I signed up to volunteer for the Phoenix Pride event. The director failed to communicate essential…read moreinformation, prior to and during the event. I emailed and walked 3.8 miles looking for the event Information booth. I did not see a tent set up that said information on it anywhere. The director did not apologize for not getting the information, nor did they ever give the information, showing a lack of professionalism and respect for me. A simple response such as, Oh, sorry, meet me here, and we can go over the details. Or they could have copied and pasted from another email the information. No, they simply said I was busy, didn't have time, check my signature line. Which does not have the information in it. I sent screenshots showing them this as well. Their inability to communicate, act in a professional manner, treat volunteers with respect, apologize for mistakes, and take accountability for their actions has led me to no longer support this organization. Nor will I recommend it to anyone moving forward.

The Phoenix Gay Pride Parade is a blast! Whether you are straight or not, there is no way you…read morecannot have fun. My company is a sponsor, so two hundred and fifty of us led the pack up Third Street. There were balloons, noise makers, cow bells (yes, we needed more cow bells), rainbow colored beach balls and a lot a happy, smiling spectators along the route. There were fire trucks and dancers and a festive party atmosphere. So consider coming out next year (no pun) and enjoy the fun. Peace!

I volunteered here this year and thought the event was worthwhile and the weather was warm and…read moresunny. I didn't know there was a Phoenix Chinese Week until recently. This usually happens annually right around Lunar New Year. I think a lot of the reviews here aren't entirely fair because if you're expecting something like you would see in large cities like NYC or elsewhere, you're going to be disappointed. Phoenix has a much smaller population of people of Chinese ancestry here so that's reflected in the event. But, with that said, I thought it was well done with lots of booths to learn about Chinese culture, buy all kinds of Chinese themed gifts and trinkets and dragon and lion dance constantly happening. There is even a beer garden here if you wanted to just sit and hang out for awhile. Overall, a nice way to spend my Sunday morning volunteering and also learning a thing or two about my own culture! My only forewarning for you is that parking gets mobbed after 10am so come prepared expecting that. I came early for my shift and was able to find parking. Give it a chance, if you choose to come!

The best thing about this whole festival is that it's free. A majority of festivals like this cost…read moremoney but year after year, Phoenix Chinese Week continues to be free and packed full of tons of performances and vendors. What I liked about the year that I went is that one of the parking structures was free for the entire event. The area around here only really has paid parking so this was quite a boon. I was quite surprised at how big and fanciful it was. It is definitely worth going to if you're in the mood for shopping, food, or watching some simple performances.

A great event that should be placed on your calendar if you enjoy beer. In fact if you want to try…read morelocal restaurants this maybe a stop for you as well. I enjoyed the general admission ticket which gave me plenty of beer to sample throughout the event. Gordon Biersch, Phoenix Ale Brewery, Freak'N Brewing, Brewers Anonymous, Rock Bottom Brewery, BJ's Brew House, New Belgium Brewing Co., come to mind. Plenty of beer and the wait for beer was basically nothing. I had to wait in line for the restroom longer than for any beer sample. If fact the restroom line waits had to be the worst part of the event. So other than the few minutes to wait to use the restroom this is a great event. This is Peoria's 3rd annual event and based on other beer festival events I have been to this one was the best. Plenty of beer, food is on hand, and plenty of seating. If you get the designated driver ticket you get to sample food and all you can drink water and soda. Start planning now, get a DD. for yourself, enjoy beer while your DD. can get food to share. I really enjoyed Texas Roadhouse's ribs. Great food pairing for the beer :) You can also get the VIP ticket and enjoy food, beer, and get an extra hour to enjoy it all. I might consider it for next year since we ended up staying the entire time. If you ever considered switching beers this might be your chance to sample almost anything and everything that is beer.

Loved the Grand Ave Art Festival. Lots of booths, performances, local businesses along Grand Ave…read morewere open too. It was great that they blocked Grand Ave, so we could walk and explore everything safely. Oh and it was free! Enjoyed a free demonstration and prints from Hazel & Violet, bought beautiful handmade porcelain bowls, bought handmade jewelry, bought a lovely bouquet from the local Grand Ave flower shop Plum. There is live painting, murals, pavement painting, music performances, Taiko, fashion show, and more! I enjoyed the grateful well interactive art piece as well.

I came in expecting this to be an extra First Friday, something a little extra to do in our perfect…read moreNovember weather. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I got a little more than I expected. Lowkey, Grand Ave is 2010 Roosevelt Row. It is, without a doubt, the most hip neighborhood in Maricopa County. It's more creative than downtown, more fun than current RoRo, and trendier than anywhere else. Every business on the road is out in full force trying to show everything they've got. And with so many newcomers to this area, this year's festival served as a debutante for new establishments, which include galleries, bars, and clothiers. What I really appreciated were the galleries that made an effort to show the *history* of this short stretch of road. It was always zoned to have both nightlife, travel destinations, and industrial establishments all in close proximity. I suppose the only downside is that having large events sort of exposes this neighborhood as not being the most pedestrian friendly. It's short on shade. Even modest crowds turn the sidewalk into a traffic jam. They have recently added one crosswalk, but it still feels like it could use more. Nevertheless, you should check it out when it comes into town next. It's totally worth.

