24 OCTOBER 2026 By Madalyn Paltzik October in the Valley is a funny thing. The pumpkins arrive before the sweater weather does, and “fall” can still mean checking if the high will dip below 90. Luckily, the calendar has no such identity crisis. Here are some of the fall festivities worth marking on the calendar. azstatefair.com When: October 1-November 1, Thursdays through Sundays. Gates open at noon; last entry is 9 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays and 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Where: Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix Price: $20 for ages 13 and older; $12 for ages 5-12; $14 for ages 62 and older; free for children younger than 4. This month-long tradition brings carnival rides and games, concerts, agricultural exhibits, animals, competitions and enough fair food to make visitors reconsider everything they know about what can reasonably be deep-fried. brathausaz.com When: Saturday, October 3, noon-8 p.m. Where: Brat Haus, 3622 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Price: $10 cover Old Town is getting a Bavarian makeover. Brat Haus’ Oktoberfest serves up brats, schnitzel and pretzels alongside Oktoberfest beers, music and competition. A complimentary firkin keg tapping kicks off at 1 p.m., followed by stein-hoisting contests at 1:30 and 3 p.m. and a brat- eating contest at 2 p.m. Lederhosen may not be mandatory, but this is certainly the place for it. macdonaldsranch.com When: October 3-31, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. The ranch closes at 3 p.m. on Halloween. Where: MacDonald’s Ranch, 26540 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Price: $15 per person; children 2 and younger are free. Pony rides and train rides are $5, animal feed is $3 and pumpkins range from $2 to $60 depending on size. MacDonald’s Ranch includes a petting zoo, gold panning, a hay-bale maze, pedal cars, scavenger hunts, lawn and carnival games and plenty of photo stops with admission. fourpeaksoktoberfest.com When: Friday, October 9, 5 p.m.- midnight; Saturday, October 10, noon- midnight; Sunday, October 11, noon-10 p.m. Where: Tempe Beach Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe Price: Friday and Saturday admission for ages 21 and older is $22 presale or $25 at the gate. Ages 20 and younger are free all weekend, and admission is free for everyone Sunday. More than 50 years of Oktoberfest tradition return to Tempe Town Lake for a weekend of beer, bratwurst, German food, live music and a full-size carnival. There are also dachshund races, contests, free Kinderfest activities for younger festivalgoers and the Runnin’ for the Brats 10K, 5K and 1K. In other words, there are multiple ways to earn the brat afterward. merchantilemarket.com When: Saturday, October 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, October 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale, North Hall, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale Price: $12 general admission per day; parking is $10 per vehicle per day. VIP options are available. For anyone whose preferred fall sport is shopping, Merchantile Market is taking its Fall Fest indoors at WestWorld. More than 100 handpicked vendors will be joined by live bands, food and drinks, a costume contest and children’s activities. The market will feature local makers, artists, boutiques, vintage curators and small businesses. dbg.org When: Thursday, October 22, 6-9 p.m. Where: Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix Price: $104.95 for members; $114.95 general admission. The desert gets a little stranger after dark. Desert Botanical Garden is launching its first Spirit Walk with SanTan Distillery as part of its expanded Strange Garden Halloween programming. Guests can dress in costume and wander the trails through spooky surprises while sampling seasonal bites and fall cocktails. Those looking for a family option can return October 23-24 for Strange Garden Family Weekend, featuring immersive activities, live entertainment, unusual plants and creatures and a pumpkin patch. azspooktacular.com When: Friday, October 23-Sunday, October 25, 5-9 p.m. nightly Where: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale Price: General-admission prices vary by age and ticket type; current listings begin around $19.57. Tethered balloon rides cost an additional $30 for adults and $20 for children 10 and younger. More than 20 balloons will glow on the field and double as trick-or-treat stations, with organizers preparing more than 4,000 pounds of candy. General admission also includes live music, a Kids Zone with inflatable attractions and a family-friendly Haunted Trail. Costume contests take place Friday and Saturday. The balloons remain tethered rather than launching and generally glow from around 5:45 to 8:30 p.m., weather permitting. scottsdaleaz.gov When: Saturday, October 24, 9-11 a.m. Where: Pinnacle Peak Park, Scottsdale Price: Free; advance registration is required. Halloween meets the Sonoran Desert at Pinnacle Peak Park’s morning celebration. Eek! At the Peak! will feature treats and costume contests alongside educational activities and a Junior Ranger program, making this a Halloween event where kids might leave with candy and some new desert knowledge. scottsdalediadelosmuertos.com When: Saturday, October 24, 1-10 p.m. Where: Scottsdale Civic Center, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale Price: Free Día de los Muertos marks its 10th annual celebration with a day of music, art, remembrance and culture. Visitors can explore large-scale art installations and altars, shop from merchants and arts and crafts vendors and watch the Catrina Fashion Show at 5 p.m. The Desfile de los Muertos procession begins at 7 p.m., followed by Grammy-nominated artist Lupita Infante at 8 p.m. community.scottsdaleaz.gov When: Sunday, October 25, 1-3 p.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m. Where: McDowell Mountain Ranch Park & Aquatic Center, Scottsdale Price: $15 per pumpkin; registration is required. Pumpkin patches are usually known for hay. Scottsdale’s version adds a swimming pool. The floating pumpkin patch returns to McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Center, where participants can choose a pumpkin from the water before decorating it on dry land. Carnival games, crafts and music are also planned for both sessions. phoenixzoo.org When: Wednesday, October 28-Friday, October 30, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Where: Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix Price: $18 per person; children 2 and younger are free. Lions and tigers and trick-or-treating! For three nights leading into Halloween, the Phoenix Zoo will trade its usual evening routine for Spooky Safari. Costumes are encouraged as guests make their way through trick-or-treating, face painting, an hourly costume parade, games and activities around the zoo. Cheers, chills and autumn thrills Spooky Safari takes place at Phoenix Zoo on October 28-30.
