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    Arizona Matsuri

    4.1 (61 reviews)

    Arizona Matsuri Photos

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    One of the vendors
    Dong T.

    This is my 2nd or maybe even 3rd time being able to attend the Matsuri Festival. With each year, they continue to improve and grow bigger. More and more offerings, vendors, activities, performances, etc. I also absolutely commend them for continuing to keep the price of admission to FREE. Compared to the "Taste of Japan" event held in Downtown Phoenix's Heritage Square, I'd say it is much much more enjoyable of an event. Sure, I know ToJ focuses more on experiencing a more "authentic" Japanese cuisine but aside from the food demonstrations, there is barely anything else to actually do or enjoy. Matsuri had a bunch of Japanese businesses come from all over, notably Los Angeles's Little Tokyo district. I've never seen a wider more abundant selection of Japanese clothing like happi coats, yukatas, haoris, bows, obis due to the presence of these Little Tokyo vendors at any such AZ event. They also even had a few food vendors from LA as well (though we have many Japanese restaurants in AZ, I don't think we have many food trucks or traveling vendors). They invited various local partners such as the Phoenix Shogi Club, the folks from the Japanese Friendship Garden, the Origami Society, and many many others. Though there were limited slots and you had to reserve your spot, Matsuri even offered a chance to experience an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony demonstration ($20). They also had a fun raffle with tons of different prizes, the grand prize being a round-trip flight to Japan from Japan Airlines. I wish they had a few more food vendors so help shorten the lines a bit. There were tons of merchandise booths, artisans, local businesses, cosplay, and other things to check out. Overall, for a free event, it was very fun.

    Luis P.

    Japanese culture is awesome. Went to check out the event. Located at Steele Indian School Park. Sat. 22 & Sun. 23, 2025 from 10am-5pm.It had lots and lots of food vendors. Some people were dressed up in their anime costumes. I tried to taste some of the food but the lines were extremely long. I took a few pictures of the vendors and I'm gonna try out their business. I really enjoyed the Kodo performance. They are staged in front of the grass so you can enjoy sitting down.This event is dog friendly but beware lots of people in crowded areas. Not only was there a lot to eat but other vendors selling clothes, hats, toys and other Japanese memorabilia. Since this event is in a public park there are public bathrooms but is used alot by the homeless. They have a temporary ATM on the premises.

    John O.

    I'm Japanophile Left much to be desired One and done for me I was really looking forward to checking out this Festival today. Sorry to say, but I was pretty disappointed. If crowds aren't your thing, this is not the place for you. It was jammed today. All of the lines for food were ridiculously long and slow. Waited in line for an hour for some Yakisoba which was not very good at all. The lines for beer were not nearly as bad. However, they only have one beer available - Asahi Super Dry. I was really looking forward to trying some Japanese beers that I haven't had before. At least it was only five bucks a beer. It was fun seeing some of the youngsters dressed up as anime characters and I got a really cool "Drunk King" T-shirt from Sumo Fish. Two saving graces. Two stars.

    Samurai Gear
    Scott L.

    Cool Japanese festival in February in Heritage Square, Downtown Phoenix. Tons of people, Taiko Performances, Cosplay Contest, Martial Arts Demonstrations, Bonsai Exhibition, Arts & Crafts, Public Awareness Booths, and Food, Food, Food..., Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Mochi, Shaved Ice, Manju, Beer, Sobayaki, Bento Boxes, ....Usually runs 10am to 5pm on the third weekend in February. Had to dress warmly for the 2019 festival.

    Bonsai tree
    Yuko H.

    I've been coming to AZ Matsuri almost every year for over 10 years now. It is held at the Heritage & Science Park, free admission but parking garage nearby is $12. Restroom facilities available but porter potty only...so you know. They have several stage areas where I enjoyed watching performance (dance, drums). Numbers of food vendors increased over the year, so many people are here now, expect a long line (also sold out if you come late). Merchandises vendors are here to sell all kinds of Japanese stuff. I shouldn't have done it but I ended up buying a bonsai plant. I don't keep anything live in my house but they looked very nice, I purchased one without thinking through the consequences. If you have kinomo at home, wear one to this event. Some wear them casual but I saw several of them wearing kimono properly. Since it took me 45 mins to get dressed, I thought about walking up to them ask, how they did that so nicely. Also you will see lots of people dressed in cosplay. Some are done really well. Fun place to come out for people watching. They do have a small area serving Japanese beer. Mostly family friendly events with some free kids activities area.

