ANNUAL HAPPENINGS

The Arizona High Country, Month by Month

Some happenings become part of the local calendar because they do more than fill a weekend. They carry history, culture, community identity or simply give neighbors a good reason to gather. Annual Happenings brings together the regional draws and hometown traditions worth knowing as you settle into the Arizona High Country. Keep it handy and build a neighborly acquaintance with the calendar; there is something here worth returning to all year.

2026 dates are shown where confirmed. When an organizer has not yet announced a date, we say so. Schedules, locations and ticketing can change, so check the listed website before you go.

WINTER

January Through March

JANUARY

WEEK OF SERVICE

SEDONA / VERDE VALLEY - Projects throughout Sedona and the Verde Valley

Hands-on projects connect residents, families and visitors with nonprofits, parks, trails and shared spaces across Sedona and the Verde Valley. The week culminates in Friends of the Verde River's 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. service event.

PRESCOTT MLK PEACE AND JUSTICE MARCH & CELEBRATION

PRESCOTT - Prescott College, downtown streets and Courthouse Plaza area

Prescott's annual Martin Luther King Jr. observance combines a public march with speakers, music, reflection and family programming. It is a direct way to join neighbors in a civic tradition centered on service, nonviolence and community.

FEBRUARY

RUNSEDONA

SEDONA - Sedona road courses

Half-marathon, 10K and 5K courses put Sedona's red-rock terrain at the center of the experience. Run it or cheer from the course; this established winter race draws locals and visitors into the same energetic morning.

CLARKDALE ROCKS GEM AND MINERAL SHOW

CLARKDALE - Clark Memorial Clubhouse

Minerals, gems, fossils, demonstrations and children's activities have filled Clark Memorial Clubhouse for more than half a century. Free admission and the historic setting make it an easy family introduction to the region's geology and collecting culture.

SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

SEDONA - Venues throughout Sedona

Nine days of independent and international films, documentaries, shorts and filmmaker programs turn Sedona into a movie town. Check the schedule early; popular screenings and passes reward advance planning.

YAVAPAI-APACHE NATION EXODUS DAY

YAVAPAI-APACHE NATION / CAMP VERDE AREA - Yavapai-Apache Nation, Middle Verde and Camp Verde area

This yearly Yavapai-Apache Nation observance remembers forced removal and the return home after 25 years of exile. Ceremonies, a commemorative march and run, and community gathering offer an important encounter with living Verde Valley history; attend respectfully.

MARCH

SEDONA ST. PATRICK'S PARADE

SEDONA - Uptown Sedona

Schools, community groups, performers and plenty of green fill Uptown for one of Sedona's longest-running civic traditions. It is a straightforward hometown celebration with broad family appeal.

CAMP VERDE PECAN AND WINE FESTIVAL

CAMP VERDE - Camp Verde Community Field

Camp Verde's pecan-growing heritage meets Arizona wine, local food, live music and makers in a free community festival. Wine tasting is ticketed; the larger celebration is open to all.

SPRING

April Through June

APRIL

VERDE VALLEY BIRDING AND NATURE FESTIVAL

COTTONWOOD / VERDE VALLEY - Dead Horse Ranch State Park and field-trip locations across the Verde watershed

Guided field trips, workshops and wildlife programs use the Verde River watershed as an outdoor classroom during peak migration. Serious birders can go deep, while newcomers get an unusually good introduction to the region's ecology.

WHISKEY OFF-ROAD

PRESCOTT - Downtown Prescott and Prescott National Forest trails

Mountain-bike racing links Whiskey Row with Prescott National Forest trails, with downtown activity surrounding the competition. Ride, crew or watch; the weekend shows how closely Prescott's identity is tied to its trail system.

VERDE VALLEY FAIR

COTTONWOOD - Verde Valley Fairgrounds

Livestock, 4-H and FFA exhibits, home arts, carnival rides and rodeo make this the Verde Valley's classic county-style fair. It is one of the easiest all-ages ways to see the region's agricultural and youth traditions in one place.

MAY

PRESCOTT VALLEY DAYS

PRESCOTT VALLEY - Prescott Valley Town Center area

Prescott Valley's signature hometown weekend mixes a parade, carnival, food, vendors, performances and family activities. For a new resident, it is a concentrated look at the community showing up for itself.

VERDE VALLEY WINE FESTIVAL

COTTONWOOD - Riverfront Park

Arizona wineries, local food, artisans and live music gather at Riverfront Park around the Verde Valley's growing wine identity. It is especially useful for newcomers who want to sample the region's wine scene in one setting.

