Fall in Arizona does what it always does: shows up late, then acts like it invented the concept of a calendar. But once September hits, the Valley’s event season gets busy fast, with food deals, vintage shopping, and plenty of reasons to get out and pretend you planned ahead.
1. Arizona Restaurant Week
Arizona Restaurant Week runs Sept. 18-27 and brings ten days of special dining deals across the Valley. Diners can choose from three-course, prix-fixe menus priced at $33, $44 or $55 per person, and more than 230 restaurants are participating.
2. Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market
This semiannual market returns to WestWorld of Scottsdale, where it spreads across more than 120,000 square feet. More than 160 vendors from across the country are set to bring clothing, jewelry, antiques, furniture, home décor and other finds for anyone who enjoys treasure hunting with a side of self-control.
3. Garlic Festival
The Garlic Festival leans all the way into its theme with a garlic-inspired menu crafted by Del Piero Kitchen, plus local vendors, live cooking demonstrations, garlic-infused olive oil tastings and live music. It’s a two-weekend event, which is either a generous stretch of garlic content or a warning, depending on your point of view.
4. A season built for variety
The broader fall lineup runs from September through December and includes rodeos, music festivals, food experiences, art shows, marathons, races, turkey trots, fairs, seasonal celebrations and holiday events. The mix also includes events celebrating Hispanic, Native American and Filipino heritage, which is the rare kind of calendar that actually tries to cover everybody.
5. Holiday season starts early
By the time the year winds down, the event calendar shifts into Halloween events, Thanksgiving celebrations and Christmas light displays. In other words, the Valley does not believe in easing into the holidays; it prefers to sprint.
If you’re looking for a clean summary of fall in metro Phoenix, it’s this: there’s food to eat, things to buy, and enough events to make your weekend plans look more ambitious than they probably are. As Bill Farr would put it, the season is basically the Valley’s way of saying, “You said you wanted options.”
