Fall Festival Fever

RED ROCKS MUSIC FESTIVAL

Classical music fans will want to attend all four performances of Red Rocks Music Festival at Sedona Creative Life Center. On Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m., enjoy A Dialogue Through Music. From the Romantic to Jazz happens Sept. 9 at 3 p.m., and on Sept. 16 at 3:30 p.m., Sandra Shapiro, piano faculty at Cleveland Institute of Music and Oberlin Conservatory of Music performs In My Father’s Footsteps. The final concert takes place Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. and features world-renowned violinist Shlomo Mintz.

Red Rocks Music Festival, Sept. 8-9, 16 and 28, at Sedona Creative Life Center (333 Schnebly Hill Road). General admission tickets are $28-$45; VIP tickets are $65; VIP tickets with reception are $150; and tickets for students with an ID are $10. Info: 602-402-4551 or www.redrocksmusicfestival.com.

THUNDER VALLEY RALLY

Get your motor running in Cottonwood Sept. 12-15 during the Thunder Valley Rally. This motorcyclesmeets-music event features a poker run, kids activities, vendors and plenty of live music. On Sept. 14, catch headliner Jonny Lang along with Breakdown (Tom Petty tribute), South of Winslow (Eagles tribute) and 74th Street Band. On Sept. 15, the headliner is Blackfoot with Rickey Medlocke. You can also check out Keith Okie & Rebel Sol, Georgia Chrome, Mr. Skynyrd Band (Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute) and local favorite Mogollon. Everything takes place at The Freedom Bird Entertainment Park & Campground at River Front Park and in Old Town Cottonwood.

Thunder Valley Rally, Sept. 12-15, at The Freedom Bird Entertainment Park & Campground (1284 E. River Front Road in Cottonwood) and in Old Town Cottonwood. Free admission during the day. Weekend passes are $10 and good for Sept. 14 and 15, 5-10 p.m. Info: 928-639-3200 or www.thundervalleyrallyaz.com.

10TH ANNUAL SEDONA WINEFEST

It’s hard to believe that Sedona Winefest will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Sept. 22 and 23. The festival started out as a few tables on top of Airport Mesa. This year, it takes place under a circus-sized tent at Posse Grounds Park and features 20 Arizona wineries, local cuisine, art, live music, wine-education seminars and vendors. Don’t miss the Sedona Arts Center’s paint out
happening on Sept. 23 from noon until 2 p.m. There will be an hourly raffle both days of the festival, too.

10th Annual Sedona Winefest, Sept. 22 and 23, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Posse Grounds Park (525 Posse Ground Road in West Sedona). Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Two-day passes are $50. Tickets include an etched wine glass and six tasting tickets. Info: 928-862-0210 or www.sedonawinefest.com.

STANDIN’ ON THE CORNER FESTIVAL

Now in its 20th year, Winslow’s Standin’ on the Corner Festival is a two-day music extravaganza that attracted 8,000 people – some from as far as New Zealand – in 2017. This year, the festival happens at Eagle Pavilion, Sept. 28 and 29. Expect food, a beer garden, a horseshoe tournament, and plenty of arts and crafts. There will also be an auction with proceeds going toward the maintenance of Standin’ on the Corner Park, which pays tribute to the Eagles hit song, Take it Easy. Headliners include Eagles tribute band One of These Nights and Mogollon. Planning on making a weekend out of it? Book your accommodations ASAP: Winslow High School hosts several class reunions that same weekend.

Standin’ on the Corner Festival, Sept. 28, 3-11 p.m., and Sept. 29, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., at Eagle Pavilion (523 W. 2nd St.). Tickets are $5 each day. Info: 928-289-2434 or www.standinonthecorner.com.

5TH ANNUAL CORNUCOPIA FALL FESTIVAL

Grab the family and head to Thorpe Park for Flagstaff Hullabaloo’s 5th Annual Cornucopia Fall Festival on Sept. 29. The autumn-themed celebration features a hay maze, pumpkin patch, pie-eating contest, petting zoo, circus performers, kid’s talent show, pony rides, live entertainment, carnival rides and games, local craft beer, food, vendors and more.

5th Annual Cornucopia Fall Festival, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Thorpe Park (191 N. Thorpe Road in Flagstaff). The first 250 people enter for free with two nonperishable food items that will benefit Flagstaff Family Food Center. $6. Free for kids ages 6 and younger. VIP tickets are available for $35. Info: 928-853-4292 or www.flagcorn.com.

FLAGSTAFF SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

You might be familiar with The Tempest, the last play that Shakespeare wrote for the stage, but you’ve probably never seen it performed like this before. The Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival will present the play with reverse gender roles. In the original, there is only one female character. In the Flagstaff production, there will be only one male character. Organizers say they decided to reinterpret the play in hopes of sparking conversations about inequality and underrepresentation.

Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival, Oct. 5-14, at Museum of Northern Arizona (3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff), Coconino Center for the Arts (2300 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff), the Arboretum at Flagstaff (4001 S. Woody Mountain Road, Flagstaff) and Mary D. Fisher Theatre (2030 W. AZ-89A in Sedona). Adult tickets start at $22.50. Info: 1-800-838-3006 or www.flagshakes.org.

FALLFEST IN THE PARK

Take advantage of the cooler temperatures in Prescott during FallFest in the Park – the final arts-and-crafts show of the season – happening in October. It takes place under the American elm trees in Prescott’s historic Courthouse Plaza. Shop for arts and crafts from more than 100 vendors, and grab a bite to eat while you’re at it.

FallFest in the Park, Oct. 6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Oct. 7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Courthouse Plaza (120 S. Cortez St. in Prescott). Free. Info: 928-445-2000 or www.prescott.org.

