Explore festivals in Arizona this summer, from comic cons and pride parades to chili cook-offs, pirate weekends, art fairs, and more.
“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” –Henry James
Similar to Henry James, I believe there are few words that, when strung together, are more wonderful than “summer afternoon.” After the long cold of winter and the restless unpredictability of spring, the summertime and its sense of freedom is hard to beat.
As you’re dreaming about how to spend these long golden days ahead, check out these 20 summer festivals all over Arizona.
June
Phoenix Fan Fusion
Dates: Jun. 5-7
Location: Phoenix Convention Center
Cost: Price varies from $49-$2,000
The Phoenix Fan Fusion is an annual multi-genre pop culture convention celebrating all things comics, anime, movies, TV shows, gaming, and more. It’s open to all ages, with pass options ranging from a single-day ticket to a Platinum VIP pass. No matter which pass you choose, you can’t go wrong. All three days are filled with immersive panels, photo ops, gaming, celebrity guests, and plenty more. In addition to all the fun, there’s also plenty of delicious food to enjoy.
Flagstaff Folk Festival
Dates: Jun. 13-14
Location: Coconino Center for the Arts
Cost: $20 per day, $32 for the weekend
The Annual Flagstaff Folk Festival returns to the Coconino Center for the Arts for its 24th year. The festival brings together folk, bluegrass, and acoustic artists from around the state to share their music with fellow fans. Over the course of the two-day event, hundreds of musicians take the stage, from solo performers to full groups. As you listen to the mountain music, grab something to eat or a coffee from the food court and settle in for the day. While we’re still awaiting the musician lineup and a few details for this year’s event, there’s no doubt it will be a great time.
June Jam
Dates: Jun. 11-15
Location: Playa Ponderosa
Cost: Price varies, payment plans available
Ever heard of a stay-up-late, bring-your-own-everything, camp-under-the-stars, meet-your-new-best-friend, off-grid playground of a festival? No? Well, now you have. Enter June Jam: the ultimate synthesis of music and freedom. Described as cautiously optimistic, this homegrown festival blends music, art, and the outdoors for a weekend like no other. You’ll discover diverse music, interactive art, a healing sanctuary, yoga and movement classes, food vendors, and plenty more.
Tempe Pride Parade
Dates: Jun. 6
Location: Centerpoint Plaza
Cost: Free!
Celebrate love loud and proud at Tempe’s annual Pride Parade. Happening from 7 pm to 11 pm in downtown Tempe, the celebration features a silent disco with live DJs, a free photo booth, a market highlighting local and queer-owned businesses, bars serving up drinks, and plenty of delicious food options. And of course, the crowd favorite: dazzling drag performances.
Lavender Festival
Dates: Jun. 7
Location: Rhumb Line Vineyard & Lavender Farm, Wilcox
Cost: $6
Lavender Festival? Yes, please. Get me there immediately. In June, the lavender at Rhumb Line Vineyard—known for its lavender essential oil—is in full bloom, making it the perfect time for a festival dedicated to celebrating both the benefits and the beauty of this fragrant flower. In addition to the lavender, you’ll find local food, wine and beer tastings, art, and live music. The event runs from 8 am to 2 pm.
Flagstaff Wool and Fiber Festival
Dates: Jun. 6-7
Location: Fort Tuthill Fairgrounds
Cost: $10
In a place as diverse as Arizona, you can expect a festival for just about everything. So yes, of course there’s a Wool and Fiber Festival! This two-day event features more than 40 artisan vendors, sheep shearing, fiber critters (think sheep, alpacas, and even camels), expert demonstrations, kids’ activities, food, a fiber art exhibit, and more. The festival draws more than 3,000 visitors each year to celebrate and connect the public with the rich cultural history of regional fiber arts. Whether you’re new to fiber arts or a seasoned pro, this festival has fun for everyone.
Flagstaff Hullabaloo
Dates: Jun. 6-7
Location: Wheeler Park
Cost: TBD
Hullabaloo, Hullabaloo, Hullabaloo! Try saying it three times fast. No, it’s not a spell, but it is magical, and it’s happening the first weekend of June. The Hullabaloo Festival was created by Flagstaff locals with the simple goal of celebrating community and everything that makes Flagstaff special. This family-friendly, community-oriented event spans two days and features giant puppets, a bike parade, costume contests, circus performers, two performance stages, a huge kids’ area, local vendors, cocktails, craft brews, and plenty of delicious food. We’re still awaiting the 2026 lineup, but there’s no doubt it will be just as awesome as it is every year.
