PHOENIX — The weekend is here! Check out these fun events happening around the Valley on April 10–12.
Friday, April 10
When: April 9–12 (open 11 a.m. – midnight daily)
Where: Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W McDowell Rd, Phoenix
Cost: $10 admission (7 & under free)
The Maricopa County Fair is underway at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, bringing rides, games, live entertainment, and classic fair food to Phoenix through April 12. The annual event features more than 35 carnival rides along with shows, exhibits, and family-friendly attractions, making it one of the largest county fairs in Arizona.
Country Thunder Music Festival
When: Friday - Sunday
Where: Florence, Arizona (Canyon Moon Ranch area)
Cost: Single-day passes typically start around $100+
Country Thunder Arizona returns to Florence from April 9–12, bringing a four-day country music festival featuring major headliners like Lainey Wilson, Brooks & Dunn, and Zach Top. The event at Canyon Moon Ranch also includes camping, multiple stages, and festival attractions like food vendors, games, and late-night entertainment.
When: Friday - Sunday
Where: ASU Gammage, Tempe
Cost: Tickets start around $55
Based on the best-selling novel that inspired the iconic film, THE NOTEBOOK tells the story of Allie and Noah, both from different worlds, who share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. “Full of butterfly-inducing highs and beautiful songs” (Entertainment Weekly), THE NOTEBOOK is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.
When: Friday - Sunday
Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale
Cost: Tickets start around $95
Arizona Bike Week revs up at WestWorld of Scottsdale from April 8–12, bringing one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the Southwest with live concerts, stunt shows, and custom bike displays.
When: Friday - Sunday | Now - April 19
Where: Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatre
Cost: Tickets start around $15 per film
The Phoenix Film Festival returns April 9–19 at Harkins Scottsdale 101, showcasing hundreds of independent films, documentaries, and shorts from around the world. The 11-day event also features filmmaker panels, workshops, parties, and special events designed to connect audiences with the art of filmmaking.
When: Friday - Sunday
Where: Locations across the Valley
Cost: Many events free; some require registration
Arizona Tech Week brings together the best and brightest from around the world to share future-forward perspectives on tech, entrepreneurship, breakthroughs and more.
When: Friday - Sunday
Where: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Scottsdale
Cost: Tickets start around $20
Panda Fest Phoenix takes over Salt River Fields at Talking Stick from April 10–12, featuring one of the largest outdoor Asian food and culture festivals in the U.S. with more than 90 food vendors, 200+ street food options, and live cultural performances.
Josiah Queen: The Mt. Zion Tour
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Arizona Financial Theatre, Phoenix
Cost: Tickets start around $100
Saturday, April 11
Dumpling Fest & Filipino Festival
When: Saturday - Sunday
Where: Centennial Plaza Park, Peoria
Cost: Free entry after 12 p.m.
The 2nd annual Filipino Festival is a celebration of culture and the amazing Filipino foods that make up a huge part of it. There will also be a variety of anime/retail vendors at this Asian food festival. This free food festival is about highlighting the diversity of food and an opportunity for small businesses to show their culture through their food.
When: Saturday & Sunday | 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Where: Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix
Cost: Included with $20 museum admission
Immerse yourself in the fusion of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and jazz improvisation through live performances, engaging lectures, and dance workshops. Enjoy two days of exciting Latin beats, from golden age classics to futuristic grooves.
When: 8 a.m.
Where: Camelback Ranch, Phoenix
Cost: $40 registration
Bubble Run in Phoenix is a family-friendly, non-competitive 5K fun run where participants walk, run, or dance through colorful foam and bubble stations at Camelback Ranch on April 11, with an after-party featuring full-blast foam cannons.
24th Annual Katsina Marketplace
When: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: Heard Museum, Phoenix
Cost: Free event
This free event is the largest gathering of Hopi Katsina carvers, bringing together renowned artists, collectors, and enthusiasts inside the museum’s Steele Auditorium.
When: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Where: Downtown Phoenix
Cost: Free event | $5 wine samples at each location
The 16th Annual Urban Wine Walk will be “picnic” themed with giveaways, music, and photo ops throughout Downtown. Urban Wine Walk is self-guided, so feel free to begin wherever you’d like at one of the many participating bars and restaurants. Maps will be provided at all the Wine Walk locations. Each location will offer a $5 wine sample and a complimentary snack while supplies last. No registration is necessary; the Walk can be done in any order.
When: Gates open at 5 p.m. | Music at 6 p.m.
Where: The Talking Stick Resort Hotel, Scottsdale
Cost: Admission starts at $99
The Scottsdale Jazz Festival is an annual music celebration honoring jazz and UNESCO’s International Jazz Day with world-class performances and cultural experiences, highlighted this year by artists like Spyro Gyra, Kermit Ruffins, and Donald Harrison at Talking Stick Resort on April 11.
IFL: San Antonio Gunslingers vs. Arizona Rattlers
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale
Cost: Tickets start around $20+
New Mexico United vs. Phoenix Rising FC
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Phoenix Rising Stadium
Cost: $18 general admission bleacher
Sunday, April 12
When: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Where: Downtown Tempe
Cost: Free event
Open Streets Tempe is a free, family-friendly event on Sunday where downtown Tempe streets are closed to cars and open for people to walk, bike, skate, dance, and enjoy local food, vendors, and activities. The car-free celebration encourages community connection and active transportation as part of Tempe’s Bike Month festivities.
