phoenix Events Calendar: What's On Now Through December 2026

Happy Wednesday, neighbors. The weather is absolutely perfect right now, and the Valley is full of fresh things to do from this week all the way through the holidays. I have verified every date, venue, and ticket link below 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.

A note from November 4: this edition was published October 14, and everything it listed for October has now wrapped up, including the State Fair, the Halloween celebrations, and Dia de los Muertos. For the freshest lineup of what is on right now across the Valley, see my November 2026 events calendar, which I have refreshed and re-verified this week.

Previously Listed: October 21 through 25

The Arizona State Fair is in its final stretch at the Phoenix fairgrounds (1826 W. McDowell Rd.), open Thursdays through Sundays through November 1. This week brings the last two full weekends of the 2026 season. Tickets are at azstatefair.com.

My freshest events calendar has the full rundown of what is on right now and through the holidays: the Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival at Salt River Fields Friday through Sunday, Peoria’s Halloween Monster Bash on Saturday, Dia de los Muertos celebrations starting October 24, the Hondo Rodeo Fest in November, Suns and Cardinals home games, and ZooLights, Glendale Glitters, and the holiday parades after Thanksgiving. Everything below is still on the calendar for the season ahead.

Dia de los Muertos and Halloween: October 23 through November 1

The last week of October is one of my favorite moments in the Valley, because every corner of the metro honors the season its own way:

• The Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival returns to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale (7555 N. Pima Rd.) Friday through Sunday, October 23 through 25, from 5 to 9 p.m. each night. More than 20 balloons become trick-or-treat stations, with a kids’ zone, pumpkin patch, costume contests, a balloon glow, and fireworks. Advance tickets start around $17 at saltriverfields.com/spooktacular.
• MIKIZTLI: Dia de los Muertos PHX Festival fills the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix on Saturday, October 24 from 4 to 9 p.m. with mariachi, ballet folklorico, vendors, and a community ofrenda. It is free and family friendly. See culturalcoalition.com.
• Peoria’s signature Halloween Monster Bash moves to a bigger home on Saturday, October 24, from 5 to 9 p.m. at City Hall Campus and Centennial Plaza (8401 W. Monroe St.). It is free and family friendly, with trick-or-treating, costume contests, themed zones, and entertainment. Details on the city’s site at peoriaaz.gov.
• Downtown Chandler hosts its annual Halloween Spooktacular on Friday, October 30 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park’s Stage Plaza, with trick-or-treating, a costume parade, trunk-or-treat, crafts, and prizes. It is free. More details at chandleraz.gov.
• Halloween weekend in Glendale gets a high-tech twist: the DroneArt Show: Harry Potter lights up the South Lawn at State Farm Stadium on Friday, October 30 at 7:45 p.m., with a second show October 31. About 1,200 synchronized drones recreate iconic moments from the films with a live electric violinist. Tickets are at feverup.com.

Sunday, November 1 is Dia de los Muertos day across the Valley. The Phoenix Zoo celebrates from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., included with general admission, and the 27th Annual Chandler Mariachi and Folklorico Festival takes the stage at 4 p.m. at the Chandler Center for the Arts, preceded in the afternoon by the free Entre Dos Mundos community celebration. Tickets are at chandlercenter.org. It is also the final day of the Arizona State Fair, open Thursdays through Sundays through November 1 at azstatefair.com.

November Highlights

November opens with one of downtown Phoenix’s favorite free traditions. First Fridays Art Walk, run by Artlink, returns Friday, November 6 from 6 to 10 p.m. along Roosevelt Row and beyond, with 70-plus galleries, vendors, live music, and food trucks. It costs nothing to wander. See artlinkphx.org/firstfridays.

The next day, the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships brings the horses, fashion shows, and tailgates to WestWorld of Scottsdale on Saturday, November 7, roughly 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. General admission starts around $45 at thepoloparty.com. The Scottsdale Italian Festival also lands November 7 through 8; see experiencescottsdale.com for the lineup.

And don’t forget Canal Convergence, Scottsdale Arts’ free outdoor art festival along the Scottsdale Waterfront, running November 6 through 15. The glowing installations are free to enjoy every night, weather permitting, at canalconvergence.com.

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.