Pride in the Pines
Dates: Jun. 20
Location: Thorpe Park
Cost: Free!
Celebrating its 30th year (wow!), Pride in the Pines is free for all to attend. The festival centers on community, visibility, safety, and connection, bringing people together for a festive day in the pines. This year’s celebration features plenty of entertainment, a Pride parade, a vendor market, food trucks, a kids’ area, and even a volleyball tournament. If you plan on attending, be sure to reserve a ticket to help organizers monitor park capacity, plan for safety and security, and meet city permit requirements.
Elevate Music Festival
Dates: Jun. 26-28
Location: Highlands Church, Scottsdale
Cost: Price varies depending on the ticket
Boost your June with the Elevate Music Festival. Named Arizona’s biggest weekend for Christian music, this three-day event takes place in Scottsdale at Highlands Church. With 14 bands performing throughout the weekend, you can attend for a single day or go all in and experience the full festival alongside fellow music lovers and worshippers.
July
Prescott Frontier Days
Dates: Jun. 29-Jul. 5
Location: Prescott Rodeo Grounds
Cost: TBD
The Prescott Frontier Days have been a local favorite since 1888. Held each year over the Fourth of July weekend, the rodeo brings eight incredible performances packed with some of the West’s most exciting events. Expect everyday ranch skills performed at a high level, including the wild horse race, steer wrestling, bareback riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, and bull riding. It’s the perfect way to spend a summer evening during a holiday weekend. Arrive early to wander the grounds, browse the vendors, grab some good food, and enjoy live music before the action kicks off.
Medieval Mayhem Renaissance Festival
Dates: Jul. 10-12
Location: Frontier Field Park, Show Low
Cost: TBD
The best kinds of festivals involve just the right amount of mayhem, and the Medieval Mayhem Renaissance Festival in Show Low delivers exactly that. Step back in time and experience life in the fictional Wyvernton Shire, the festival’s themed setting. You’ll see brave knights fighting for honor, court jesters running amok, living royalty, and fantastical creatures like fairies and mermaids wandering the grounds. Grab a drink, dig into some hearty grub, and enjoy the delightful chaos.
Blackberry Festival
Dates: Jul. 11-12, Jul. 18-19
Location: Mortimer Farms, Dewey
Cost: $16
The Mortimer Farms Blackberry Festival celebrates the beauty of the Earth and the sweet fruit it produces. The day begins early, with gates opening at 7 am, when you can wander through the blackberry fields and see the berries at every stage, from bud to ripe fruit. Later in the day, from 4–9 pm, the farm shifts into what it calls “evening magic,” with live music and entertainment filling the night air. Be sure to stick around for the butterfly and ladybug release, a memorable moment when these tiny pollinators are set free into the fields.
Camp Verde Corn Fest
Dates: Jul. 18
Location: Hollamon Street, Camp Verde
Cost: TBD
I told you, Arizona really does have a festival for everything and everyone. Each year on the third Saturday in July, the town of Camp Verde comes together to celebrate, well, corn, at the Camp Verde Corn Fest. It may sound a little corny, but that’s part of the charm; you can expect classic street fair vibes with plenty of food, entertainment, and community spirit. The true star of the show is Hauser sweet corn, the town’s famous sweet corn, grown at Hauser and Hauser Farms, which you can enjoy fresh at the festival or take home by the bundle.
Payson Book Festival
Dates: Jul. 18
Location: Mazatzal Hotel and Casino ballroom, Payson
Cost: Free!
A festival for book lovers? Count me in. The Payson Book Festival is celebrating its 12th year of bringing together readers, writers, and stories of every kind. Happening from 9 am to 2:30 pm, the festival features a full lineup of activities, including a Kids Zone, author meet-and-greets, book browsing, shopping, and a silent auction. It’s your chance to meet the minds behind popular stories, discover a new title or two, and of course, indulge your inner book nerd.