Indy car races at the Phoenix Raceway was a really fun, really loud day. Remember to bring…read moreheadphones or ear plugs, especially for children. It was easy to understand parking and arrival. The trams to bring you to the track were available and running smoothly. Entry into the venue was also smooth. You are allowed to bring food and some drinks into the venue. Be sure to check the rules about what is prohibited. The seats were easy to access by stairs or elevators. The concessions were reasonable and the bathrooms were well stocked and clean. We walked around the venue after Indy race and before the NASCAR race and had fun at the booths and listening to interviews with drivers. The lines to get back to the trams were long and the parking lots were crazy busy, even after we waited. We expected that, but heard some people complain that they waited close to two hours to get out of the lots.

Came here Saturday night for Goldrush for a friend's birthday. The party bus parked in a designated…read morearea and we walked over to the VIP table service entrance. The process of getting in was quick and easy. There weren't many so the line was super short and quick. There is a limit # of people for the table. I believe we were over by 3-4 and they paid an extra $50/person, which isn't bad! Once we all got our wristbands, they walked us to our table next to main stage. Staff members were all friendly and service was quick! They'll even remove random people from your area who sneak in to get a better view. Tbh, the view was okay. A table is nice so you have a place to sit and you can put stuff down if needed, but being in the crowd with center view of the stage is actually much more fun! Another good thing about VIP is the cleaner bathrooms with shorter lines, which I do prefer. And of course, not having to wait in line for drinks is another plus. I believe my friend said the total for the table was $7k. My only regret that night was not walking around to check out the other stages! Stayed at main stage/VIP area the whole time. I wish I had explored a bit since it was my first time attending an event at this location.

Wow! My mom has gone to this festival many times, but this was my first with her. It was packed!…read more Lots of great quilts and material to look at. Fun to see all the creativity. I am not a quilter, but it was still a great way to spend time with my mom! So much to see!

I attended this festival today for their 22nd annual event @ the fairgrounds. I have been to this…read moreevent in the past and occasionally visit some years when I get a free admission ;) Usually I come back to check out the rubber stamp booth(s) and other related crafts and able to find old & new items. They have their annual event at the end of January for 3 days: Thurs, Fri, & Sat. It's a nice place to look around if you are especially into quilting and sewing (more so than general crafting, like I am)- albeit crowded; yet, the Americana-outdoorsy feel helped to make it more tolerant and easier to walk around- inside 3 exhibit buildings. They offer various classes and exhibits, as well as selling. They also offer free makes-&-takes to take home. i.e.: at Craft Fantastic booth, I made a 'window' charm for a necklace featuring an 'inchie' clip art of a Valentine dog. The vendor, Jenny, told me that her husband's deaf and she knew ASL to communicate, which influenced her to accompany her customers well. At the Stamp Lady - Etc. booth, which is usually the first vendor I check out whenever I visit this festival, I was able to purchase new & vintage stamps and catalogs that wouldn't be found elsewhere or would've cost alot more to acquire. It costs $10 (minus $1 w/ coupon) + $8 to park. But, I, course got it free so I didn't have to pay anything ;) Thank YOU!

AZ United is a professional soccer team in the USL, which is currently considered the 3rd tier of…read moreUS soccer, behind MLS and NASL. Their 1st season was in 2014, months after they gained the franchise rights from now defunct Phoenix FC Wolves. They currently play at Peoria Sports Complex, the spring training home of baseball's Seattle Mariners & San Diego Padres. This, while not a centralized location in the Phoenix area, does provide free parking and ample space. I've been a supporter of AZ United since it's inception, thanks in large part to being a member of La Furia Roja 1881, one of 3 supporters groups for AZ United. I love going to the games and enjoy supporting a local professional soccer team. the team is still figuring out how to gain a solid foothold in the fickle Phx sports market, and a home stadium in downtown Phx would be a great start. also advertising. they do the bare minimum of that, which is ironic considering the main owner started Arrowhead Advertising. those are my main gripes about AZ United. oh, and the lack of merchandise. every time I have the chance, i go to AZ United games. if you're a fan of soccer, make the trip. it's worth it.

My family loves our Saturday nights at AZ United games. Ticket prices are very affordable at $15…read moreand under. We usually sit in the sections that are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Drinks are cheaper if you get there early and buy at their happy hour pricing. The location is surrounded by great restaurants as well for before or after. The team best part is the team, they are fun to watch, and have players from several different countries.

3.20.26 - Was excited for this event! Purchased the early bird tickets for $13 each so that wasn't…read morebad at all. I attended this event last year and the lines weren't too bad that time. Place seemed brighter and livelier last year. It was also a bit more busy too. This year, it was pretty empty. Lines were short though so that was a good thing. It was hot out on this particular weekend. Wish they would plan these outdoor events during the cooler months. I just had to come back again for a few specific items. Unfortunately, the oysters from Nola Oysteria were a bit overcooked and dry this year. Chili wontons from Zindrew were also better last time. They were also hot (spicy) last time. This time, it was just mild (1 friend can't handle hot). I ended up buying a jar of Zindrew's hot chili oil to take home. Sooo good! Pho soup dumplings were delicious!! I wanted 2 more trays of it! My friend liked the bone marrow. They liked the katsu chicken sando too. My lychee tea was refreshing. My friend got a giant mango drink in the animal jugs but it came with little to no ice!! Was not worth $25 for it. My only regret was not purchasing any dessert to eat or take home this time.

So this past Sunday was the Thriftapalooza…read more.. This is a must try attraction for the ones that didn't make it this year, but a must for next year. Easy parking. Easy entrance. Friendly customer service from all the workers..but most importantly. It was a fun function. Walking down and looking at all the booths and bringing me back to when I was kid. The things I'd collect and wear. This was an awesome event. Glad I was able to take part in it. Thank you Thriftapalooza! And thank you AE & State Fair for a great event...until again yelpers...