Your guide to the best cultural festivals happening this fall in metro Phoenix
Fall festivals are back in the Valley, from the Arizona Jazz Festival on High Street to the Tempe Festival of the Arts. After a few years of canceled events and postponements, Metro Phoenix is welcoming back countless festivals that celebrate the many cultures of Arizona. The best part? Most of them are free.
This is your guide to the best of the bunch. Here are the cultural festivals in Arizona you don't want to miss this fall.
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Indigenous People’s Day Festival
This festival will celebrate the Native community with live music, art exhibitions, dancing and Indigenous film screenings. Desert Bloom Tattoo and Salon – Arizona’s first Indigenous-owned tattoo shop – will be onsite tattooing. And the Cahokia Gallery will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. showing its newest exhibition, “Restoring the Balance: Rematriating Indigenous Lands.” An Indigenous pop-up market will feature Indigenous foods, art and products for purchase.
Cost: Free.
Details: Monday, Oct. 10. 3 to 10 p.m. Indigenous People’s Day Fest, First and Garfield streets, Phoenix. ipdphx.com.
Four Peaks OktoberFest
Highlights of this German fest include live music, all your favorite German food, a dachshund race and draft beer happy hours. Come dressed in your best OktoberFest attire.
Cost: $20 per person Friday and Saturday (guests must be 21 and older). Free admission on Sunday (all ages welcome).
Details: Oct. 7-9. Friday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe. fourpeaksoktoberfest.com.
Arizona Jazz Festival on High Street
This three-day festival will feature jazz music paired with good food, drinks and activities. More than 20 artists are slated to perform at the event, including Raheem DeVaughn, Boney James and Eric Benet, who is headlining the event.
Cost: Tickets start at $95 for a one-day pass.
Details: Oct. 21-23. Arizona Jazz Festival on High Street, 5415 E. High St., Phoenix. azjazzfest.com.
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Phoenix Greek Festival
Activities at the event include Greek dance performances, an open dance time and tours of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, one of Phoenix’s oldest Greek churches. On the menu? Loukaniko, which is grilled pork sausage with orange zest and red wine, spanakopita and loads of Greek street foods like gyros, Greek fries and baklava sundaes.
Cost: $5 for entry. Kids are free.
Details: Oct. 7-9. Friday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1973 E. Maryland Ave., Phoenix. phoenixgreekfestival.org.
Phoenix Festival of the Arts
Hosted by the Phoenix Center for the Arts, this event features more than 150 artists from the Phoenix area displaying pottery, paintings, clothing, jewelry and more. There will be food and drink trucks at the event, as well as live performances.
Cost: Admission is free.
Details: Dec. 10-11. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Margaret T. Hance Park, 1202 N. Third St., Phoenix. phoenixfestivalofthearts.org/
Tempe Festival of the Arts
More than 350 juried artists will display their work for sale at the three-day festival, making it the perfect market for Christmas shopping. The event will feature live music and entertainment across many stages with food and drink available for purchase. Live chalk art and a young artist exhibit will be available for younger guests who come to the festival.
Cost: Free admission.
Details: Dec. 2-4, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Located in downtown Tempe on Mill Avenue between Third Street and University Parkway and on Fifth Street between Myrtle and Ash Avenue. tempefestivalofthearts.com.
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Scottsdale’s Taste of Italy and Music Festival
Hosted by the Italian Association of Arizona, Scottsdale’s Taste of Italy and Music Festival will feature hand-crafted Italian items, wine and cuisine. There will also be live music, including Italian singer Michael Castaldo and accordion player Cory Pesaturo as well as traditional dances, opera singers and a spaghetti eating contest for kids.
A sweet bonus? All your favorite Italian desserts will be available to purchase, including cannolis, biscotti and fresh gelato.
Cost: $10 per person online. $20 day of the event. Kids 12 and under are free.
Details: Oct. 15-16. Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Scottsdale Canal, 7135 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. italianassociation.org/events.
Dia De Los Muertos Phoenix
Phoenix’s Dia de los Muertos festival will include mask-making, a community altar, sugar skull decorating, face painting, yucca weaving and a mercado where artists will sell their works.
Cost: Free.
Details: Oct. 30. The festival begins at 2 p.m. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. diadelosmuertosphx.com/#top.
Dia De Los Muertos in Mesa
Mesa Arts Center will present its annual Dia de los Muertos festival with performances, artworks and food vendors. Several altars made by families, artists and community organizations will be on view at the event’s annual altar competition.
Food vendors will include Arizona Roasted Corn, Paletas Betty, Taqueria Las Palmas, Sonora Sam Hot Dogs, Don Fito's Taqueria, Olanie's Caribbean Food, Poky's Cocina and Amigos AZ Aguas Frescas.
Cost: Free.
Details: Oct. 22-23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. mesaartscenter.com/diadelosmuertos.
Phoenix Pride Festival
Phoenix Pride Festival is back with two days of events, including the famed parade on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 10 a.m., More than 2,000 will march downtown to celebrate and advocate for Phoenix's LGBTQ+ community.
Other events at the festival include more than 300 local vendors, Main stage and Latin stage performances, a dance pavilion, food vendors and an arts expo.
VIP ticket holders will have access to entertainment by Kimora Blac from "RuPaul’s Drag Race" Season 9, Sherry Vine and Sir Elton, who will perform a tribute to Elton John.
Cost: Tickets start at $30.
Details: Oct. 15 and 16. Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. phoenixpride.org.
Reach the reporter at sofia.krusmark@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram @sofia.krusmark
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix fall festivals 2022: Don't-miss arts and culture events
