Arizona Events
This listing of events is courtesy of Arizona Highways.
Each month they update their list of events in communities throughout the state so you can enjoy all the festivities!
Search by city or date or click on a tab to view this month's events by region.
Red Rock Native Artist Guild Arts Festival; May 24-25; Winslow; 928-613-8001
Native American artists from Northern Arizona and New Mexico showcase their work at Winslow's Eagle Pavilion. Also includes entertainment and food vendors.
Payson Event Center hosts the Southwest’s largest celebration of adventure sports. ATV trail rides, an ATV rodeo, a mountain-bike race, a 5K trail run and more.
Children can learn how food is produced. Activities include train rides, corn-husking and watermelon-eating contests, crafts, food samples, farm-themed games and more.
Watch the Arizona Junior Rodeo Year-End Finals. Prizes will be awarded to top competitors.
A baker and his wife set out to remove a curse placed on them by a beguiling witch in this enchanted tale of growth and self-discovery at Arizona Broadway Theatre.
Music in the Garden Spring Concert Series; June 7, 14, 21 and 28; Phoenix; 480-481-8188
www.dbg.org. Enjoy desert beauty and a variety of sounds of the Valley’s premier musicians at Desert Botanical Garden. Reservations recommended.
There’s muddy fun for the whole family at Chaparral Park. The main mud obstacle course is for teenagers and adults; there are separate courses for ages 6 and under and ages 7 to 12.
Pine Community Center displays more than 100 quilts at the ramada. The exhibit also includes wearable quilted work, quilts from around the state, a quilt raffle, a boutique of items made by quilters, and a demonstration of the old-fashioned treadle sewing machine.
Los Abrigados Resort and Spa celebrates all things bluegrass at this annual festival. Food and snacks will be available.
The best in performing and cultural arts, including Native American hoop-dancing, modern dance, physical theater, circus arts, martial arts and more. Also includes entertainment for kids.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum teaches participants how to identify common lizard species on this family-friendly walk.
Enjoy family concerts, master classes, recitals, a community drum circle and more music-related events.
The Payson Multi-Event Center hosts this memorial event benefitting local youth with educational and athletic achievements.
Mountain High Games; May 31-June 1; Payson; www.paysonrimcountry.com
Payson Event Center hosts the Southwest's largest celebration of adventure sports combined with ATV trail rides and a massive outdoor expo.
Enjoy desert beauty and the sounds of the Valley's premier musicians at the Desert Botanical Garden.
Payson Event Center hosts the Southwest’s largest celebration of adventure sports. ATV trail rides, an ATV rodeo, a mountain-bike race, a 5K trail run and more.
Children can learn how food is produced. Activities include train rides, corn-husking and watermelon-eating contests, crafts, food samples, farm-themed games and more.
Watch the Arizona Junior Rodeo Year-End Finals. Prizes will be awarded to top competitors.
Music in the Garden Spring Concert Series; June 7, 14, 21 and 28; Phoenix; 480-481-8188
www.dbg.org. Enjoy desert beauty and a variety of sounds of the Valley’s premier musicians at Desert Botanical Garden. Reservations recommended.
Los Abrigados Resort and Spa celebrates all things bluegrass at this annual festival. Food and snacks will be available.
The best in performing and cultural arts, including Native American hoop-dancing, modern dance, physical theater, circus arts, martial arts and more. Also includes entertainment for kids.
Stop by Courthouse Plaza and listen to four top bands and attend jam sessions and workshops, then visit the unique retail shops along the square. Free.
Downtown Mesa presents entertainment, classic cars, motorcycles, art, music, patriotic displays, educational games and more. Fireworks on Saturday. Free.
The 143rd edition of the “Greatest Show on Earth” includes feats of strength, agility and courage featuring circus performers from around the globe.
Tour the 1897 Smurthwaite House, participate in self-guided cemetery tours, attend book signings by noted authors and enjoy light refreshment.
Phoenix Convention Center hosts the signature pop-culture event in the Southwest, focusing on comic books, anime, sci-fi and more. Panels, workshops, auction and more.
Entertainment, information, education and introduction to outdoor activities at Frontier Village Center.
Desert Botanical Garden offers an opportunity for butterfly encounters, with special display areas featuring butterfly host plants and a discovery station to see the winged insects up close.
