Families and Kids

Tempe Fall Events You Won’t Want to Miss

August 15, 2024

From festivals and music to sports and food, here are the top reasons to visit Tempe this season

One thing sports fans, outdoor lovers, foodies and families can all agree on is that fall is the perfect time to visit Tempe. The temps are cooling and our calendar is filling up with seasonal events — from festivals and markets to sporting events and concerts.

In addition to our signature fall events, this season in Tempe also promises endless activities, attractions, Sonoran Desert hikes, iconic sunsets, a wide variety of nightlife and more to round out your next visit. And, yes, it’s still pool season.

Before you make plans to explore Tempe this season, be sure to mark your calendars for these festive fall events.

Annual Festivals

Sept. 28 & 29, 2024: Boots in the Park | Tempe Beach Park

Boots in the Park returns to Tempe Beach Park with an expanded, two-day music festival featuring chart-topping country artists, including Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett, Jon Pardi, Trace Adkins, Riley Green and more.

The festival takes place from noon to 10 p.m. each day, for plenty of time to check out the line dancing, beer and craft cocktails, local food vendors, art installations, photo ops and other activations.

Oct. 6, 2024: Tempe Tardeada | Tempe Community Center Complex

Celebrate Tempe’s Hispanic Heritage at the 26th annual Tempe Tardeada, an afternoon social festival featuring music, dancing, and traditional Mexican foods, arts and crafts, face painting and inflatables for children – all for free from noon to 8 p.m. This event takes place in conjunction with National Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrates Tempe’s Hispanic history and roots.

Oct. 11 – 13, 2024: Four Peaks Oktoberfest | Tempe Beach Park

Be sure to add the 51st annual Oktoberfest celebration in Tempe to your calendar. For three days, Tempe Beach Park will transform into a traditional Bavarian Beer festival during the day and a concert venue at night. Festival hours are Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight; Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight; and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Four Peaks Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake combines beer gardens featuring German and local beers, live music, carnival rides and the can’t-miss Weiner dog fashion show and races! For the full weekend itinerary, visit the Oktoberfest website.

Oct. 19, 2024: Arizona Craft Beer Awards & Festival | Centerpoint, Downtown Tempe

PHOENIX magazine and the Arizona Craft Brewer’s Guild invite you to the third Annual AZ Craft Beer Awards & Festival from 1 to 5 p.m. (VIP entry begins at noon). Sample the best brews from throughout Arizona and celebrate the 2024 award winners at this outdoor festival. Admission includes drink tickets and commemorative sample cups. Food vendors will be available on site.

Nov. 1 & 2, 2024: Water Lantern Festival | Kiwanis Lake 

Experience the magic of thousands of soft lights reflecting off the water of Kiwanis Lake from 3 to 7 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. The Water Lantern Festival is a family-friendly event filled with fun, happiness, hope and great memories that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Nov. 2 & 3, 2024: Día de Muertos | Desert Botanical Garden

Celebrate Día de Muertos at this two-day festival filled with music, dance, storytelling and more, at the Desert Botanical Garden. Beginning on Friday, Nov. 1, a community altar (ofrenda) exhibit — focusing on the legend of the Cempasúchil flower (marigold) and the story of Xóchitl and Huitzilin — will be on display in Ottosen Gallery. The festival, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, will includes La Procesión, a procession honoring passed loved ones, as well as food, music and more.

Nov. 23, 2024: ASU Homecoming Parade & Block Party

Celebrate Sun Devil spirit, pride and tradition as ASU Homecoming Week culminates with a parade and block party. Join Sun Devil students, faculty, parents, fans, alumni and thousands of spectators on Saturday morning for this year’s homecoming parade. The parade kicks off (start time TBD) at University Drive and Myrtle Avenue, heads east, crosses College Avenue, and concludes at McAllister Avenue.

Immediately following the parade, the ASU Block Party is a festival-style event. that features more than 100 ASU department booths across the Old Main Lawn and the surrounding campus. This event is open to the entire family, and features games, giveaways and hands-on experiences, food vendors and more.

Dec. 6 – 8, 2024: Tempe Fall Festival of the Arts | Downtown Tempe

The Tempe Fall Festival of the Arts returns to Downtown Tempe the first weekend in December. This well-loved community event showcases unique and hand-made artwork from more than 350 artists. Festivalgoers will also enjoy live entertainment, street performers, vendors, sponsor exhibits and entertainment booths over the course of three days.

