In October, the Valley roars back to life with events. This month, there are festivals celebrating Japanese, Greek and Italian cuisine and heritage along with wine and arts. There are plenty of ways to sip craft beer for Oktoberfest or to celebrate Halloween a little early. Here are 21 food and drink events to fill your calendar this fall.
Multiple locationsThis month, get ready to raise a stein at one of these eight Oktoberfest events happening around the Valley. Have an authentic German meal at Haus Murphy's, learn to line dance in your dirndl at the Westin Kierland Resort, watch a dachshund race crowning the “Fastest Weenie in the West” at Tempe Town Lake or shake it all off with a yoga session at Greenwood Brewing.
Multiple locations To raise awareness about breast cancer and to support local cancer patients, Hash Kitchen will serve a special version of its cannoli donuts throughout October. When patrons order this special – featuring pink cannoli cream and pink ribbon sprinkles – a portion of the proceeds will benefit Impact One Breast Cancer Foundation, which helps cancer patients get proper support, products and resources.
15037 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite J150, Scottsdale JoJo’s ShakeBAR will help you get into the Halloween spirit and up your bartending skills. Learn techniques like shaking, stirring and muddling. Each class will showcase two of JoJo’s fall specialty cocktails in the bar’s outdoor pumpkin patch. Monday classes will feature a Caramel Apple Mule and BOO-Cardi Rum cocktails. Tuesday classes will feature a Pumpkin-Spiked Latte and a Bathtub Gin and Juice cocktail. The cost to attend is $35 and guests who stay to eat after will receive 20% off their bill.
Multiple locations There is no shortage of taquerias around the Valley – that’s why Yelp recently awarded Phoenix the third spot on its Top 15 Taco Towns list. The review website also just dropped its list of the Top 100 Taco Spots, which includes Phoenix’s El Fogon (ranking 86th) and Chandler’s Taco Culture Taco Shop (ranking 93rd). We’re partial to El Rinconcito Del D.F., which was just named Best Tacos in Phoenix in our 2023 Best of Phoenix awards. So, there are plenty of options to have a stellar celebration on National Taco Day.
9330 W. Hanna Lane, Glendale Chicken N Pickle, Westgate Entertainment District’s new indoor-outdoor pickleball court, restaurant and bar, will host a wine walk benefitting Bosom Buddies of Arizona, an organization that provides breast cancer support and education. Taste a variety of wines and food from Chicken N Pickle. Tickets are $30 and include a souvenir cup.
1973 E. Maryland Ave. The Original Phoenix Greek Festival is back for its 63rd year. Sample Greek food, watch traditional dance performances, tour the Hellenic Museum of Phoenix and shop the Agram Market for Greek foodstuffs. Among items to indulge in are dolmades, spanikopita, souvlaki and baklava sundaes. Admission is $5 for adults; children under 12 are free and seniors (over the age of 60) may enter for free from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
113 N. Sixth St.Taste of Japan will make its Arizona debut at downtown’s Heritage Square. Taste traditional Japanese dishes including ramen, yakitori, takoyaki and other street foods from Arizona and California vendors. Inside the event is Yokocho Fest, which will feature a beer and sake garden and a show demonstrating the cutting of a bluefin tuna and explaining the fish’s connection to sushi and Japanese food culture. Beyond the food, expect entertainment, a cosplay contest and more. Tickets range from $15 for one-day entry to $69 for VIP entry to the Yokocho Fest and may be purchased through Eventbrite.
7340 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale The McDowell Road location of local liquor store extraordinaire Trevor’s will host a barbecue-centric food truck roundup featuring Bearded Barbecue, Kravins Food Truck and the Smoke Slab BBQ. In addition to plenty of smoked meats, Trevor’s will offer beer specials and complimentary tastings. There is no cost to attend and the event is dog-friendly.
149 W. McDowell Road Chefs Isaac Mendoza and Zion Yaegashi Culley will host their first of five pop-ups serving Japanese street food on Oct. 16. The first event will be hosted at Sauvage Wine Bar and Shop. In Japanese, "irori" translates to hearth, and the chefs plan to curate different menus for each pop-up, spotlighting local produce and purveyors. Mendoza is the chef of the forthcoming wine bar and bistro Kid Sister, and formerly worked at Houston's Uchi. Culley is currently at Arcadia Meat Market and formerly cooked at Tratto. The event is first come, first serve and menus will be shared on Kid Sister's website.