Sedona Visual Artists Coalition invites the public into their private work spaces as a kickoff for the 2013 season of private, by-appointment studio tours. The weekend event is a self-guided tour allowing visitors the opportunity to meet and talk with artists working in a variety of mediums, styles and techniques. Free.
Enjoying a new book read aloud is a great way for families to experience the Boyce Thompson Arboretum together. A new book is showcased every Saturday at 10 a.m.
Celebrate sunshine and warmer days with a crafts fair at the Gila County Courthouse on State Route 87.
Green Valley Park hosts the car show, which is open to the public. Raffles, vehicle judging, oldies music, food and items for sale from vendors.
Enjoy desert beauty and the sounds of the Valley's premier musicians at the Desert Botanical Garden.
Enjoy the work of local artists on the patio at Plaza Fountainside. Free.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Tlaquepaque style at the Arts and Crafts Village. Mariachi musicians, folklórico dancers and traditional Mexican foods.
Stop by the Hassayampa River Preserve for an early celebration of the journey of migratory birds. Activities include a docent-led bird walk, bird-banding demonstrations and a presentation by Rich Glinski, author of "Raptors of Arizona."
The Prescott Area Celtic Society presents a wide array of musicians, Scottish and highland dancing, pipe bands, British food and drink, handmade crafts, sheepdog demonstrations and more at Watson Lake.
Art enthusiasts can enjoy a variety of media displayed in 16 studios by 21 local artists. Free.
Support the arts and enjoy the perfect weather at Courthouse Plaza for a juried art show with more than 140 artisans from throughout the West. Free.
Centennial Hall hosts this world-renowned international stamp exhibition, presented by Aripex and the Arizona Federation of Stamp Clubs.
Event at Camp Verde Community Center celebrates Arizona Archaeology Month with international cultural films, Native American artists, guest speakers, kids' activities, food vendors and more. Free admission.
Deer Valley Rock Art Center offers a mock archaeology dig for kids, agave tasting, special guest exhibitors, guided hikes, art demonstrations more. Free admission.
Loews Ventana Canyon Mountain Course hosts a fundraiser that benefits the Children's Museum Tucson.
Tucson Botanical Gardens hosts this quirky annual sale devoted to oddball plants and strange pottery from booths set up throughout the gardens.
Join docents from the San Pedro House on a 2-mile interpretive walk over easy terrain. Free.
Central Tucson Gallery Association members open their doors for a self-guided tour. Free.
Get an up-close look at the tiny birds as licensed banders catch, band, weigh, measure and release hummingbirds for research purposes.
Historic Railroad Park presents local farm products, food, music and wine-tasting from eight Arizona farm wineries.
Using the Patterson Observatory's 20-inch telescope, view double stars, open and globular star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and Jupiter, weather permitting. Free.
Celebrate the hearty food of Mexico as well as its rich cultural traditions.
Guided hikes, animal displays, information booths, kids activities and a nighttime stargazing party. Free.
Friends of the San Pedro River, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management offer interpretive walks, guided bird walks, workshops, displays, demonstrations and more.
Casino del Sol Resort hosts this Tucson Street Rod Association event, which showcases more than 250 "hot rod" cars, including gleaming examples of Detroit's finest old cars with new engines. Free.
Pima County Fairgrounds hosts an authentic southern Arizona experience with 4-H animals, home and fine arts, entertainment, horse shows, concerts, games and rides, and educational exhibits, including a gem and mineral show.
See more than 150 new works by independent producers from around the world, with premiere screenings, filmmaker presentations and workshops.
Be transported on a global quest for the most beautiful, exotic and rare butterflies of the world. Tucson Botanical Gardens brings guests hundreds of live, tropical butterflies in this intimate exhibit.
This event aims to raise awareness and promote solutions for Arizona's water future. Exhibitor fair, workshops, speakers, a Walk for Water and more.
The Museum of Northern Arizona presents an exhibit that seeks to create an understanding of these predators and their long history with humans.
Enjoy an evening concert in the Arboretum at Flagstaff’s gardens under the shade of the cool pines. Visitors can bring a picnic dinner. Beer and wine will be for sale.
Wheeler Park presents a celebration of all things Flagstaff. Live music, local foods and vendors, children's activities, giant puppets, a bike parade and more.
See a variety of authentic dances and participate in native traditions at historic Courthouse Square. Free.
Sponsored by the National Park Service and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, amateur astronomers from across the country will be volunteering their expertise with numerous telescopes set up to view the stars from the South Rim.