Pop-Up Events & Markets

Beginning Sept. 12, 2024: Little Cholla Night Market | Culdesac Tempe

Shop curated local, small businesses — selling everything from delicious things to eat to trendy apparel items — from 6 to 9 p.m. every Thursday this fall at Little Cholla Market. This pop-up market includes vendors, food trucks, live music and more at Culdesac Tempe. Check out their Instagram page for upcoming activations.

Sept. 28 – Nov. 23, 2024: Dog Days at the Garden | Desert Botanical Garden

This fall, “pawsitively” perfect morning strolls await you and your pup at the Desert Botanical Garden from 8 to 11 a.m. on select Saturdays. At Dog Days at the Garden, your K9 companion is invited to join you for a tail-wagging good time exploring the beauty and sniffs of the trails.

Oct. 4 – 25, 2024: Movies in the Park | Kiwanis Park

Movies in the Park nights are back for the fall. Grab the gang, your blankets and a picnic dinner, and head to Kiwanis Park to watch the following movies on Friday evenings throughout October:
Oct. 4: Wonka (PG)
Oct. 11: The Goonies (PG)
Oct. 18: Casper (PG)
Oct. 25: Hotel Transylvania (PG) and Boo Bash Family Fall Festival

Movies in the Park begin at dusk, approximately 6 p.m., on the north soccer field (Baseline Road and Ash Avenue).

November 2024 – April 2025: Second Sundays on Mill | Downtown Tempe – Mill Avenue 

Beginning in November, Second Sundays on Mill brings a local market — featuring a fantastic selection of Arizona-made goods — to Downtown Tempe from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second Sundays of select months. The event includes street performances, live music, outdoor fitness classes and outdoor games. Second Sundays are free and dog friendly.

2024-2025 Event Dates:
Nov. 10, 2024: Multicultural Celebration
Jan. 12, 2025: DIY Showcase
Feb. 9, 2025: Mardi Gras Theme
April 13, 2025: Earth Month Observation

Performing Arts

2024-2025 Broadway Shows | ASU Gammage

The 2024-2025 Desert Financial Broadway Across America – Arizona series kicks off Aug. 20, 2024, and runs (across select show dates) through Aug. 23, 2025. Here’s what’s coming to the ASU Gammage stage this season:

Aug. 20 – 25, 2024: “Girl From The North Country”
Sept. 17 – 22, 2024: “Mrs. Doubtfire”
Oct. 15 – 20, 2024: “Funny Girl”
Dec. 3 – 8, 2024: “Kimberly Akimbo”
Feb. 11 – 16, 2025: “Some Like It Hot”
March 4 – 30, 2025: “Wicked”
May 27 – June 1, 2025: “Mamma Mia!”
June 17 – 22, 2025: “Life of Pi”
July 22 – Aug. 3, 2025: “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”

Sept. 7 – Oct. 27, 2024: Candlelight Concerts | Phoenix Zoo

Candlelight Concerts, presented by Fever, are returning to the Phoenix Zoo for twilight concerts on select dates between Sept. 7 and Oct. 27, 2024. Head to this magical outdoor venue this fall for live, multisensory musical experiences that tributes to such musical icons as Taylor Swift, Adele and more.

Oct. 4 – Nov. 22, 2024: Music in the Garden | Desert Botanical Garden

Desert Botanical Garden presents a spectacular lineup of talent at Music in the Garden, a fall concert series that takes place on select Fridays from Oct. 4 to Nov. 22. Situated at the base of a butte, Ullman Terrace provides an unmatchable backdrop for audiences to experience one of the Valley’s most iconic outdoor concert venues.

Oct. 19, 2024 – June 25, 2025: Arizona Theatre Company | Tempe Center For the Arts

Arizona Theatre Company‘s 57th season kick off in October, bringing five mainstage shows, including a holiday musical spectacular, to Tempe Center for the Arts.

