PHOENIX — Kick off the year with excitement! Experience vibrant cultural festivals, free family activities, and exciting car events!
ABC15's Nicole Gutierrez is helping you make exciting plans for the family with this month's Things To Do roundup!
Check out the fun lineup below:
Experience Polynesia
Experience Polynesia without leaving the Valley! The Musical Instrument Museum is taking guests on a musical journey through the vibrant sounds and cultures of Polynesia during a two-day event.
This signature event will feature live performances, dance workshops, and guests can learn about traditional and contemporary instruments. The event schedule can be found here.
- "Experience Polynesia" is included with paid museum admission and is complimentary for museum members.
- When: January 17 and 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Musical Instrument Museum [4725 E Mayo Blvd] in Phoenix
The Arizona Wine Festival
Looking to wine down with some friends? The Arizona Wine Festival is taking place in Downtown Phoenix, showcasing amazing flavors from across the state! Ticket prices vary as there are presales for the event.
- When:
- Saturday, January 25, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Sunday, January 26, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Heritage Square [113 N 6th St.] in Phoenix
Transport yourself to another continent at the Asian Festival! This two-day event in Mesa features live performances, delicious cuisine, and distinctive crafts—all in one exciting location!
- When: January 31 and February 1.
- Where: Mesa Community College [1833 W Southern Ave]
The third annual 'Tempe Blooms' event offers stunning displays, live music, informative seminars, and a vibrant floral market—guaranteeing a fun-filled day for the whole family to flourish together.
- When: January 24 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Downtown Tempe, 3rd Street and Mill Ave, 5th Street and Mill Ave, and Ragsdale-MLK Park [24 E 6th St]
Participate in hot air balloon rides and experience 'Desert Glows,' a display of tethered balloons lighting up the night. The event also features the 9th Annual Street FoodFest, offering a diverse selection of culinary delights.
Tickets for the 15th Annual Arizona Balloon Classic are $18 in advance (excluding hot air balloon rides), $20 at the gate, with parking at $10, and free admission for active military, veterans, and children 12 and under.
- When: January 16–18. You can see the event schedule here.
- Where: Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds [19593 S 48th St.] in Chandler
Disney on Ice presents " Let's Dance”
Get ready to twirl into a world of magic as your favorite Disney characters come to life!
- When: January 15-18, show times vary.
- Where: Mortgage Matchup Center [201 E Jefferson St.] in Phoenix
This free, family-friendly cosplay event will feature local artists and authors, costume contests, entertaining games, and a diverse selection of vendors, providing fun for attendees of all ages.
- When: January 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Where: Tempe Public Library [3500 S. Rural Rd.]
This is the inaugural year of the event, promising to feature over 100 authors, family-friendly activities, live entertainment, vendors, and much more.
- When: Saturday, January 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Scottsdale Civic Center [7380 E. 2nd Street]
WestWorld of Scottsdale is gearing up to host an exciting event that will delight car enthusiasts of all ages! Kicking off the festivities on Friday, January 16, is the ‘Rock the Block’ concert featuring Cole Swindell and Chase Rice.
- When: January 17-25
- Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale [16601 N Pima Rd]
A nonprofit coffee shop with a purpose is almost ready to flip the sign to “open.”
Ri’s Coffee will be located near 17th Avenue and Camelback Road.
ABC15's Cameron Polom checks in with employees who are preparing for their first shifts and hears from the founders who are reflecting on their mission and future with the community. Watch the full story in the video player above.
RELATED: 2026 concerts and music festivals coming to the Valley
The limited-time experience will show what life was like in Pompeii. The collections depict a time long ago - 79 A.D. - just before Mount Vesuvius's eruption froze Pompeii in time.
Visitors to the exhibition at the Arizona Science Center will be immersed in a recreated Roman city with visualizations, a holographic gladiatorial combat display, a 4D theater portraying Vesuvius’s eruption, and haunting casts of victims frozen in time.
The Sonoran Desert comes alive in a whole new way at the Desert Botanical Garden!
A groundbreaking new exhibit called "Framerate: Desert Pulse" by ScanLAB Projects, uses photography, motion, and sound to immerse you in the vivid landscapes and emotional rhythms of the desert.