Thanksgiving Weekend: November 26 through 29

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26 this year, and the weekend after brings the lights on across the Valley. Runners can start the morning with the Strut Your Stuffing 5K on Thanksgiving Day at Tumbleweed Park in Chandler; see chandleraz.gov for details. Then the holiday glow begins:

• 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.
• 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.
• Glendale Glitters begins its 33rd year in Historic Downtown Glendale on Friday, November 27 at 5:45 p.m. with the official lighting ceremony at Murphy Park, then glows through January 1, 2027. Details at visitdowntownglendale.com.
• Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden returns Friday, November 27 for its first weekend, with 26 nights of glowing luminarias among the cacti running into early January. Tickets at dbg.org.
• Christmas at the Princess at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess opens November 20 and runs through January 2, 2027, with the ice rink, the giant Christmas tree, and nightly snow. Tickets at christmasattheprincess.com.
• Fantasy of Lights in downtown Tempe brings its street parade and tree lighting to Centerpoint on Mill on Saturday, November 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. See downtowntempe.com.
• Out west, Buckeye Hometown Holiday Lights turns the city into a candy-land walk-through with an electric light parade from November 28 through January 1, 2027. Check buckeyeaz.gov for the schedule.

December: Parades, Tree Lightings and Holiday Fun

December in the Valley is a hometown celebration, and the first full weekend is especially busy:

• Peoria Christmas in the Village, Friday, December 4, at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, with a holiday market and family fun. See christmasinthevillagepeoria.com.
• The 39th Annual APS Electric Light Parade, Saturday, December 5 at 7 p.m., rolls down Central Avenue in Phoenix with floats, bands, and thousands of lights. It is free to watch. Route details on phoenix.gov.
• Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights, also December 5, lights up Dr. A.J. Chandler Park in the afternoon with the parade stepping off down Arizona Avenue that evening. Free to attend; details at chandleraz.gov.
• Candy Cane Lane returns to the Peoria Sports Complex on Friday and Saturday, December 11 and 12 from 4 to 10 p.m., with 150-plus artisan vendors, Santa photos, snow play, and food trucks. See peoriaaz.gov.
• Christmas in the Park in Litchfield Park, Saturday, December 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Litchfield Square Park, is a free family festival with 60-plus vendors, live music, and Santa. See litchfieldpark.gov.
• Sparkling Surprise runs December 6 through 31 at Surprise Community Park (15850 N. Bullard Ave.), nightly 5:30 to 10 p.m. and free, with a towering light tree, Santa’s workshop, and fireworks. Details at exploresurprise.com.
• Desert Lights at Desert Farm Lights (14629 W. Peoria Ave.) opens November 20 and runs through late December with millions of lights, an ice rink, and train and carriage rides. Tickets at desertfarmlights.com.

And mark the end of the year: the Fiesta Bowl returns to State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Wednesday, December 30 at 5:30 p.m. as a College Football Playoff quarterfinal, one of the biggest games of the year in our own backyard. Tickets are at fiestabowl.org.

Concerts Worth the Ticket

The concert calendar stays stacked through the season:

• Gorillaz with Little Simz and Deltron 3030, Friday, October 23, Footprint Center.
• Doja Cat, Thursday, October 29, Footprint Center.
• Dan + Shay with Tyler Hubbard and Josh Ross, Thursday, November 5, Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre.
• Cristian Castro, Friday, November 6, Desert Diamond Arena.
• One Vision of Queen featuring Marc Martel, Friday, November 6, Chandler Center for the Arts.
• The Smashing Pumpkins, Wednesday, November 11, the downtown Phoenix arena. Tickets at livenation.com.
• Benise: Spanish Nights by Candlelight, Friday, November 13, Chandler Center for the Arts.
• Teddy Swims, Monday, November 16, the downtown Phoenix arena.
• Jeffrey Osborne, Friday, November 20, Chandler Center for the Arts.
• Three Days Grace with I Prevail, Saturday, November 21, Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre.
• Usher, Monday and Tuesday, November 23 and 24, Footprint Center.
• Rush: Fifty Something, Tuesday and Thursday, December 1 and 3, Desert Diamond Arena.
• Gracie Abrams, Wednesday and Thursday, December 9 and 10, Desert Diamond Arena.
• David Archuleta, Friday, December 18, Chandler Center for the Arts.

Tickets are on each venue’s official site: footprintcenter.com, talkingstickresortamphitheatre.com, desertdiamondarena.com, and chandlercenter.org.

What This Means for Your Next Move

I have been a full-time Realtor in Arizona since 2002, and I have watched our market move through every season you can name. What I see today is balance and opportunity: more inventory, more time to tour, and more room to negotiate than buyers have had in years. If you have been waiting on the sidelines, this is a genuinely good time to start your search. And one gentle reminder: if you are eyeing a new construction home, please contact me before you visit a builder on your own. I have resources that can help you get the best deal possible on a new build.

I am always available to answer your questions, from "Can I really buy with less than $1,500 out of pocket?" to "What happens to my loan if my credit score is not perfect?" Call or text me at (623) 640-8840 or reach out online. I want you to have a smooth process and experience from start to finish. 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!