Chili cooks from all over the Southwest converge on Thorpe Park to attempt to qualify for the world championships in red chili, chili verde and salsa. Includes public tasting, crafters, vendors and a car display.
Stop by the Williams Rodeo Grounds and watch real working cowboys. Rodeo performances start daily at 1 p.m., with dances Friday and Saturday.
Brewers from around the Southwest provide samples; admission includes a sampling mug, 24 sampling tickets and live entertainment. Designated-driver tickets are available.
The Museum of Northern Arizona presents an annual event with 300 vintage and contemporary Navajo weavings in a variety of styles. Many local weavers will attend to present their works, while specialists and experts will talk with consignors about their items. Free.
Flagstaff Folk Festival; June 29-30; Flagstaff
www.flagfolkfest.org. Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music presents more than 150 musicians as they perform on four different stages at the Coconino Center for the Arts. Listen to live acoustic music by fiddlers, folk singers, string bands. Also includes jam sessions, songwriting workshops and more.
Los Abrigados Resort and Spa celebrates all things bluegrass at this annual festival. Food and snacks will be available.
Wheeler Park hosts a large exhibit of unusual fine art and crafts, including photography, wall art, jewelry, deerskin wall hangings, metal décor and more. Free.
After a four-year hiatus, the A:shiwi people will share details of the Zuni language and traditional lifestyle at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
Coconino Center for the Arts hosts artists from all over Coconino County to promote recycling through this creative, fun and inspiring exhibition. Artist demonstrations and workshops on Saturdays.
The Arboretum at Flagstaff presents a special wildflower walk that will focus on the native species in bloom at this time of year.
Check out this international event that educates and inspires people to get out and explore the world by bike and vehicle. Classes, workshops, exhibitors, food, a film festival and more with thousands of "overlanders" from around the world.
Coconino Center for the Arts presents Northern Arizona's premier literary event, featuring readings, workshops and panel discussions.
14th Annual Northern Arizona Poker Run; May 18; Williams; www.arizonatorchrun.com
Cruisers Cafe 66 takes riders through scenic Northern Arizona to benefit the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.
Participate in activities celebrating the park's wildlife, and join Grand Canyon rangers and wildlife biologists for special programs, interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and live animals from Arizona Game and Fish's Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center of Phoenix.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Tlaquepaque style at the Arts and Crafts Village. Mariachi musicians, folklórico dancers and traditional Mexican foods.
Sedona Visual Artists Coalition invites the public into their private work spaces as a kickoff for the 2013 season of private, by-appointment studio tours. The weekend event is a self-guided tour allowing visitors the opportunity to meet and talk with artists working in a variety of mediums, styles and techniques. Free.
Mother's Day Weekend Pottery Tour; May 11-12; Flagstaff; 928-380-3689
Studios around Flagstaff will have pottery on display for purchase and feature QandAs with artists.
The Arboretum at Flagstaff presents a full schedule of events, including tree plantings, nature hikes and arborist demonstrations.
Village Arena hosts cowboys and cowgirls from Arizona and surrounding states to compete in various rodeo events.
See a variety of authentic dances and participate in native traditions at historic Courthouse Square. Free.
Join the local hiking and trail-development organization TRACKS at Woodland Lake Park for a day of hiking, mountain-biking, horseback-riding and interpretive activities in the White Mountains. Free.
Show Low Regional Airport celebrates flight with a pancake breakfast, free flights for kids, a variety of aircraft and military displays.
The Hon-Dah Resort Casino hosts tribes from the U.S. and Canada in dance competitions. Also includes arts-and-crafts displays and food vendors.
White Mountain Wildlife and Nature Center offers hikes to support area land acquisition with an event that includes food, live wildlife and GPS geocaching. Free.
Show Low Main Street’s First Friday; June 7; Show Low; 928-532-4124
Deuce of Clubs and Festival Marketplace merchants stay open late with shopping specials, artists, craftspeople, food vendors and live entertainment.
Drop by Charlie Clark’s Orchard for the Arizona Wine Growers’ first summer wine festival.
Celebrate Greer’s history with an arts-and-crafts show, parade, talent show, horseshoe tournament, barn dance and pancake breakfast.
Pinetop-Lakeside-Blue Ridge High School hosts more than 60 of the Southwest's finest Native American juried artists. Also includes demonstrations and performances.
Woodland Lake Park celebrates dads with a fishing contest, prizes, trophies and hot dogs.