    Arizona Matsuri Festival
    Jeremy L.

    Walking through historic Heritage square right in the heart of Phoenix, I was overwhelmed deep within a crowd of vibrant kimonos and elegant Japanese robes. Paper umbrellas, origami cranes, and various garments of attire are a few of the products being offered upon rows and rows of vendors. Delicious smoked teriyaki aromas drift down from far away, enticing its passerby's to stop for a while. To my left, I hear the quick crackling of wooden Katanas; a demonstration by the local Arizona Aikido practice. To my right, the harsh and pulsating beating of the Taiko drums melodically draw me in. Straight ahead, I see a giant cosplay of Pikachu, enthusiastically taking pictures with fans. Taking in a deep breath and appreciation of my surrounding, I couldn't help but smile. For years it has been a tradition of mine to stop by the Matsuri during the faithful time of February. However, in recent years the Matsuri has evolved into a multi-cultural celebration of arts. No longer are the few vendor booths, longingly awaiting for a visitor. Instead, white tents are stretched across in columns far and wide as the eye can see. Shaded structures are strategically placed where expositions booths can be seen; this way, the bright sun does not interfere with the spectator's viewing angles. For all of those who have been to the Matsuri Festival in years' past, or for the curious at heart, I would definitely recommend stopping by when the opportunity arrives. The Matsuri is an amazing celebration of Asian cultures, arts, and lifestyles, that works in culmination with the urban society of Phoenix, to create a downtown street festival unlike any other. I have very fond memories of the Matsuri, which will only continue to grow!

    Toh Zan Nagasaki Grill
    Kenneth R.

    Arizona Matsuri has become an annual event that my girlfriend and I go to. Every year it's always a joy to walk around heritage square or sit in the Asahi beer area and people watch. You never know what people are going to come dressed as or how many Akita and Shiba you'll see walking around. The range of food vendors provides enough variety for novice and adventurous eaters. One of my favorite parts of Matsuri is watching the drum performances! Usually we spend 2-3 hours at Matsuri but I have friends who stay all day. Did I mention it's FREE?!

    Ramen
    Janet N.

    Pretty nice festival albiet smaller than Japanese festivals/gatherings than I'm used to. Food vendors, craft booths, stage competitions, bonsai showcase, live music and tons of cosplayers. The setup is is pretty standard and was great to walk around to see what they had to offer. The crowds were definitely at it's peak by the time I stopped by and lines for food were massive. As expected food was also expensive, but appreciated that they took cash and card. It's easy to go through the entire festival unless you have live performances or shows to watch. Parking isn't that much of a hassle at all either. Wish there were more to see and had more variety of foods as the only popular booths were that of ramen, takoyaki and boba.

    Matsuri Festival 2020 at Steele Indian School Park
    Norm R.

    Thank goodness they moved the festival to Steele Indian School Park this year; it is now more accessible to me because I live in the area. The festival is a really fun assortment of a lot of food boots, more than in most festivals and mostly Japanese of course. Expect long - even very long - lines for some of them. There are cultural presentations and numerous merchandise booths as well. But a big part of the fun is watching people wearing kimonos and anime cosplay. The draw of the event is such that even though this year it rained on the morning of the festival's first day (Saturday), when the weather cleared up in the afternoon the festival was totally packed, even with the muddy grounds from the rain earlier. While parking is not usually a problem in the park, the festival is so popular that the parking areas fill up very fast so it is a good thing that the light rail station is close by.

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    I loved all the different food booths. I appreciated how organized it was. Everyone seemed in a good mood

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    Great time, good food and culture. We enjoyed visiting the merchant booths. We'll be back next year.

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    Review Highlights - Arizona Matsuri

    Every year it's always a joy to walk around heritage square or sit in the Asahi beer area and people watch.

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    Tempe Festival of the Arts - Metal palms

    Tempe Festival of the Arts

    4.3(67 reviews)
    8.8 mi

    This is a free and large festival that happens in the heart of downtown Tempe twice a year; once in…read morespring and once in winter. The only thing that costs money is the parking which can be up to $20. However, one tip I can give you guys is to find a public place a bit further out to park for free. For instance, the Tempe Westside Multi-Generational Center is a public park/facility that you can park at and it's only a 9 minute walk from the festival. As the name implies, there are a ton of art vendors. If you're not from Tempe, there's even more choices because some of downtown Tempe businesses are open during the event. Also, they've got a great selection of food vendors, snacks, and downtown restaurants to choose from. They even have a free water station to fill up your water. I always suggest bringing a small cooler with water bottles and napkins/wet wipes. So even if you're not a fan of the art, it's still a great place to go to if you're a foodie or want to browse other miscellaneous products. For instance, I got a free massage at a physical therapist booth and SugarBee was giving away free apples at one of the events. It's a great place to go if you want to support local.

