What’s new in Phoenix this week?
The Arizona State Fair opens Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Rd. in Phoenix. It runs Thursdays through Sundays through November 1, with adult admission at $20 and a Coliseum concert lineup that includes Gin Blossoms, Becky G, The Offspring, and Public Enemy.
By Dr. Kevin Shufford | September 26, 2026
Mark your calendar. Five days from now, the midway lights come back on in central Phoenix.
The official Arizona State Fair event page confirms the 2026 run opens Thursday, October 1 and wraps Sunday, November 1, open Thursdays through Sundays only. Both ABC15 and KTAR News reported the same dates when the fair announced them this spring.
This year’s theme is “A State of Wonder,” and that’s a pretty good description of the first cool-ish October evening in the Valley. You’ve made it through another summer. The fair is how Phoenix celebrates.
Arizona State Fair 2026 dates, hours, and tickets
Here’s what you need to plan your visit, straight from the fair’s admission and hours page:
- Opening weekend: Thursday, October 1 through Sunday, October 4
- Final day: Sunday, November 1
- Gates open: 12 p.m. every fair day
- Last entry: 9 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
- Parking: North and West lots open at 10 a.m.
- Where: Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85007
Admission prices include taxes and fees:
- Adults (13+): $20
- Seniors (62+): $14
- Kids (5 to 12): $12
- Kids under 4: free
- Military and first responders: $12 for the cardholder plus one guest (on-site only, with ID)
One fun detail: there’s no fixed closing time for the carnival. According to the fair, the rides wrap for the night when the lights on the La Grande XL Wheel, on the southeast corner of the fairgrounds, go dark. If you want to squeeze in one more ride, keep an eye on that wheel.
Want a deal? The fair’s free Fair Fandom list is where early-bird ticket offers and promos show up, and KTAR reported there’s a new official fair app to help you plan your day.
The 2026 Coliseum concert lineup
This is the part that sells out, so plan ahead. Every show in the 2026 Coliseum Concert Series is billed as “An Evening With,” which means no opener, just a full headlining set at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. All shows start at 7 p.m., and every seat is reserved and includes your fair admission.
- Friday, October 2: Gin Blossoms
- Friday, October 9: Becky G
- Saturday, October 10: All Time Low
- Friday, October 16: The Offspring
- Saturday, October 17: Russell Dickerson
- Saturday, October 24: Public Enemy
Gin Blossoms on opening weekend is a nice nod to the home crowd, since the band got its start in Tempe. And since your concert seat covers admission, a show night is one of the better values of the whole run. Grab a turkey leg before the set and a funnel cake after.
Tips for your first trip this season
Go early on a Thursday or Sunday if you’ve got little ones. Lines are shorter, the sun’s lower by late afternoon, and you’ll beat the Saturday night rush.
Remember the fair is closed Mondays through Wednesdays. It’s an easy thing to forget when you’re planning a weeknight visit, and nobody wants to show up to a locked gate on McDowell.
Check the fair’s Know Before You Go page for bag rules and parking maps before you leave the house.
The fairgrounds sit right off Interstate 17 and McDowell Road, a short drive from Midtown, the Encanto area, and downtown Phoenix. Events like this are one more reason central Phoenix keeps drawing buyers who want to be close to the action. If you’re curious what it’s like to live near here, that’s my world, and I’m always happy to talk it through. Let’s connect.
Sources: Arizona State Fair (official event page), Arizona State Fair admission and hours, Arizona State Fair Coliseum Concert Series, ABC15, and KTAR News. Dates and prices verified September 26, 2026. Check the fair’s site before you go in case anything changes.
About the author: Dr. Kevin Shufford holds a PhD in Communication and is a professor who teaches how to have healthy relationships, skills he brings to his real estate practice. As a licensed real estate agent and mortgage loan officer serving the Phoenix metro and Southern California, Kevin operates as The Property Professor under Real Broker and One Real Mortgage. Work with Kevin at thepropertyprofessor.blog or call 480-725-4658.
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