7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek Head to the north Valley for this food and drinks fest in Cave Creek’s Stagecoach Village. Taste of Cave Creek will feature food from more than 25 local restaurants, a craft beer garden and live music. Participating vendors include Cryin' Coyote Barbecue, Ofrenda, Le Sans Souci, Raven’s View Wine Bar and Celestial Artisan Meadery. Admission is $10, and children under age 12 are free.
Multiple locations O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery’s taps are full of fall flavor with the return of its all-pumpkin tap takeover. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. Every location will tap more than 15 pumpkin beers from across the state and the country. No two menus will be the same, and O.H.S.O. will publish the beer menus for each location online leading up to the event.
10626 N. 32nd St. 32Shea’s monthly supper club returns this month. The cafe will close its dining room for this three-course experience. The fall-focused meal starts with a roasted golden beet and apple salad with truffle ricotta. The second course features pork belly and Brussels sprouts with a fish sauce caramel. The meal closes with seared scallops, a fall squash risotto and hazelnuts. The meal includes a craft beer, glass of house wine or a cocktail. Dessert and additional beverages are available for purchase. Tickets are $65 and may be reserved through Eventbrite.
495 E. Warner Road, Chandler SanTan Brewing Co. and Moon River Beef are throwing a dinner to highlight the taste and sustainability of circular agriculture. The four-course paired tasting menu, served at SanTan Gardens, will feature beef feed with spent grains from SanTan’s beer-brewing process. The first course is a smoked, chipotle-rubbed prime rib slider paired with MoonJuice IPA. Next is whiskey-staved sliced brisket served with a BRB, bourbon with root beer and bitters. The third course pairs an IPA pot roast served with fingerling potatoes and carrots with Lil’ Orange Alien Blood IPA. To close the meal is a fig, filet and brie crostini paired with a Gettin’ Figgy Wit It Old Fashioned. The dinner is $72; additional cuts of beef are available for purchase.
7408 E. Osborn Road, Scottsdale The ninth Taste of Italy returns to Scottsdale Stadium just in time to ring in Italian Heritage Month. The event will feature local Italian food vendors, live music, artists and entertainment. Participating restaurants include L’Impasto, Gelato Dolce Vita and Guido’s Chicago Deli. Tickets are $15 each, children 12 and younger are free.
9600 W. Sportsman's Park South, GlendaleThe AZ Craft Beer Awards honor the best of the best in local craft brewing – and handed out hardware across 19 categories earlier this month, including naming Pedal Haus Brewery its Brewery of the Year. The Arizona Craft Beer Festival celebrates the awards and all our Valley brewing scene has to offer. Head to Sportsman’s Park next to State Farm Stadium in Glendale to enjoy a festival filled with more than a dozen local breweries plus vendors and food trucks serving cider, spirits, sodas, popcorn and more. General admission tickets are $50 and include 15 drink samples and a commemorative cup.
9719 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale The Mick Brassierie’s competition pairing dinner series, The World Cup of Wine, continues into the semifinals, with a battle between Italy and Spain. For each match, The Mick’s culinary team will create a four-course tasting menu paired with a wine from each competing country. The tasting is blind, and guests will vote on which wine pairs best with each course. Tickets are $159 per person and may be reserved on OpenTable.
Various locations Celebrate Halloween all week and into the weekend with spooky eats and treats – costume optional. Among food and drinks events happening around the Valley are a themed tea party at Drink Me! Tea Room, a pop-up “Bob’s Burgers” event and an interactive “Rocky Horror Picture Show" dinner at Found:RE Phoenix.
6137 N. Scottsdale Road, No. 108, Scottsdale Urge Taphouse Kitchen will host a four-course pairing dinner featuring Garrison Brothers whiskeys and the distillery’s own Charlie Garrison. Among the courses is a braised whiskey short rib paired with Garrison Brothers Honey Dew Bourbon Whiskey and a caramel creme brulee with the Texas distiller’s Guadalupe Bourbon Whiskey. Tickets are $95 and may be reserved on Eventbrite.