PHIPPEN MUSEUM WESTERN ART SHOW AND SALE

PRESCOTT - Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza

Western artists have gathered on the Courthouse Plaza over Memorial Day weekend for more than 50 years. Meet artists, watch demonstrations and see how ranching, landscape and Western life continue to shape Prescott's visual culture.

JUNE

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PINES: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

PRESCOTT - Highlands Center for Natural History

The Highlands Center and Laark Productions bring Shakespeare into the pines for the 13th annual outdoor production, this year A Midsummer Night's Dream. The catered evening is ticketed and seating is limited, so reserve ahead.

TILTED EARTH FESTIVAL AT PAGE SPRINGS CELLARS

PAGE SPRINGS / CORNVILLE - Page Springs Cellars

Live music, wine and food anchor this summer-solstice festival at Page Springs Cellars, with proceeds supporting local causes. The vineyard setting and environmental emphasis make it distinctly rooted in Page Springs.

PRESCOTT BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

PRESCOTT - Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza

Free bluegrass on the Courthouse Plaza has been a Prescott summer tradition for decades. Bring a chair or blanket and settle under the elms for a weekend built around live music rather than spectacle.

JEROME MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

JEROME - Venues throughout Jerome

Free performances, art, food and family activities spread across multiple Jerome venues, turning the hillside town into part of the festival. The decentralized format rewards wandering and discovery.

PRESCOTT FRONTIER DAYS AND WORLD'S OLDEST RODEO

PRESCOTT - Prescott Rodeo Grounds and downtown Prescott

Prescott's defining Western week combines rodeo performances with the Rodeo Parade and companion Frontier Days traditions. It is one of the city's signature institutions; popular performances can sell, so plan ahead.

SUMMER

July Through September

JULY

CLARKDALE OLD-FASHIONED FOURTH OF JULY

CLARKDALE - Clarkdale Town Park and Main Street

A pancake breakfast, patriotic ceremony and community parade start Independence Day early in Clarkdale. Its scale is deliberately hometown-sized, with volunteers and neighbors carrying most of the tradition.

FANTASTIC FAMILY FOURTH OF JULY

COTTONWOOD - Cottonwood Kid's Park

Games, activities, vendors, a patriotic salute and free early-evening food build toward fireworks around 9 p.m. The compact format makes it an easy family Fourth.

RED, WHITE AND BOOM

PRESCOTT VALLEY - Prescott Valley Civic Center grounds

Rides, inflatables, food trucks, vendors, entertainment and a large fireworks finale fill the Prescott Valley Civic Center grounds. Bring chairs or a blanket and arrive before the evening rush.

CAMP VERDE CORN FEST

CAMP VERDE - Downtown Camp Verde

Fresh Hauser & Hauser sweet corn anchors a street-fair day of food, vendors, music and family activities. The event keeps Camp Verde's agricultural identity visible in an uncomplicated hometown celebration.

SEDONA HUMMINGBIRD FESTIVAL

SEDONA - Sedona Performing Arts Center and locations around Sedona

Expert talks, garden tours, banding demonstrations, field trips and children's activities explore hummingbirds and the habitat that draws them to red-rock country. Some programs require tickets, while Hummingbird Central is free.

AUGUST

ARIZONA COWBOY POETS GATHERING

PRESCOTT - Jim and Linda Lee Performing Arts Center, Yavapai College

Working-cowboy poets and musicians preserve ranching culture through poetry, music and firsthand stories. Free daytime sessions and ticketed evening shows make this long-running Prescott institution accessible at different levels.

ART IN THE PINES: PRESCOTT PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL

PRESCOTT - Yavapai College Prescott Art Gallery and painting locations around Yavapai County

Juried plein-air artists work outdoors across Prescott and Yavapai County, letting the public watch landscapes take shape in real time. The five-day festival culminates in a public reception and art sale.

SEPTEMBER

CHINO VALLEY TERRITORIAL DAYS

CHINO VALLEY - Locations throughout Chino Valley

Chino Valley's defining hometown weekend brings together the parade, carnival, FFA Corn Dinner, fireworks and community activities. It is the town's clearest annual expression of agricultural roots and civic pride.

JEROME HILL CLIMB

JEROME - Jerome and Perkinsville Road

This 4.5-mile road race climbs through Jerome and onto Perkinsville Road, making the town's steep terrain the challenge. More than half a century of running uphill has made it a Jerome tradition.

YAVAPAI COUNTY FAIR

PRESCOTT - Prescott Rodeo Grounds

Livestock, youth projects, agricultural exhibits, home arts and carnival attractions bring county life together at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. Families can see the work behind 4-H, FFA and local agriculture alongside the midway.

