This beautiful March weather means there’s no reason to stay indoors. If you need any more incentive, there are dozens of festivals scheduled for the month of March here in the Valley. For example, on March 25, the 13th Annual Salsa Festival runs from 2 pm to 8 pm at Copper Sky Regional Park in Maricopa. This festival features salsa chefs in a cooking competition as well as entertainment, food and drinks, plus a kids’ zone with games and activities. Salsa enthusiasts can sample the various salsas and vote up until 6:30 pm.
If Italian cuisine is more your speed, check out the Annual Italian Festival on March 25-26 from 11 am to 9 pm Saturday, and 11 am to 5 pm Sunday at the Scottsdale Civic Center. This festival features a wide variety of activities from live music and Italian cuisine to Italian art and artists, and hand-crafted Italian items. Admission tickets also available pre-sale online. Another fun event occurring that same weekend is the 14th Annual Arizona Dragon Boat Festival at 8 am on Saturday and Sunday at Tempe Town Lake Marina, North Shore. This festival features a race with teams from all over the world, racing their decorated boats across the lake. Live entertainment will also be on hand.
On March 31-April 2, the Tempe Festival of the Arts will occur on Mill Avenue in Tempe, from 10 am to 5:30 pm. This free event features 350 artist booths representing 17 different categories of art, from photography and ceramics to wood, wearable arts and jewelry. Live performers and street entertainers, vendors and a kids’ area will round out the fun.
Finally, from Feb 11 to April 2, the Arizona Renaissance Festival in Gold Canyon, 12601 E. US Highway 60, is an all-day event that’s fun for every age. This festival is one of the largest in the United States and features shows, jousting, food, drinks, and vendors.
Browse this interactive Scottsdale map of neighborhoods to view homes for sale and learn about the communities.