10 Things To Do In Phoenix This Weekend
With the first weekend of Coachella on the brain, we have put together a special 10 Things this week that includes all of the festivals you can find throughout the Valley this weekend, April 13-15. So work up your appetite for adventure and be prepared to visit some cool venues with yummy springtime sips, delicious bites and daredevil dudes and dudettes.
Friday:
The biggest motorcycle festival in the Southwest is hitting the Valley this weekend once again! Arizona Bike Week hosts hundreds of world-class vendors and features stunt shows, live music, demos, exhibitions, contests, flat-track racing, auctions and of course bike shows. Each night attendees get to listen to amazing concerts from some of the biggest names in the rock world. This year’s lineup includes ZZ Top, Shinedown, Chevelle, and Collective Soul. You can purchase tickets for specific days or purchase the five-day all-inclusive pass. To purchase tickets, click here.
The Phoenix Film Festival is hosting its annual shindig, so get ready for the full Hollywood experience with fun, films and festive parties! This year, the Phoenix Film Festival will be hosted at the Harkins in Scottsdale and to make things even more convenient for guests, all parties and workshops will be held right on-site so you won’t miss a thing. The festival will screen more than 175 feature films and shorts and attendees will be a part of screenings, Q&A sessions with producers, directors and special guests, world-class entertainment, an impressive silent auction and more. To purchase tickets, click here.
Palette to Palate at The Hermosa Inn
This weekend, all attendees are invited to eat, drink and be wildly creative at The Hermosa Inn as it presents Palette to Palate, a tasteful three-day art retreat. Guests can look forward to crafting their own palette by choosing from an array of unique events, including workshops led by nationally acclaimed artists and a culinary celebration with Arizona’s premier culinary talent. Workshops begin Friday, April 13, and they are $75 each. Participants are not required to be registered hotel guests, but should they choose to make a weekend out of it, rates begin at just $399 per night to stay in one of 43 luxury casitas. To purchase tickets and book a room, click here.
Alt J to perform at the Van Buren
Come out and enjoy a concert with the world-renown artist Alt-J as he takes the stage with his companion artist, Aurora. The concert will be held at the Van Buren in Downtown Phoenix this Saturday night. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets start at $53.50. To purchase tickets, click here.
Hosted by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, the ice show features special appearances by the stars from Toy Story, Finding Dory, The Lion King and the Disney princesses. Experience true magic as Disney on Ice presents Frozen - the show worth melting for! The show features dazzling ice-skating, special effect and unforgettable music like the Academy Award-winning song “Let It Go.” To purchase tickets, click here.
The Cocktail Society kicks off Scottsdale Culinary Festival weekend with an exclusive night of cocktails, entertainment and elegant tastings. Be prepared for a lineup of live music, tasting from local restaurants and show-stopping performances including aerial and flair bartending, balancing acts, magicians, jugglers, living art displays and edible sensory experiences by Sensemood. The event takes place from 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $85 online and $100 at the door and are all-inclusive. To purchase tickets, click here.
Saturday:
Heaven is within reach, my fellow foodies! The Scottsdale Culinary Festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and they are making sure it is a celebration to remember. Known as the Best of our Valley’s Best Annual Event: Large Scale, this award-winning festival will feature 40 local restaurants, 30 craft breweries, 20 bands, a teen cooking challenge, chef demos, family zone, wine garden and much more. Finish off the weekend by attending the Scottsdale Culinary Festival’s grand finale, Best of the Fest, on Sunday. The Best of the Fest will include a unique, five-course, wine-paired dinner crafted table-side by the chefs of eight top-tier local restaurants. To purchase tickets, click here.
Ahwatukee Foothills of Lights Wine Tasting Festival at Rawhide Western Town & Event Center
Attention all Ahwatukee locals: the Festival of Lights and Wine Tasting is back for another go-around this year and taking place at the Rawhide Western Town and Event Center this Saturday. So call up your babysitters and get ready for a fun date-night out! The festival takes place from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. and tickets range from $50 to $240.
Chandler Craft Spirits Festival at Dr. AJ Chandler Park
This Saturday, come out and join your fellow cocktail obsessed buds as you enjoy an afternoon of samples, cocktail education, games, and sweet and savory cocktail options from a broad range of local and boutique distillers. Have a friend that’s not into the hard stuff? Bring them out any way to enjoy wine and craft beer offerings. The event will begin at 3 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. at the Dr. AJ Chandler Park. Tickets range from $25 and $75 for general admission and VIP and children 12 and under are free with parent. To purchase tickets, click here.
UFC Fight Night at Gila River Arena
If festivals are not your thing but you still want to try something new, this Saturday night, Dustin Poirier takes on Justin Gaethje to put on what might end up being known as the “Fight of the Year.” These two have the reputation of being some of the most exciting fighters of the Lightweight Division. So come watch these two battle it out in the five-round main event of UFC Fight Night at the Gila River Arena. Bonus: welterweight favorites, former world champion Carlos Condit and Alex "Cowboy" Oliveira will meet in the ring after Poirier and Gaethje. To purchase tickets, click here.