PRESCOTT VALLEY HEALING FIELD OF NORTHERN ARIZONA

PRESCOTT VALLEY - Prescott Valley Civic Center lawn

Nearly 3,000 flags form a public memorial to those killed on September 11, 2001, across the Prescott Valley Civic Center lawn. Visitors can walk the field at their own pace; the principal remembrance ceremony is September 11.

THUNDER VALLEY RALLY

COTTONWOOD - Old Town Cottonwood and Riverfront Park

Motorcycles, live music, rides and street activity fill Old Town Cottonwood and Riverfront Park for this city-produced rally. The large, adult-oriented weekend has become part of Cottonwood's annual fall calendar.

PRESCOTT POWWOW: ELDERS EMBRACING THE YOUTH

PRESCOTT - Watson Lake Park

Dance, music, art, food and intergenerational teaching gather at Watson Lake under the theme Elders Embracing the Youth. It is a living Indigenous cultural gathering, not a performance staged for outsiders; attend with respect.

PRESCOTT INDIAN ART MARKET

PRESCOTT - Sharlot Hall Museum

More than 80 Native artists bring fine art, music, demonstrations and cultural programming to the Sharlot Hall Museum campus. The juried market is a strong place to meet artists directly and learn the traditions behind the work.

PUMPKIN FEST AND CORN MAZE AT MORTIMER FARMS

DEWEY-HUMBOLDT - Mortimer Farms, Dewey

Pumpkins, a corn maze, farm activities, food and weekend entertainment turn a working farm into a major fall destination. It is especially useful for families and visiting children; check the farm for the announced 2026 run before planning.

PRESCOTT HIGHLAND GAMES AND CELTIC FAIRE

PRESCOTT - Watson Lake Park

Highland athletics, pipe bands, dance, clans, music and cultural demonstrations fill Watson Lake Park. The combination of traditional competition and the Granite Dells setting makes this one of Prescott's most visually distinctive annual weekends.

AGUA FRIA FESTIVAL

DEWEY-HUMBOLDT - Main Street and Old Town Humboldt

An Old West parade, mining and railroad history, crafts, music and period-themed activities bring Humboldt's past into the street. This is Dewey-Humboldt's clearest heritage day and one of the best ways to understand the community's roots.

VERDE RIVER DAY

COTTONWOOD - Dead Horse Ranch State Park

Nature education, fishing, demonstrations and family activities celebrate the river that connects much of the Verde Valley. The event is free and built around understanding, enjoying and caring for a defining regional resource.

FALL

October Through December

OCTOBER

SEDONA YOGA FESTIVAL

SEDONA - Sedona

Four days of yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, workshops, talks, music and outdoor experiences gather practitioners of many levels in Sedona. The festival reflects the city's longstanding wellness culture.

JEROME HISTORICAL SOCIETY GHOST WALK

JEROME - Historic Jerome; check-in at Spook Hall

Costumed scenes bring Jerome's mining-era stories to life in the places where they happened. Timed departures and limited capacity make advance tickets a good idea.

PRESCOTT AREA ARTIST STUDIO TOUR

PRESCOTT / QUAD CITIES - Studios and art centers throughout the Prescott Quad Cities

Dozens of artists open private studios and art centers for a free, self-guided look at how local work is made. Choose a cluster, meet the artists and watch demonstrations rather than trying to cover every stop.

CLARKTOBERFEST

CLARKDALE - Historic Main Street

Arizona beer and wine, food, live music and contests fill historic Main Street for Clarkdale's signature fall street festival. The compact downtown setting keeps the event social and easy to navigate.

FORT VERDE DAYS

CAMP VERDE - Downtown Camp Verde and Fort Verde State Historic Park

A parade, living history, food, crafts and community programming celebrate the military post around which Camp Verde grew. Seventy years of homecoming tradition make this one of the Verde Valley's essential heritage weekends.

WHISKEY ROW MARATHON

PRESCOTT - Downtown Prescott and Prescott National Forest

Marathon, half-marathon, 10K, 5K and family options climb from downtown into high-elevation forest country. The nearly five-decade tradition is challenging by design, but the range of distances gives more people a way to participate.

YAVAPAI COLLEGE CHINO VALLEY HARVEST FESTIVAL

CHINO VALLEY - Yavapai College Chino Valley Agribusiness and Science Center

Hayrides, pumpkins, a corn maze and food sit alongside agricultural, trades and technical demonstrations at Yavapai College's Chino Valley campus. Families get fall fun while newcomers see the town's farming and workforce culture up close.