5205 N. Kierland Blvd., Scottsdale The Kierland Fine Art and Wine Festival returns to Kielrand Commons this fall, featuring wines from 16 Arizona vintners and works from more than 100 artists, which will include paintings on canvas, mixed media, fiber art, hand-blown glass, handcrafted jewelry, photography and more. The event will also feature live music and beer tasting. The art festival is free and tickets for the beer and wine tastings range from $20 to 35.
822 E. Union Hills Road Taste food from local vendors and shop at this festival and market at 808 Union Hills Plaza. The food will highlight a variety of Asian cuisines and will include vendors such as Bonzai Boys, Happy Buns, Taiwanese-style fried chicken food stall Herculean Chicken, Miniburi Thai and donut shop Mochinut. The event is free to attend; RSVP here.
340 N. Third Street The Urban Ale Trail is back for its 10th year and this time around, with a Halloween theme. The self-guided downtown Phoenix pub crawl kicks off at Carcara at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown. From there, choose from several bars and restaurants to sip a craft beer. Each stop includes a four-ounce beer sample and a snack for $5.
Prost to Oktoberfest
Throughout the monthMultiple locationsThis month, get ready to raise a stein at one of these eight Oktoberfest events happening around the Valley. Have an authentic German meal at Haus Murphy's, learn to line dance in your dirndl at the Westin Kierland Resort, watch a dachshund race crowning the “Fastest Weenie in the West” at Tempe Town Lake or shake it all off with a yoga session at Greenwood Brewing.
When you order Hash Kitchen's cannoli donuts in October, a portion of the proceeds benefits Impact One Breast Cancer Foundation.
Hash Kitchen
Cannoli Donuts for Breast Cancer Awareness
All monthMultiple locations To raise awareness about breast cancer and to support local cancer patients, Hash Kitchen will serve a special version of its cannoli donuts throughout October. When patrons order this special – featuring pink cannoli cream and pink ribbon sprinkles – a portion of the proceeds will benefit Impact One Breast Cancer Foundation, which helps cancer patients get proper support, products and resources.
Basic Witch Mixology
Oct. 2-3, 16-17 and 30-3115037 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite J150, Scottsdale JoJo’s ShakeBAR will help you get into the Halloween spirit and up your bartending skills. Learn techniques like shaking, stirring and muddling. Each class will showcase two of JoJo’s fall specialty cocktails in the bar’s outdoor pumpkin patch. Monday classes will feature a Caramel Apple Mule and BOO-Cardi Rum cocktails. Tuesday classes will feature a Pumpkin-Spiked Latte and a Bathtub Gin and Juice cocktail. The cost to attend is $35 and guests who stay to eat after will receive 20% off their bill.
National Taco Day
Oct. 4Multiple locations There is no shortage of taquerias around the Valley – that’s why Yelp recently awarded Phoenix the third spot on its Top 15 Taco Towns list. The review website also just dropped its list of the Top 100 Taco Spots, which includes Phoenix’s El Fogon (ranking 86th) and Chandler’s Taco Culture Taco Shop (ranking 93rd). We’re partial to El Rinconcito Del D.F., which was just named Best Tacos in Phoenix in our 2023 Best of Phoenix awards. So, there are plenty of options to have a stellar celebration on National Taco Day.
Chicken N Pickle Wine Walk
Oct. 49330 W. Hanna Lane, Glendale Chicken N Pickle, Westgate Entertainment District’s new indoor-outdoor pickleball court, restaurant and bar, will host a wine walk benefitting Bosom Buddies of Arizona, an organization that provides breast cancer support and education. Taste a variety of wines and food from Chicken N Pickle. Tickets are $30 and include a souvenir cup.
Original Phoenix Greek Festival
Oct. 6-81973 E. Maryland Ave. The Original Phoenix Greek Festival is back for its 63rd year. Sample Greek food, watch traditional dance performances, tour the Hellenic Museum of Phoenix and shop the Agram Market for Greek foodstuffs. Among items to indulge in are dolmades, spanikopita, souvlaki and baklava sundaes. Admission is $5 for adults; children under 12 are free and seniors (over the age of 60) may enter for free from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Taste of Japan, a festival that started in California, will make its first Valley appearance this fall.