Oct. 19 – Nov. 3, 2024: “Dial M For Murder”
Dec. 7 – 28, 2024: “Scrooge!”
Feb. 22 – March 9, 2025: “Blues in the Night”
April 19 – May 4, 2025: “Bob & Jean: A Love Story”
June 14 – 29, 2025: “Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B”

Sporting Events

Aug. 31 – Nov. 23, 2024: ASU Football | Mountain America Stadium

The 2024 ASU Football season is here! We look forward to a season full of fans and action-packed football at Tempe’s Mountain America Stadium (formerly ASU Sun Devil Stadium).

Sun Devils 2024 Home Schedule:
Aug. 31: ASU vs. Wyoming
Sep. 7: ASU vs. Mississippi State
Oct. 5: ASU vs. Kansas*
Oct. 11: ASU vs. Utah
Nov. 9: ASU vs. UCF
Nov. 23: ASU vs. BYU

Oct. 11, 2024: Sun Devils Hockey | Mullett Arena

ASU Men’s Hockey skates into Mullett Arena for the 2024-2025 season home opener on Oct. 11, and will host six home games in 2024.
Oct. 11: ASU vs. Michigan
Oct. 12: ASU vs. Michigam
Nov. 15: ASU vs. Omaha
Nov. 16: ASU vs. Omaha
Dec. 6: ASU vs. Minnesota Duluth
Dec. 7: ASU vs. Minnesota Duluth

Mullett Arena will also host the Desert Hockey Classic, an exhibition series against the U.S. National Team Development Program USNTDP), from Dec. 28, 2024, through Jan. 6, 2025. The Sun Devils will take on USNTDP on Dec 28 & 29, 2024. For more information on the Sun Devils hockey, visit the Mullett Arena website.

Nov. 28 & 29, 2024: 2024 Arizona Tip-Off | Mullett Arena

The second Annual Arizona Tip-Off, a premier early season college basketball showcase, brings together four power conference programs that averaged better than 20 wins per game last season. Butler, Mississippi State, Northwestern and UNLV will take part in the 2024 Arizona Tip-Off, which is set for Nov. 28 & 29, 2024, at Mullett Arena. This ultimate early-season showdown that brings together top college basketball teams for two days of college hoops action.

Nov. 11, 2024: Valley Suns Debut

This fall, Tempe is set to welcome the Valley Suns — the NBA G League’s newest expansion team — to Mullett Arena. The NBA G League serves as a minor league for the NBA, with the Valley Suns operating as a Phoenix Suns affiliate. The 2024-2025 Valley Suns regular season home opener is set for Nov. 11, 2024 (view the full schedule here), and fans are invited to celebrate the team’s inaugural season at the following 2024 home games:

Nov. 11: Valley Suns vs. Stockton Kings
Nov. 27: Valley Suns vs. Stockton Kings
Dec. 2: Valley Suns vs. Salt Lake City Stars
Dec. 4: Valley Suns vs. Salt Lake City Stars
Dec. 5: Valley Suns vs. Santa Cruz Warriors
Dec. 12-13: Valley Suns vs. South Bay Lakers
Dec. 27: Valley Suns vs. Rip City Remix
Dec. 30-31: The Valley Suns vs. Sioux Falls Skyforce

Halloween Festivities

Four Peaks Haunted Brewery Tours | 8th Street Location (2024 Dates To Come)

As seen on “Ghost Adventures,” Four Peaks Brewery invites you to experience its Haunted Brewery Tours, Sunday through Wednesday every week from Sept. 17 to Nov. 1. Since moving the brewing operation into the old brick building, strange things have been going on. Weird noises echo from the rafters. Tools mysteriously move location overnight. And several employees have even encountered — and in one case, conversed with — ghostly apparitions.

Four Peaks has gathered all these spooky tales (as well as their own employees’ ghost stories) for a series of special, late-night tours through 8th Street. Join them for one — if you dare.

Oct. 25 & 26, 2024: Strange Garden | Desert Botanical Garden

See the Desert Botanical Garden transform into a spook-tacular Strange Garden for two nights only. From 5:30 to 9 p.m. each night, you’re invited to trick or treat with the family, watch amazing performances, encounter mad botanists, get up-close and personal with some of the desert’s creepy crawlies, and visit the pumpkin patch to pick out a free pumpkin.

Admission: Included with garden admission or membership. Advance ticket reservations are required for general and member admission.