SEDONA ARTS FESTIVAL

SEDONA - Sedona Red Rock High School

More than 100 juried artists work across painting, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics and other media against a red-rock backdrop. The long-running festival supports local arts education while giving visitors broad exposure to Sedona's visual-arts community.

SEDONA PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL

SEDONA - Sedona Arts Center and painting locations throughout the Verde Valley

Accomplished artists paint outdoors as the light and landscape change, with public paint-outs, demonstrations and awards through the week. Watching work develop on location makes the creative process unusually accessible.

CHINO GRINDER

CHINO VALLEY - Chino Valley Community Park and surrounding gravel routes

Arizona's original long-running gravel race sends riders over predominantly unpaved rural routes in several distance options. The event turns Chino Valley's open terrain and historic roads into the experience itself.

HALLOWEEN MAIN STREET: TRUNK OR TREAT

CAMP VERDE - Main Street

Decorated vehicles and businesses, candy, games, music and family activities close Main Street for Camp Verde's largest Halloween gathering. Thousands attend, making it one of the town's biggest family gatherings of the year.

NOVEMBER

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS AT TLAQUEPAQUE

SEDONA - Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village

Altars, installations, music and dance honor loved ones and celebrate Mexican cultural traditions throughout Tlaquepaque. The heart of the day is remembrance; participate or observe respectfully.

SEDONA MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL

SEDONA - Posse Grounds Park and Sedona trails

Bike demos, guided rides, skills clinics, shuttles, vendors and live entertainment gather around Sedona's red-rock trail network. Riders of different levels can participate, while the festival shows why mountain biking has become part of Sedona's outdoor identity.

PRESCOTT VETERANS DAY PARADE

PRESCOTT - Downtown Prescott

Veterans, military organizations, bands and community groups fill downtown for Prescott's annual civic observance. The parade reflects the region's strong veteran presence and gives newcomers a clear point of participation in that tradition.

WALKIN' ON MAIN

COTTONWOOD - Old Town Cottonwood

Arizona wine, art, live music, classic cars and local history fill Old Town's Main Street for Cottonwood's 20th annual celebration. Wine tasting is ticketed; the street festival itself is free and family-friendly.

OLD TYME COUNTRY FAIR

CORNVILLE - Oak Creek School

Local artisans, carnival games, music, food, pony rides, animals and hands-on activities fill Oak Creek School for Cornville's 45-year hometown fair. Its grassroots scale is the point: this is community life rather than destination spectacle.

VALLEY OF LIGHTS

PRESCOTT VALLEY - Fain Park

More than 60 illuminated and animated displays line a one-mile drive through Fain Park from Thanksgiving through December. The drive-through format works especially well for children, older relatives and cold winter evenings.

VERDE CANYON RAILROAD MAGICAL CHRISTMAS JOURNEY

CLARKDALE - Verde Canyon Railroad depot

A ticketed one-hour train ride follows a storybook journey to the North Pole, where Santa boards for the return trip. Depot activities extend the experience; popular dates can sell, so reserve ahead.

DECEMBER

COTTONWOOD CHRISTMAS PARADE

COTTONWOOD - Cottonwood; current route or venue announced by the organizer

Cottonwood's long-running Christmas parade is one of the city's defining civic holiday traditions. Route and format can shift from year to year, so check the Chamber for the 2026 announcement before heading out.

ARIZONA'S CHRISTMAS CITY: CHRISTMAS PARADE AND COURTHOUSE LIGHTING

PRESCOTT - Downtown Prescott and Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza

The afternoon Christmas Parade leads into the evening Courthouse Lighting and fireworks, the centerpiece of Prescott's Arizona's Christmas City tradition. Expect large crowds, arrive early and dress for a cold December evening.

ACKER MUSICAL SHOWCASE / ACKER NIGHT

PRESCOTT - Downtown Prescott

Scores of musicians perform inside and outside downtown businesses while donations support youth music scholarships. The block-by-block format invites you to follow the music and experience Prescott's Christmas season at street level.

TLAQUEPAQUE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

SEDONA - Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village

Thousands of luminarias glow through Tlaquepaque's courtyards after dusk, accompanied by holiday music and entertainment. This is one of Sedona's signature winter traditions; watch for the announced 2026 date before planning around it.

WHISKEY ROW NEW YEAR'S EVE BOOT DROP

PRESCOTT - Historic Whiskey Row

An illuminated cowboy boot drops over Whiskey Row at 10 p.m. and midnight, with live music, rides, food and fireworks around the countdowns. The earlier drop makes the tradition accessible to families as well as midnight revelers.