Arts, Cuisine and Sunshine Combine in Sunny Arizona this Fall
Plan your next trip to Arizona around these fun fall events
Tempe, Ariz. – Chandler, Mesa and Tempe, collectively known as Sunny Arizona
<http://www.sunnyarizona.com/> , have a full calendar of festivals and
events this fall, including many with free admission. Visitors to Sunny
Arizona put on their most outrageous costume and participate in a parade
celebrating bicycles (and New Belgium beer) during the Tour de Fat
<http://www.newbelgium.com/tour-de-fat> at Tempe Town Lake on October 10,
2009. And, while soaking up the warm sunshine, visitors can also wind their
way through a corn maze that has been crafted to look just like a celebrity
during the Schnepf <http://www.schnepffarms.com/> Farms Pumpkin & Chili
Party taking place Thursday-Sunday throughout October. That’s just the
beginning. For more information, visit www.VisitSunnyAZ.com.
Celebrate fall’s bounty with music, arts & crafts, and local produce at a
weekly farmer’s market in both Downtown Chandler and Downtown Tempe.
Chandler’s market takes place on Thursdays from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. in Dr. AJ
Chandler Park. The Chandler event is spiced up on the third Thursday of each
month when local musicians join the fun. Tempe’s farmer’s market, Market on
Mill <http://www.marketonmill.com/> , takes place in the Mill Avenue
District every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Local musicians entertain
while shoppers fill their bags with treasures from local growers, artists,
and craftspeople.
Tickle your taste buds at Chandler’s inaugural culinary festival, TASTE
<http://www.tastechandler.com/> , on October 3 from 6-11 p.m. in Historic
Downtown Chandler. TASTE celebrates the lively and diverse dining scene
while highlighting gourmet foods, Arizona wines and craft beers. General
admission tickets for this 21-and-over event are available for $45 while VIP
lounge passes are $75. The Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort is featuring
special event rates for the festival.
Held the first Wednesday evening of each month, the Downtown Chandler Art
Walk <http://www.visitchandler.com/> is a wonderful showcase for local
artists and a great evening for visitors. Artists display and sell their
work, ranging from oil painting and photography to finely-crafted jewelry.
Live music and artist demonstrations, including pottery, painting, pastel
portraiture and jewelry, will be featured. View more artwork in the
independently-owned galleries and retail shops and enjoy dinner in the
locally owned, award-winning restaurants in the historic square.
Travelers to Mesa during this time of year can absorb the city’s vibrant
arts and culture on the first Sunday of each month where free admission is
offered at Mesa Contemporary Arts <http://www.mesaartscenter.com/> , Arizona
Museum for Youth <http://www.arizonamuseumforyouth.com/> and the Arizona
<http://www.azmnh.org/> Museum of Natural History – and all are within
walking distance of each other in the city’s downtown arts district.
Downtown Mesa is also the scene for a free Saturday arts and cultural
festival, MAC Fest!, <http://www.visitmesa.com/> October through May. Held
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., guests to downtown Mesa can purchase a variety of
unique treasures, food from local restaurants and vendors, as well as enjoy
live music and performing artists both along Main Street and on the Mesa
Arts Center campus.
Mesa’s nearby agricultural communities also host a variety of events aimed
at celebrating the season’s bountiful harvest. In Queen Creek, the
much-anticipated Schnepf Farms <http://www.schnepffarms.com/> Pumpkin &
Chili Party draws crowds who flock to the 10-acre corn maze in the shape of
a celebrity. Past mazes have included Mohammed Ali, Larry King, Jay Leno,
Oprah Winfrey and fellow Canadian Steve Nash.
Experience Tempe’s vibrant music scene as a variety of musicians perform
during Music on Mill <http://www.millavenue.com/> on Thursday evenings from
5-9 p.m. This event takes place in conjunction with Tempe’s new Market on
Mill so there are an abundance of options for dining and entertainment
throughout the evening.
Include Tempe Town Lake in your travel plans and you’re sure to find a fun,
outdoor event this fall. Upcoming events include Way
<http://www.wowoktoberfest.com/> Out West Oktoberfest, October 2-4, Tour de
Fat <http://www.newbelgium.com/tour-de-fat> (a celebration of bicycles and
beer), October 10 and Ford <http://www.ironmanarizona.com/> Ironman
Arizona, November 22.
Explore the vivid art scene in Tempe at the 41st
<http://www.tempefestivalofthearts.com/> Annual Fall Tempe Festival of the
Arts on December 4-6, open from 10 a.m. to dusk each day. Held in the Mill
Avenue District, 400 juried artists will be representing 18 visual art
categories ranging from digital photography to woodworking to jewelry to
painting. This three day festival offers visitors a chance to enjoy live
music, the Arizona Wine Festival, a cottage edibles section and hands-on
activities for children.
Getting to Sunny Arizona: Canadians will have more flights than ever with
new non-stop service from Vancouver-Phoenix beginning in January 2010 from
WestJet. Starting later in the fall there are non-stop flights from
Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto from Air Canada, WestJet
and USAirways. (Departure cities serviced varies from airline – please
contact your travel agent or the airlines for schedule and fares).
Canadians living in border cities across the country can also get non-stop
service to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport via low-fare carrier Allegiant Air.
Direct service to Sunny Arizona cities is offered from Bellingham, WA, Great
Falls, MT, and both Bismarck and Fargo, ND.
For photos or additional information, please contact Toni Smith at the Tempe
Convention and Visitors Bureau: 800-283-6734 or toni@tempecvb.com.
About Sunny Arizona
Sunny Arizona is a non-profit organization devoted to marketing Tempe,
Chandler and Mesa, Arizona as a desirable visitor and group destination
site. Sunny Arizona’s mission is to also provide visitors, media
professionals and meeting planners with information on hotels, restaurants,
entertainment, and local points of interest in Tempe, Chandler and Mesa. To
learn more about Tempe, Chandler or Mesa, Arizona please call 480-894-8158
or 800-283-6734 or visit us at http://www.visitsunnyaz.com.