Busy Season Officially Begins
For some places in the country, October is when the snow starts. A few days or weeks of fall may be left but then October marches in with its cold, winter-like vibe. You remember winter is coming and start looking for other parts of the country to visit. Look no further, Scottsdale is the place to be to avoid that icky, cold stuff.
The Temperature In Scottsdale In October
Although October is often a month with rain, it’s mostly just beautiful. There are always a couple of days with storms but that just leaves the desert looking more beautiful. Rain lilies popping up randomly everywhere. But the temperature is nearly perfect. Some days may still be on the warm side like the high 80s but for the most part, October has highs in the high 70s and lows in the low 50s. No air condition or heater needed.
What To Do In October
The sun is only up about 12 hours a day in October 6ish am to 6ish pm but it is certainly time enough to take advantage of the multitude of hiking trails, quick trips to Sedona or the Grand Canyon or grab some golf. There are more golf courses here than…. well, take a look for yourself.
What’s There To Do In Scottsdale Besides Golf?
So glad you asked. There’s so much to do every single weekend that’s it is impossible to do them all. You have to plan carefully so as not to miss the big events. Here are some of the highlights.
It’s Farmer’s Market Season Again!
When the 110° temperatures roll in, the farmer’s markets roll out. The first weekend of October brings back the farmer’s markets and they’re everywhere. Two of the lesser-known ones which are less crowded than the others are the Farmer’s Market on High Street and the Farmer’s Market North Scottsdale. The Farmer’s Market North Scottsdale is fun because it’s by the General Store which is also a US Post Office. But the reason I like the one on High Street is because it’s one of the only farmer’s markets that is open on Sunday instead of Saturday.
Nightmare On Princess Drive
The Fairmont Princess is one of the nicest resorts in Scottsdale. They have several big events each year and Nightmare on Princess Drive is one of the big ones. This year Nightmare on Princess Drive Area 51 is the theme.
Salt River Fields Spooktacular Balloon Festival
The Spooktacular Balloon Festival runs for two nights every October. There are fireworks and costume contests. Fun for the whole family and plenty of Instagram worthy opportunities.
Foodie Extravaganza
For the foodies, Dish It Out claims to be the Valley’s most exciting high-end culinary event with delicious dishes from top restaurants around Phoenix. There are a ton of culinary events in Scottsdale so that’s a big statement to make and technically this is on High Street not Scottsdale but it’s for a good cause. It’s to benefit the Boys and Girls Club, $75 per person and happening on October 2oth. Stilettos not recommended for this event.
Football, Baseball, Soccer, Basketball Or Hockey? Take Your Pick
Sports? Yeah, we got that. Football: For the NFL you can see the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, for college football check out ASU’s Sun Devils Football in Tempe. Hockey you can watch the NHL Arizona Coyotes play or there are even 6 weeks of baseball for MLB for the Arizona Fall League. Is soccer more your thing? Watch the USL Phoenix Rising FC play several nights in October. Plus basketball at Talking Stick Resort Arena where the NBA Phoenix Suns play. Oh, and there’s still golf too or (more fun) Top Golf.
Festivals & Events
The weather is perfect and it’s time to be outdoors. You can check out the Arizona Taco Festival, and the Arizona State Fair and many other smaller food and alcohol-related events at various hotels around the Scottsdale area. For some casual nightlife check out the all-new dog-friendly Club House At Maya that’s set up like a backyard with beer pong, cornhole, giant Jenga and a fun menu of food and specialty cocktails.
Music & Charity Events
Busy season also means the beginning of event season and there are lots of charity events to check out. There are always several Halloween pub crawls in Old Town Scottsdale for some costumed fun. Two of the more popular charity events are Nite Flite Gala at the W Hotel and the Orient MASKer Aide Ball at the Fairmont Princess. Both are fantastic events put on for a good cause but DIG recommendation is the MASKer Aide Ball, the lavish event never disappoints and is 12 years running.
October is a great time to visit Scottdale
The beginning of busy season means it’s not that busy here yet so you can still get a table at that restaurant you wanted to try but that there’s plenty to do. Come visit Scottsdale in October. It’s gorgeous here.
