Looking for events to fill up sunshiny days? We’ve put together a list of trivia, surfing, festival, Halloween and food events taking place in October – you name it, it’s happening in the Valley of the Sun – and beyond!
Oktoberfest is coming to Adobe Bar and Grille Tuesday October 27 from 5:30-8p.m. at Arizona Biltmore Golf Club. In collaboration with The Shop Beer Co., guests can indulge in Bavarian-inspired food stations, local beer pours and a festive Oktoberfest atmosphere.
The first Halloween pop-up bar experience by Miracle Cocktails Inc., The Haunting, is making its way to Downtown Phoenix’s hottest hotel bar, Little Rituals. The Haunting is ready to serve up immersive dread with their cocktail menu ensured to capture the fun, mystery and mischief of Halloween.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, MD plastic surgery is partnering with Check for a Lump, to offer free mobile mammogram events on October 7 from 7-11 a.m. Throughout October, MDSkin will donate five percent from every dermaplane add-on to a facial across all locations to Check for a Lump.
A limited time Halloween pop-up, Spooky Island, had taken over The Hot Chick in Old Town Scottsdale. Dive into immersive themed decor, photo ops and seasonal cocktails and bites like Scooby Snacks and Ruh Roh Rita throughout the month.
The Global Ambassador and JL Patisserie are coming together October 7-11 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a collaboration at Le Market. Two exclusive raspberry-almond creations alongside a selection of JL Patisserie favorites will be available. The collaboration continues with a complementary morning of cake decorating at The Global Ambassador on October 11, from 8-10 a.m. for ages 8 to 16.
The Boo to Bloom at Tempe Marketplace brings together the celebration of Halloween and Dia de los Muertos with trick-or-treating throughout The District. A costume contest, face painting, arts and crafts, giveaways and raffles benefiting Make-A-Will will take place October 21 from 5-8 p.m.
Families can embrace their inner hero or villain during Desert Ridge’s Halloween celebration, featuring trick-or-treating, costume contests, carnival games, train rides, a kid-friendly haunted house and more. Families can also reserve the VIP Experience, where kids choose a superhero mask and cape and receive popcorn, a light-up toy and Power-Up Dust. The Heroes vs. Villains Candy Crawl is on October 23 from 6-8 p.m.
Calling all costumed kids to the Candy Crawl at Scottsdale Quarter on October 24 from 1-4 p.m. Kids can collect candy from participating retailers, enjoy character appearances, crafts, balloon twisters, face painting, candy and popcorn.
The annual Phoenix Children’s Spooktacular Sprint & 5K is making its way to Phoenix on October 24. Participants can run, jog or walk the 3.1-mile course and choose an area of care to fundraise for in their Halloween best. The race check in starts at 7 a.m. and the race begins at 8:15 a.m.
Thirsty Lion is participating in the Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week from October 9-18. During this 10-day event, the restaurant will donate $1 to the Southern Smoke Foundation for every Old Fashioned sold. The foundation provides emergency assistance and mental health resources to food and beverage workers in need.
Four Peaks Brewing Oktoberfest is back for its 53rd year at Tempe Town Lake. From October 9-11, this three-day outdoor Bavarian themed festival features authentic German food, beer, carnival rides, games, dancing, entertainment and more. Fan favorites like the weiner dog race and brat-eating contest will take place on October 10.
Downtown Phoenix is gearing up for its biggest Halloween celebration of the year, DTPHX Hallows’ Eve. Join in on October 29 at the Arizona Center for a free family-friendly festival.
Embark on a bone-chilling adventure this spooky season with Arizona Party Bike’s exclusive Haunted Pedaler Halloween Party Bike Crawl. The ghostly tour transforms Old Town into a playground, where riders cruise the eerie streets aboard a festively decorated party bike with plenty of candy.
Mastros is bringing back its seasonal Cinnamon & Pecan Butter Cake through December 31, giving the signature dessert a festive upgrade. This treat features brown sugar, a cinnamon swirl, pecans and creme anglaise, and is topped with vanilla bean ice cream and a decadent sea salt toffee caramel sauce.
Taking place on October 18, Wine Girl will host an event supporting Impact One Breast Cancer Foundation. This free event will give guests the opportunity to enjoy the wine tastings and purchase discounted cases, with a portion of wine sales benefiting the foundation. A mobile mammography unit will be onsite.
Hotel Adeline is hosting Scottsdale Fashion Week’s The Pool Club. The evening of October 9 will feature swimwear, style and entertainment for all guests to join in on the fun.
Halloween is coming to The Shops at Noterra. On October 18 from 4-6 p.m., families can head to main street for Ghosts & Goodies, a free community celebration featuring a candy crawl, trackless train rides, a costume contest and plenty of games, music, entertainment, and prizes.
Alamar is filling October with fun events. Homegrown at Alamar will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. October 10, where a community market, vendors and live music will set the scene. The month will close out with the Creepin’ Candy Crawl from 5-8 p.m. on October 29 at Alamar Park. Families can explore a trick-or-treat trail, face painting, creepy crafts, food trucks and a costume contest for youth and adults.
