Phoenix 602 Day: A guide to the Valley’s new holiday

Guess what's back and better than ever? It's 602 Day, Phoenix's very own civic holiday.

After a successful debut in 2024, the daylong celebration is back on Monday, June 2. (6/02, get it?) This time, a whopping 235 local partners have signed up to participate.

If you missed it during its inaugural year, here's everything you need to know about 602 Day.

What is 602 Day?

602 Day is an informal holiday established by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego in 2024. The holiday gives the city's residents and business owners an opportunity to show off their civic pride in the form of festive T-shirts, public events, dining and retail deals and more.

"602 Day is a celebration of everything Phoenix — our local businesses, diverse neighborhoods and the creative spirit that drives our city forward," Gallego said in a city press release announcing the holiday's return. "It’s a chance for residents to show their hometown pride, discover new local experiences and sample some great cuisine. I’m proud to see our community come together for a day that’s uniquely and proudly Phoenix."

The holiday takes its name from Phoenix's 602 area code, which dates back to 1947, when AT&T assigned the prefix to the entire state of Arizona. Arizona’s population didn’t grow enough to merit a second area code until 1995, when the 520 area code that covers Tucson and the southern part of the state was born. Since then, 623 and 480 have become a part of the Phoenix phone number canon, but 602 will always be the city's original area code.

It's fairly common for major cities to form holidays around their best-known area codes. Milwaukee celebrates 414 Day, while Chicago has 312 Day. In some places, like Tucson, the celebration is spearheaded by local businesses and nonprofits without much lift from the city itself.

How will Phoenix celebrate?

Last year, the mayor's office proudly proclaimed that just over 100 organizations would take part in 602 Day by offering celebratory experiences and deals. This time, more than twice as many organizations are joining the party.

Many are offering food, retail items, or services for $6.02 — and in a few high-end cases, $602 — while others plan to host art gatherings and contests.

Food and drink highlights include $6.02 prices for:

• Pitchers of Scottsdale Blonde and Papago Orange Blossom at all Huss Brewing Company locations
• Any dozen doughnuts at Randy's Donuts locations from May 30 through June 3
• Yellow curry chicken at The Wild Thaiger
• "1983" margaritas at Taco Guild
• Draft wines, beer pints and drip coffees paired with a croissant at Changing Hands' First Draft Book Bar
• A prickly pear cocktail at Provision Coffee

For a longer list, of food drink deals, see Phoenix New Times' article. For the same price, you can get:

• Tickets to select Arizona Diamondbacks games
• General admission to the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden and Arizona Science Center
• Take-and-make craft kits at Craft Nights and Hammer & Stain Paradise Valley
• Day passes at CO+HOOTS
• A pilates class at Orange Blossom Pilates
• Entry to a screening of locally made movies at Harkins Scottsdale 101

The city will also hold free experiences at local libraries, senior centers and parks. Those include:

• Food, entertainment, car shows and a taco truck competition at the Maryvale Community Center-Palo Verde Library
• A bike rodeo and helmet giveaway at Encanto Sports Complex
• Family-friendly scavenger hunts and art programs at Burton Barr Central Library
• Phoenix trivia and coloring activity for all ages at the Pecos Senior Center
• A "How do you 602?" essay contest at the Paradise Valley Senior Center