Pine Community Center displays more than 100 quilts at the ramada. The exhibit also includes wearable quilted work, quilts from around the state, a quilt raffle, a boutique of items made by quilters, and a demonstration of the old-fashioned treadle sewing machine.
Show Low City Park hosts games. Limited to 40 teams.
Festival Marketplace features local growers, food producers, artisans and craftspeople.
Stop by the Pine Community Center Ramada to see 75 arts-and-crafts booths featuring stained glass, jewelry, wood items, pottery, baby items, artwork, cards, copper items and more. Also includes a raffle, children's activities and food.
Come help raise the "big top" and learn about interpretive projects and grants at the White Mountain Wildlife and Nature Center.
Celebrate spring behind Larson Memorial Library with a carnival that supports and benefits the Nature Center.
See pre-1980 vehicles in 20 classes. Includes participant judging and a 50/50 raffle.
The orchestra performs at Show Low Auditorium with a classical concert featuring Theresa Dick, Maia Chadwick and Scott Gentry in Beethoven's Trio Concerto.
City of Show Low's 60th Anniversary and Bar-B-Q Contest; May 4; Show Low; 928-532-4140
Show Low City Park hosts a free barbecue lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. More than 20 contestants participate in the contest, with a "people's choice" taste test starting at 1 p.m.
The Pine Community Center Ramada hosts an old-time "jam session" with fiddlers and other musicians and singers.
The Pine Community Center Ramada hosts entertainment, food, a craft fair and an antique tractor show.
Try your hand at fishing in the cool pines of Greer.
Participants will view a tree planting, the presentation of the Tree City USA Award and a brief educational program at 10 a.m. at Blue Ridge Junior High.
Stop by Round Valley Dome for a car show, vendors, an ice cream social and barbecue.
Grab your swimsuits, rafts, tubes and boats, and take a dunk in the Colorado River for this family-friendly event.
Hualapai Mountain Resort hosts a chili-tasting and awards prizes to the best chili cooks. An opportunity to share your cooking talents, listen to music and have fun.
Stop by Locomotive Park for the Kingman Wild West Society’s western re-enactments and shootouts throughout the day, live music between performances, vendors, food, and art displays.
Chill out in the historic downtown area with a block party featuring classic cars, food, games and prizes.
Make a difference with Relay for Life at Kingman High School. Event begins Saturday night and ends Sunday morning.
The "best classic rock cover band in Northern Arizona" rocks out at this free afternoon concert at Metcalfe Park.
One part stock-car racing, one part demolition derby and one part boat racing, this event features cars pulling boats (without trailers) around the Havasu 95 Stock Car Speedway. The object is to finish the race with as much boat left as you can.
Enjoy award-winning wines from Arizona wineries, food from local restaurants and a car show at Firefighter's Park.
On Friday, Metcalf Park hosts a poetry competition and slam featuring nationally ranked slam poets and local contenders. On Saturday, authors and others will present and sign their books.
More than 30 participating galleries, businesses and studios. Live entertainment.
Visitors to Centennial Park can see more than 70 vendors with high-quality, handmade arts and crafts, including works from painters, ceramic and mixed-media artists, photographers, jewelers, bead crafters, and more. Includes live entertainment and food.
Concert Series; May 5; Yuma; 928-782-0166 or 928-782-5155
St. Paul's Episcopal Church presents the Young Musicians of Yuma Benefit Concert.
Cinco de Mayo Menos Uno; May 4; Yuma; 928-373-5028
Celebrate the rich culture of Mexico in historic downtown Yuma with bands, food vendors, salsa and flan contests, and a beer garden.
More than 900 classic show cars cruise Route 66 from Seligman to Topock. Kingman's activities include a huge show-and-shine, musical performances, vendors and food.
Yuma Palms Regional Center ends its Village Jazz Series with a performance by the acclaimed local quintet and some surprise guest artists.
See some of the fastest, most impressive boats to grace the wave. The events include a "show and shine" on Main Street where visitors can view the boats and meet the drivers.
Learn what's new and interesting in home and garden products and services with demonstrations, plus a carnival for the kids, at Mohave County Fairgrounds.
The jazz ensembles of Yuma and Cibola high schools share an evening of great music. Come hear the energy and excitement of outstanding young musicians at Yuma Palms Regional Center.




