Pita Jungle is offering a free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entree on Halloween weekend only from October 30-November 1. Kids who dine in at Over Easy eat free during that time frame.
Join Ling and Louie’s Asian Bar and Grille on Halloween weekend where Wokstar Rewards members receive 20 percent off all takeout orders placed online or through the app. Guests can fuel up using promo code BOO.
Hash Kitchen is getting spooky with seasonal offers like Graveyard Cannoli Donuts, Monster Mash Mimosas and Dracula’s Bloody Mary from October 29-31. On Halloween, DJs will spin spooky beats at all locations, with select locations offering build-your-own-trick-or-treat totes for loyalty members.
W Scottsdale is going all out for Halloween this year with FUNHOUSE, a day-to-night celebration taking place on October 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. FUNHOUSE After Dark takes over Cottontail Lounge from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. transforming into a carnival-horror theme inspired by IT.
Allegra at The REMI. Scottsdale, Autograph Collection invites guests to secure their golden ticket to a candy-coated wonderland. On October 31, the rooftop pool and bar will be transformed into Willy Wonka’s sweetest escape with two unforgettable experiences, the ‘Candy Coated’ day party and the ‘Sweet Dreams’ evening event. Themed cocktails will be shaken and stirred, with playful set-ups around every corner.
Paul’s Car Wash Is back for its 19th year on October 22 and 23 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.! Community members volunteer to wash hundreds of cars during the event, which is hosted by Weather Anchor and Community Ambassador Paul Horton and is in benefit of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona.
Camelot Homes will host a Saturday morning of coffee, cars and luxury home tours at The Edge at Joy Ranch October 17 at 9 a.m. Attendees can explore an exciting display of classic and exotic cars.
The Show Stopper Shake is coming back to ZuZu. The Green Monster is filled with Halloween inspired flavors and combinations. For each shake sold, $1 will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House.
A month filled with not-so-spooky activities for the entire family makes Flagstaff Mall the place to be. On the 10th the Flagstaff Plein Air Air Festival celebrates art of the natural environment and encourages artists to capture the beauty of Northern Arizona by camera and canvas, and there’s a family fun day and the kids can show off their artistic talent at the JCPenney Kids Zone. High Country Humane also brings adoptable pets ready to meet their future families.
On October 18, Sunnyside Neighborhood Association‘s Fiesta del Mundo will feature live music, artisan craft booths, food vendors and traditional folklorico dancers in the Entertainment Area. Stop by Center Court on October 24 to learn about The Shadow Foundation, a group helping pets in need of new homes in the Flagstaff area, on how you can make a difference by volunteering, fostering, making donations or giving an adoptable pet a forever family. The 13th annual Zombie Blood Drive will be held on October 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Indoor Trick-or-Treating Event takes place October 31 from 3-5 p.m.
Glowing Pumpkins runs through Oct. 31, featuring more than 5,000 hand-carved art pumpkins throughout themed areas. The family-friendly event includes displays featuring dinosaurs, under-the-sea scenes, superheroes, fantasy creatures and classic Halloween favorites, along with plenty of photo opportunities.
Apocalypse Rawhide returns for its third season offering a zombie shooting experience that combines laser tag and a haunted Halloween setting. The experience is recommended for ages 13 and older, and children 5 and under are not permitted.
October brings a packed lineup of events at The Pemberton, including National Pizza Month at Moodie’s, Pride weekend celebrations, pool parties, drag shows, karaoke and DJ takeovers. Later in the month, events include a Rocky Horror Picture Show movie night, Hispanic at the Disco, a carving event, Halloween burlesque and the Nightmare on Second Street Halloween Ball.
The Men’s Arts Council will host the 12th annual Copperstate Overland, October 24–28, 2026.Copperstate Overland is a fully supported on- and off-road driving adventure for vintage 4×4 vehicles. The four-day rally covers approximately 500 miles through Arizona’s desert terrain, rugged backcountry, river valleys, and mountain roads.
ADERO in Fountain Hills is hosting three events: Oktoberfest on October 17 with Bavarian food, German beer and live entertainment; Art Uncorked on October 22, pairing Southwestern art with a three-course wine dinner; and a free Harvest Market on October 24 featuring artisans, small businesses, specialty foods and more.
The Boutique at The Global Ambassador is hosting designer pop-ups throughout the month, bringing fashion, jewelry and footwear designers to Phoenix. Highlights include a Desert Design Week Style Soirée on October 7, Miron Crosby boots October 7-8, bespoke George Cleverley fittings October 11-12 and Logan Hollowell fine jewelry October 16-18.
Ballet Arizona is thrilled to kick off its 40th anniversary season with the most famous love story of all time, “Romeo & Juliet.” Celebrated as one of Artistic Director Emeritus Ib Andersen’s greatest works, this classic takes the Symphony Hall stage for six performances from October 22-25.
