Arts, Cuisine and Sunshine Combine in Sunny Arizona this Fall

Tempe, Ariz. – Chandler, Mesa and Tempe, collectively known as Sunny Arizona, 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 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 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, 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, 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 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, Arizona Museum for Youth and the Arizona 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!, 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 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 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 Out West Oktoberfest, October 2-4, Tour de Fat (a celebration of bicycles and beer), October 10 and Ford Ironman Arizona, November 22.

Explore the vivid art scene in Tempe at the 41st 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

September 9, 2009   Posted in: United States SouthWest