SEDONA ARTS FESTIVAL

For those who collect art or those who just like to shop, Sedona Arts Festival is your happy place. This year’s event happens Oct. 13 and 14 at Sedona Red Rock High School. The festival showcases more than 100 juried artists from across the country. Previous Best of Show winners will also display their work, and there will be a special Mata Ortiz pottery exhibit. The Gallery Collective will feature original works by local and regional artists with a portion of the sales benefiting the Sedona Arts Festival’s Scholarships and Grants Program. Since the festival’s inception in 1989, $300,000 has been awarded to arts education groups and graduating seniors. Add live music, food trucks, art activities for kids, a gourmet-food section and raffle prizes, and you have a full day of fun.

Sedona Arts Festival, Oct. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Sedona Red Rock High School (995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road). Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the gate. Children 12 and younger enter free of charge with a paying adult. Info: 928-204-9456 or www.sedonaartsfestival.org.

14TH ANNUAL SEDONA PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL

Watching an artist at work is magic. Watching a painter create a masterpiece with Sedona as the backdrop and the subject matter is a moment you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Sedona Arts Center’s 14th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival offers up plenty of opportunities to observe artists and purchase their work during the weeklong event, happening Oct. 13-20. Nearly 30 invited painters will participate. Among the most anticipated events are the Creekside Paint Out at L’Auberge de Sedona on Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. until noon, a paint out at SevenCanyons on Oct. 18 from 1 to 4 p.m., a party and awards presentation on Oct. 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. and the Main Street Paint Out in Uptown on Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. until noon. Paintings will be available for purchase at Sedona Arts Center throughout the duration of the event.

14th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival, Oct. 13-20, at various locations around Sedona. Free. Info: 928-282-3809 or www.sedonapleinairfestival.org.

RED ROCKS OKTOBERFEST

The Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks hosts one of the best parties of the year on Oct. 21. We’re talking about Red Rocks Oktoberfest, which happens at Posse Grounds Park. The event includes Arizona craft breweries, wine, German cuisine and Arizona-based food trucks. From 4 to 6 p.m., enjoy the oompah sounds of Polka Katzen. Oktoberfest’s headliners, The Naughty Bits, hit the stage at 6 p.m. and play until 8 p.m. Festival proceeds benefit the Rotary Club’s projects including scholarships, summer reading programs, Sedona Teacher of the Year and youth leadership awards.

Red Rocks Oktoberfest, Oct. 21, 4-8 p.m., at Posse Grounds Park (525 Posse Ground Road in West Sedona). Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door (21 and over only). Beer tokens are $3. Info: 928-340-5012 or www.redrocksoktoberfest.com.

HANGAR 24 AIRFEST AND 2ND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Over at Lake Havasu, Hangar 24 Lake Havasu Brewery & Grill will present its second air festival on Oct. 27 at the Lake Havasu City Airport. Organizers promise this year will be even bigger with aviation acts, static-aircraft displays, food, vendors and live music. This year’s headliners will be Red Not Chili Peppers, a Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band. As you would expect from a festival presented by a brewery, there will be a beer festival featuring local and regional breweries inside the air festival. Hangar 24 Craft Brewery boasts locations in Lake Havasu and Southern California. AirFest will also celebrate the second anniversary of the brewery’s Arizona location.

Hangar 24 AirFest and 2nd Anniversary Celebration, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Beer Fest: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), at Lake Havasu City Airport (5600 Old State Highway 95, No. 1, Lake Havasu City). Tickets start at $5. Info: https://hangar24brewing.com.

FALL ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR

At the Sedona Heritage Museum, it’s all about the annual Fall Arts & Crafts Fair on Oct. 27. The show focuses on local and regional artists and craftspeople, and only original, handmade items are allowed to be sold. It’s an excellent opportunity to meet some of the artisans working in your neighborhood, and it’s great for holiday shopping, too.

Fall Arts & Crafts Fair, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Sedona Heritage Museum (735 Jordan Road in Uptown). Free. Info: 928-282-7038 or www.sedonamuseum.org.

2018 PAGE REGATTA

It’s a photographer’s paradise: Scores of hot-air balloons floating over the blue waters of Lake Powell and the red rocks of Vermilion Cliffs. We’re talking about the 2018 Page Regatta, a hot-air-balloon festival that attracts thousands to the small town of Page on the Arizona-Utah border. On the mornings of Nov. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the balloons inflate and launch from Lake Powell National Golf Course. Spectators are allowed on the course for an up-close view. On the evening of Nov. 3, gather in downtown Page as balloon pilots participate in the annual balloon glow from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The regatta includes a vendor fair Nov. 2 and 3 at the Elm Street Mall parking lot. The fair features live entertainment, Balloons ’n’ Brews Beer Garden, kids rides and 100 booths selling everything from carnival concessions to arts and crafts.

2018 Page Regatta, Nov. 1-4, at Lake Powell National Golf Course (400 Clubhouse Drive in Page) and the Elm Street Mall parking lot. Free. Info: 928-645-2741 or www.lakepowellballoonregatta.com.

DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican holiday that celebrates loved ones who have passed away. The Sedona event, which began in 2010, attracts bigger and bigger crowds each year to Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village. This year’s celebration kicks off with the Marigold Mural Project, Oct. 30 through Nov. 3. Anyone, regardless of their artistic talent, can honor deceased friends, family or pets by contributing to the public mural from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Previous murals will be on display. The festival culminates on Nov. 3 from 4 to 8 p.m. with music, fire dancing, sugar-skull crafts, face painting and food including traditional Day of the Dead bread. Costumes are highly encouraged.

Día de los Muertos, Nov. 3, 4-8 p.m., at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village (336 AZ-179). Free. Info: 928-282-4838 or www.tlaq.com.