Fall is officially the happiest season in Phoenix, and it smells like funnel cake. The Arizona State Fair has opened its gates for the 2026 season under the theme “A State of Wonder,” turning the Arizona State Fairgrounds into a wonderland of lights, music and mouthwatering treats from Thursday, October 1 through Sunday, November 1.
The 2026 edition gives longtime fans plenty of new discoveries. Two new rides — the towering Goliath XXL and the spinning Air Raid — join a midway that now counts 69 attractions, including the iconic La Grande Wheel, one of the largest transportable Ferris wheels in the country. Add giant slides, classic games and more than 100 food booths, and the wonder never stops.
Music takes center stage too. The Coliseum Concert Series returns to the historic Veterans Memorial Coliseum with a crowd-pleasing lineup: Gin Blossoms, Becky G, All Time Low, The Offspring, Russell Dickerson and Public Enemy. Every concert ticket includes fair admission, so the whole day of fair fun comes with the show.
Arizona talent gets a bigger spotlight than ever this year with the debut of the Battle of the Bands, where local musicians compete all month for a shot at the October 29 finale inside the coliseum — plus three stages dedicated exclusively to homegrown performers.
The fair is open Thursdays through Sundays only (noon to 9 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, noon to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays), at 1826 W. McDowell Road in Phoenix. Adult admission is $20.
Photo: Marine 69-71 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