Taste of Japan
Taste of Japan
Oct. 7-8113 N. Sixth St.Taste of Japan will make its Arizona debut at downtown’s Heritage Square. Taste traditional Japanese dishes including ramen, yakitori, takoyaki and other street foods from Arizona and California vendors. Inside the event is Yokocho Fest, which will feature a beer and sake garden and a show demonstrating the cutting of a bluefin tuna and explaining the fish’s connection to sushi and Japanese food culture. Beyond the food, expect entertainment, a cosplay contest and more. Tickets range from $15 for one-day entry to $69 for VIP entry to the Yokocho Fest and may be purchased through Eventbrite.
Beers & BBQ: Food Truck Roundup
Oct. 87340 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale The McDowell Road location of local liquor store extraordinaire Trevor’s will host a barbecue-centric food truck roundup featuring Bearded Barbecue, Kravins Food Truck and the Smoke Slab BBQ. In addition to plenty of smoked meats, Trevor’s will offer beer specials and complimentary tastings. There is no cost to attend and the event is dog-friendly.
Irori Pop-up
Oct. 16149 W. McDowell Road Chefs Isaac Mendoza and Zion Yaegashi Culley will host their first of five pop-ups serving Japanese street food on Oct. 16. The first event will be hosted at Sauvage Wine Bar and Shop. In Japanese, "irori" translates to hearth, and the chefs plan to curate different menus for each pop-up, spotlighting local produce and purveyors. Mendoza is the chef of the forthcoming wine bar and bistro Kid Sister, and formerly worked at Houston's Uchi. Culley is currently at Arcadia Meat Market and formerly cooked at Tratto. The event is first come, first serve and menus will be shared on Kid Sister's website.
Taste of Cave Creek
Oct. 18-197100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek Head to the north Valley for this food and drinks fest in Cave Creek’s Stagecoach Village. Taste of Cave Creek will feature food from more than 25 local restaurants, a craft beer garden and live music. Participating vendors include Cryin' Coyote Barbecue, Ofrenda, Le Sans Souci, Raven’s View Wine Bar and Celestial Artisan Meadery. Admission is $10, and children under age 12 are free.
O.H.S.O.'s taps will be full of pumpkin beer, with tap takeovers at each location on Oct. 19.
O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery
O.H.S.O.’s Great Pumpkin Beer Day
Oct. 19Multiple locations O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery’s taps are full of fall flavor with the return of its all-pumpkin tap takeover. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. Every location will tap more than 15 pumpkin beers from across the state and the country. No two menus will be the same, and O.H.S.O. will publish the beer menus for each location online leading up to the event.
Chef Jordan Presents
Oct. 1910626 N. 32nd St. 32Shea’s monthly supper club returns this month. The cafe will close its dining room for this three-course experience. The fall-focused meal starts with a roasted golden beet and apple salad with truffle ricotta. The second course features pork belly and Brussels sprouts with a fish sauce caramel. The meal closes with seared scallops, a fall squash risotto and hazelnuts. The meal includes a craft beer, glass of house wine or a cocktail. Dessert and additional beverages are available for purchase. Tickets are $65 and may be reserved through Eventbrite.
Grain to Farm to Table
Oct. 19495 E. Warner Road, Chandler SanTan Brewing Co. and Moon River Beef are throwing a dinner to highlight the taste and sustainability of circular agriculture. The four-course paired tasting menu, served at SanTan Gardens, will feature beef feed with spent grains from SanTan’s beer-brewing process. The first course is a smoked, chipotle-rubbed prime rib slider paired with MoonJuice IPA. Next is whiskey-staved sliced brisket served with a BRB, bourbon with root beer and bitters. The third course pairs an IPA pot roast served with fingerling potatoes and carrots with Lil’ Orange Alien Blood IPA. To close the meal is a fig, filet and brie crostini paired with a Gettin’ Figgy Wit It Old Fashioned. The dinner is $72; additional cuts of beef are available for purchase.
