Big metro Phoenix events 2022: Country Thunder, spring training (fingers crossed!), more
Large-scale events have made a return to metro Phoenix this year, with popular events such as the Barrett-Jackson auto auction, Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament and Arizona Renaissance Festival making triumphant returns at the beginning of 2022.
Some beloved annual events, including the Renaissance Festival and M3F (formerly the McDowell Mountain Music Festival) were canceled in 2021. Others, such as Arizona Matsuri and the St. Patrick's Day Parade, became virtual events to keep attendees safe amid the spread of the coronavirus.
As Arizonans return to large gatherings and celebrations, make sure to check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website for updated guidance on how to assess your risk for contracting and spreading COVID-19.
Here are the biggest festivals, fairs and parades happening in metro Phoenix in 2022. Check back for updates.
January 2022
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: Jan. 1. State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, Glendale. https://www.fiestabowl.org.
Arizona Fine Art Expo: Jan. 14-March 27. 26540 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-837-7163, https://arizonafineartexpo.com.
Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon: Jan. 15-16. At University Drive and College Avenue in Tempe. https://www.runrocknroll.com/arizona.
Rock 'n' Roll Arizona guide: What runners, fans and drivers need to know
Barrett-Jackson auto auction: Jan. 22-30. WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road. 480-421-6694, https://www.barrett-jackson.com.
Old Town Scottsdale Western Week: Jan. 29-Feb. 6. Old Town Scottsdale. Free. https://scottsdalewesternweek.com.
More January events: Nick Kroll, 'Waitress,' Disney on Ice and more
February 2022
Arizona Indian Festival: Feb. 5-6. 3806 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale. Free. https://arizonaindiantourism.org/azindianfestival.
Waste Management Phoenix Open: Feb. 7-13. 17020 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. https://wmphoenixopen.com.
Arizona Renaissance Festival: Feb. 5-April 3. 12601 U.S. 60, Gold Canyon. 520-463-2600, https://arizona.renfestinfo.com.
More: Arizona Renaissance Festival 2022 guide: Tickets, dates, discounts and shows
Buckeye Air Fair: Feb. 18-20. Buckeye Municipal Airport, 3000 S. Palo Verde Road. Free. 623-349-6323, https://www.buckeyeaz.gov.
Heard Museum World Championship Hoop Dance Contest: Was Feb. 12-13; now rescheduled for March 26-27. 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-252-8840, https://heard.org/event/hoop.
Cactus League spring training: Feb. 26-March 29. Various locations. https://cactusleague.com.
Innings Festival: Feb. 26-27. Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway. https://www.inningsfestival.com/arizona.
More: Everything you need to know about Innings Festival 2022
Arizona Matsuri: Feb. 26-27. Was scheduled to take place at Steele Indian School Park but will now be virtual on Arizona Matsuri's website, YouTube and Facebook page. 480-293-4342, https://www.azmatsuri.org.
More: Arizonans' love of Japanese culture has helped a festival thrive for 37 years.
Devour at Home: Feb. 26. Starting at $95. https://www.devourphoenix.com/devour-at-home.
March 2022
Art Detour: March 1-31. Various locations. https://artdetour.com.
M3F music festival: March 4-5. Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 W. Culver St., Phoenix. https://www.m3ffest.com.
More: Here's the lineup for M3F 2022 in downtown Phoenix
Arizona Persian New Year Festival: March 5. 7135 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. https://www.persiannewyearfestival.org.
Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market: March 5-6. 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-252-8840, https://heard.org/fair.
Chandler Ostrich Festival: March 11-13, 17-20. Tumbleweed Park, 745 E. Germann Road, Chandler. 480-588-8497, https://ostrichfestival.com.
St. Patrick's Day Parade and Irish Faire: March 12. The parade begins at Third and Sheridan streets in Phoenix; the fair is at Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 W. Culver St., Phoenix. Free. https://stpatricksdayphoenix.org.
St. Patrick's Day 2022 in metro Phoenix: Parade, live music, giant green fountain
Arizona Aloha Festival: March 12-13. Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway. 602-697-1824, http://www.azalohafest.org.
Mecum Auctions: March 16-19. State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, Glendale. From $20; free for age 12 and younger. 262-275-5050, https://www.mecum.com/auctions/glendale-2022.
Mecum Auctions 2022 in Arizona: Ticket prices, what's on the block, when to watch
Luke Days air show: Canceled; was scheduled for March 19-20. Luke Air Force Base, at Glendale Avenue and Litchfield Road near Glendale. Free. 623-856-6011, https://www.luke.af.mil.
More: Luke Days 2022 canceled: Why the USAF Thunderbirds event won't happen
Spring Tempe Festival of the Arts: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 25-27. Downtown Tempe. Free. https://tempefestivalofthearts.com.
Shea Homes Good Life Festival Presented by Subaru: 2 p.m. March 19. Schnepf Farms, 24610 E. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek. Starting at $75. https://www.thegoodlifefest.com/events/tglf-schnepf-farms.
Shea Homes Buena Vida Festival Presented by Subaru: Noon March 20. Schnepf Farms, 24610 E. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek. Starting at $45. https://www.thegoodlifefest.com/events/bvf-schnepf-farms.
Heard Museum World Championship Hoop Dance Contest: March 26-27. 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-252-8840, https://heard.org/event/hoop.
Scottsdale Arts Festival: Canceled in 2022, with a 2023 date to be announced. https://scottsdaleartsfestival.org.
April 2022
Maricopa County Fair: April 6-10. 1826 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix. 602-252-0717, http://www.maricopacountyfair.org.
Country Thunder: April 7-10. 20585 E. Water Way, Florence. From $75. 866-388-0007, https://www.countrythunder.com.
More: Country Thunder lineup includes Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line
Pat’s Run: April 23. Tempe. https://pattillmanfoundation.org/pats-run.
May 2022
Phoenix Fan Fusion: May 27-29. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third St. https://www.phoenixfanfusion.com.
October 2022
Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade: Oct. 15-16. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. https://phoenixpride.org.
Reach the reporter at kimi.robinson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimirobin and Instagram @ReporterKiMi.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Best Phoenix events of 2022: A year's worth of top things to do