Arizona Highland Celtic Festival
Dates: Jul. 18-19
Location: Fort Tuthill Park, Flagstaff
Cost: $20-30 for adults; $0-$5 for children
Do you hear that? It’s the sound of bagpipes, whiskey, and a whole lot of fun at the Arizona Highland Celtic Festival. This all-ages celebration of Celtic culture runs from 9 am to 7 pm on Saturday and 9 am to 4 pm on Sunday. Expect live music, traditional dancing, and plenty of hearty food, along with whiskey, mead, and gin tastings. There are also hands-on activities like baking sessions, bodhrán drum workshops, and classes exploring the history of tartan.
Sedona Hummingbird Festival
Dates: Jul. 24-26
Location: Sedona Performing Arts Center, Sedona
Cost: Free!
Take a trip to Sedona’s stunning red rocks for the 12th annual Sedona Hummingbird Festival, which highlights this year’s featured bird: the Chilean Woodstar. Presented by the International Hummingbird Society, the festival offers a full lineup of activities for bird lovers and curious visitors alike. Enjoy speaker presentations, hummingbird garden tours, guided birding excursions, breakfasts with hummingbirds, a lively marketplace, and plenty of opportunities to spot these tiny, dazzling birds in action. If you’re bringing your kiddos, be sure to attend Kids Play on Jul. 24; there will be all kinds of activities for your little ones.
August
Flagstaff Chili Cookoff
Dates: Aug. 1-2
Location: Thorpe Park, Flagstaff
Cost: Free admission; $10 tasting kit
Summer just got a little hotter for chili cooks, eaters, and everyone in between. Head to Flagstaff for the annual Flagstaff Chili Festival. On Saturday, Aug. 1, the 42nd Annual Route 66 Regional Chili Cookoff heats things up with categories like Red Chili, Chili Verde, and Vegetarian Chili. Sunday, Aug. 2, brings the 54th Annual Arizona State Championship Chili Cookoff, featuring Red Chili, Chili Verde, and Homestyle Chili. Saturday also includes a 3rd Responders Chili Cookoff, while Sunday highlights the Best Restaurant Chili in Flagstaff competition. Want to taste the contenders? Tasting kits are $10 and include spoons, 10 2 oz. sample cups, a People’s Choice ballot, a specialty contest ballot, and ten voting tickets.
Prickly Pear Festival
Dates: August, exact date TBD
Location: Superior
Cost: Free!
If you live in Arizona, I probably don’t need to tell you what a prickly pear is, but just in case, here’s a quick refresher. The prickly pear is the vibrant red fruit of the Opuntia cactus, known for its sweet, melon-like flavor. Every August, the town of Superior celebrates this iconic desert fruit at the Superior Prickly Pear Festival. Along with learning more about the surprisingly versatile prickly pear, visitors can explore art, food, music, cooking demos, foraging experiences, cook-offs, and special entertainment. Many local restaurants and shops also join the fun with prickly pear-inspired dishes, drinks, and treats.
Prescott Summer Festival
Dates: Aug. 1-2
Location: The Courthouse Plaza, Prescott
Cost: Free
Every year, the Mountain Artists Guild presents the Prescott Summer Fine Art & Wine Festival, a beloved summer tradition now entering its 73rd year. Set outdoors, the festival features up to 115 artist booths showcasing original work across a wide range of mediums, from painting and sculpture to jewelry, photography, ceramics, and more. Throughout the weekend, you can watch artist demonstrations, let the kids get creative with hands-on art activities, and enjoy live music while sampling yummy bites from food trucks and gourmet vendors. For those 21 and older, the wine-tasting tent highlights selections from Willcox Wine Country, with tasting tickets available on-site and including a commemorative glass.
Bisbee Pirate Weekend
Dates: Aug. 7-9
Location: Old Bisbee Neighborhood, Bisbee
Cost: Varies depending on activities
There are few times in life when you can unashamedly dress like a pirate. Bisbee Pirate Weekend is one of them. Every second weekend in August, pirates descend on the town of Bisbee, turning the historic streets into a swashbuckling good time. So grab your tricorn hat, come dressed as a pirate or mermaid, and set sail for a fun weekend the whole town is in on. From pub crawls and pirate prom to movie showings, a marketplace, meet-and-greets, costume contests, magic, and music, there’s plenty of mischief to keep you entertained.