Taste of Italy returns to Scottsdale Stadium Oct. 21-22, featuring food, music and entertainment.
Scottsdale Taste of Italy
Scottsdale Taste of Italy
Oct. 21 to 227408 E. Osborn Road, Scottsdale The ninth Taste of Italy returns to Scottsdale Stadium just in time to ring in Italian Heritage Month. The event will feature local Italian food vendors, live music, artists and entertainment. Participating restaurants include L’Impasto, Gelato Dolce Vita and Guido’s Chicago Deli. Tickets are $15 each, children 12 and younger are free.
Arizona Craft Beer Festival
Oct. 219600 W. Sportsman's Park South, GlendaleThe AZ Craft Beer Awards honor the best of the best in local craft brewing – and handed out hardware across 19 categories earlier this month, including naming Pedal Haus Brewery its Brewery of the Year. The Arizona Craft Beer Festival celebrates the awards and all our Valley brewing scene has to offer. Head to Sportsman’s Park next to State Farm Stadium in Glendale to enjoy a festival filled with more than a dozen local breweries plus vendors and food trucks serving cider, spirits, sodas, popcorn and more. General admission tickets are $50 and include 15 drink samples and a commemorative cup.
The Mick Brasserie in Scottsdale will host a blind tasting of Italian and Spanish wine for its World Cup of Wine semifinals event on Oct. 23.
The Mick Brasserie
World Cup Of Wine: Italy v. Spain
Oct. 239719 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale The Mick Brassierie’s competition pairing dinner series, The World Cup of Wine, continues into the semifinals, with a battle between Italy and Spain. For each match, The Mick’s culinary team will create a four-course tasting menu paired with a wine from each competing country. The tasting is blind, and guests will vote on which wine pairs best with each course. Tickets are $159 per person and may be reserved on OpenTable.
Eat and Drink Your Way through Halloween
Oct. 25 to 31Various locations Celebrate Halloween all week and into the weekend with spooky eats and treats – costume optional. Among food and drinks events happening around the Valley are a themed tea party at Drink Me! Tea Room, a pop-up “Bob’s Burgers” event and an interactive “Rocky Horror Picture Show" dinner at Found:RE Phoenix.
Garrison Brothers Distillery Meet the Maker Chef Pairing Dinner
Oct. 266137 N. Scottsdale Road, No. 108, Scottsdale Urge Taphouse Kitchen will host a four-course pairing dinner featuring Garrison Brothers whiskeys and the distillery’s own Charlie Garrison. Among the courses is a braised whiskey short rib paired with Garrison Brothers Honey Dew Bourbon Whiskey and a caramel creme brulee with the Texas distiller’s Guadalupe Bourbon Whiskey. Tickets are $95 and may be reserved on Eventbrite.
The Kireland Fine Art and Wine Festival returns to Kielrand Commons Oct. 28-29. featuring works from more than 100 artists and wines from 16 Arizona vintners.
Kireland Fine Art and Wine Festival
Kierland Fine Art and Wine Festival
Oct. 28 to 295205 N. Kierland Blvd., Scottsdale The Kierland Fine Art and Wine Festival returns to Kielrand Commons this fall, featuring wines from 16 Arizona vintners and works from more than 100 artists, which will include paintings on canvas, mixed media, fiber art, hand-blown glass, handcrafted jewelry, photography and more. The event will also feature live music and beer tasting. The art festival is free and tickets for the beer and wine tastings range from $20 to 35.
Asian Night Market
Oct. 28822 E. Union Hills Road Taste food from local vendors and shop at this festival and market at 808 Union Hills Plaza. The food will highlight a variety of Asian cuisines and will include vendors such as Bonzai Boys, Happy Buns, Taiwanese-style fried chicken food stall Herculean Chicken, Miniburi Thai and donut shop Mochinut. The event is free to attend; RSVP here.
Urban Ale Trail
Oct. 28340 N. Third Street The Urban Ale Trail is back for its 10th year and this time around, with a Halloween theme. The self-guided downtown Phoenix pub crawl kicks off at Carcara at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown. From there, choose from several bars and restaurants to sip a craft beer. Each stop includes a four-ounce beer sample and a snack for $5.