    Have not been to the Tempe Arts Festival in many years. Found myself nearby for a Happy Hour Event…read moreon Friday and theater afternoon event at Gammage. On both days, spent some time walking around Tempe Arts Festival. It was a was a secure and well organized event. Made some purchases of ceramic pottery and a hand made knife and sheath. The artisans close down at 5:30 each day. Parking is available, plan to pay about $20 to $30 per day. Alternatively you can find plenty of nearby restaurants. I parked in the street the second day and took an Uber. Overall a pleasant event.

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    Tempe Festival of the Arts - Ceramic

    Ceramic

    Tempe Festival of the Arts
    Tempe Festival of the Arts

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    Arizona Polish Festival - Heavy, but delightful

    Arizona Polish Festival

    4.2(25 reviews)
    8.9 mi
    $

    I loved the festival this year especially as they added a bunch of dances from the kids as well…read more It's so great to see the younger generation keep the traditions and stories and dances alive. We will be able to watch and remember these stories for years to come. That was worth everything this year. Plus the food is delicious. And I love the dance troupes and their costumes for each region. I have been coming for years, and I will be going for years to come. It's a wonderful festival!

    Neither my wife nor I are Polish at all. That being said, the Arizona Polish Festival is an event…read morewe look forward to every year. The music, the food, and the culture are amazing each time we go. Parking is pretty easy - just find a spot not blocking a driveway in the neighborhood or park at a designated place and ride a shuttle to the church. The main stage is terrific for the musical numbers, and we love the variety of the troupes that come to perform here. Saturdays are typically 10AM-8PM and Sundays are a bit shorter from 10AM-4PM. There is a raffle for numerous prizes and tickets are on sale all day Saturday and Sunday usually until 2 or 2:15 when the drawings happen. We usually buy several raffle tickets but have not been lucky enough to win any of the prizes yet. One favorite part of the annual festival is the combination plate which you can get by paying for food tickets and exchanging those for delicious food. Sausage, cabbage roll, pirogis, and a potato pancake? Yes please. So good. The dates for the festival change each year based on when Lent and Easter are each year. Next year, the festival takes place on April 10-11, 2027. Mark your calendars now.

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    Arizona Polish Festival - Polish items for sale

    Polish items for sale

    Arizona Polish Festival - Sweets

    Sweets

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    Food

    Food City Tamale Festival - Courtesy:  Food City

    Food City Tamale Festival

    3.9(13 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    At this Mexican dominated festival, the tamales are hit and miss. I would not recommend eating the…read moresamples from most stands as they were mostly cold and unappetizing, plus some folks were wandering around with cold samples too. We did have a few good tamales including the ones from Food City and one that was wrapped in a banana leaf, but like I said, its random luck from the 10 or so stands. The festival is only two blocks long, but alot of booths had wheels to spin to get free stuff and alot of free samples of other products too were available. Everything is mostly conducted in Spanish, including the music. Spent about 90 minutes at the festival, but it could be better if bigger and if the tamale booths were labeled better.

    We had a great time at this event and there is some great food. You can spend as little or as much…read moremoney as you want - admission is free. A family and pet friendly event, it is equally welcoming to the physically challenged, I noted. We had an awesome plate of food consisting of two tamales of our choice, damn good refried beans, and rice for $7, which benefited a church. It was so good, we purchased a dozen for $18, which is the set take-home price for all vendors here ($10 for a half dozen). An ample amount of security staff was a reassuring presence here. A large stage featured talented Latino groups and mariachi bands. The hit was one featuring a young boy, child prodigy, on an acordian with his family. They serve alcohol, which requires a free wristband received after presentation of an ID staing that you are over 21 (required for any age). This is a great event. Period. My husband and I have this on next year's calendar for sure.

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    Food City Tamale Festival - Great variety of tamale vendors to choose from (as well as other foods)

    Great variety of tamale vendors to choose from (as well as other foods)

    Food City Tamale Festival - Absolutely packed on a Sunday

    Absolutely packed on a Sunday

    Food City Tamale Festival

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    Arizona Matsuri - festivals - Updated May 2026

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