Oct. 27, 2024: Halloween Stroll | Downtown Tempe’s Ragsdale-MLK Park

Ghosts, goblins, and princesses of all ages are welcome for some not-so-spooky Halloween fun at Halloween Stroll from 2 to 5 p.m. at Downtown Tempe’s Ragsdale-MLK Park (formerly 6th Street Park). Enjoy Halloween-themed games, crafts, activities and a costume contest. Don’t forget your trick-or-treat bag! This is a free admission event. 

Oct. 25, 2024: Boo Bash Family Festival | Kiwanis Park

Taking place in conjunction with Movies in the Park, Tempe’s annual Boo Bash Family Fall Festival will include a special Halloween screening of “Hotel Transylvania” (PG) as well as train rides, face painting, a dance party, costume contest, parade, concessions and carnival games. Movies in the Park begin at dusk, approximately 6 p.m., on the north soccer field (Baseline Road and Ash Avenue).

Oct. 16: Sweet Street Spooktacular at Tempe Marketplace

Calling all goblins, ghosts and ghouls … get ready for a haunted Halloween bash at the annual Creepy Candy Crawl at Tempe Marketplace! Dress up in your spookiest and kookiest costumes to partake in contests, parade through The District, trick-or-treat from store to store, snap free photos and enjoy games, prizes and entertainment.

Beyond Tempe

Aug. 30 & 31, 2024: Arizona Black Rodeo | WestWorld of Scottsdale

The 2024 Arizona Black Rodeo rides into town each fall for a weekend of education, competition and celebration of a rich heritage and culture. The rodeo, which takes place Sept. 1 & 2 at WestWorld of Scottsdale, features national African American rodeo competitors competing in bull riding, calf roping, ladies barrel racing, ladies steer undecorating, relay races, steer wrestling lil’ buckaroo mutton bustin’ and more! Learn more about the Arizona Black Rodeo, courtesy of the Arizona Office of Tourism.

Sept. 14, 2024: Latino Pride Festival | Historic Heritage Square

Downtown Phoenix invites you to the fourth annual Latino Pride Festival, the largest gathering of LGBTQ+ Latinos in Arizona. Presented by Latino Pride Alliance, this festival will include live performances by local and national entertainers; mariachis and ballet folklórico; authentic Mexican food, beverages and merchandise; a kid zone with inflatables, games and crafts; local and national vendors; and more. Follow @latinopridealliance on Instagram for additional details on this year’s festivities.

Oct. 11 – 14, 2024: Indigenous Peoples’ Day Phoenix Fest, Downtown Phoenix

Hosted by Cahokia PHX, Indigenous Peoples’ Day Phoenix Fest is a celebration of Indigenous art, culture, music and food that aims to provide festival-goers with immersive experiences that celebrate the diverse culture of Indigenous people. The festival, which takes place on the ancestral lands of the O’odham and Piipaash people, will include a main musical stage, a second cultural stage, a skateboard and roller skating experience, an Indigenous Pop-up market, suite installations, food trucks and more.

Oct. 19 & 20, 2024: Phoenix Pride Festival | Steele Indian School Park 

Just beyond Tempe, Phoenix Pride invites you to its annual two-day festival at Steele Indian School Park from noon to 9 p.m. on Oct. 19 & 20, 2024. The Phoenix Pride Festival is a two-day celebration that brings LGBTQ+ and allied communities together for a festive weekend of diversity, camaraderie, entertainment, family, connections and more. The festival also features over 150 performances across multiple stages and more than 300 exhibitors showcasing a vast variety of food options, shopping opportunities and community resources. 

Additionally, the annual Phoenix Pride Parade takes place Sunday, Oct. 22. Kicking off at 10 a.m. at Third Street and Thomas Road in central Phoenix, the route continues down Third Street to Steel Indian School Park. Announcer stages are located at Third Street and Osborn Road. Parade attendance is free and open to all ages.

Nov. 9, 2024: Arizona Fall Festival, Margaret T. Hance Park

Presented by Local First, the annual Arizona Fall Festival returns to Margaret T. Hance Park in Towntown Phoenix from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. This free, family-friendly and dog-friendly event invites you to celebrate the local businesses that make Arizona unique — including more than 200 vendors, a kid zone, beverage garden, food vendors and more.