Spring Returns to Mill Avenue with Tempe Festival of the Arts March 13-15
Friday, March 13, 2026 -- Sunday, March 15, 2026, 1000 - 1630
Now in its 49th year, the spring festival transforms Mill Avenue and surrounding streets into a dynamic outdoor arts district filled with 350-plus juried artists, live entertainment, interactive programming, immersive art experiences and culinary offerings woven throughout Downtown Tempe. Admission is free and the festival is open to the public.
Featured Artist
The spring 2026 Featured Artist Adam Gile will be exhibiting at Booth #1140, presenting his “Hardwood Anatomy” series - intricate laser-cut, stained wood works that highlight both precision and material depth - along with additional original pieces available for purchase. Trained as a mechanical engineer and now based in Tempe, Gile brings a distinctive structural perspective to his work, blending technical expertise with a refined sense of craftsmanship and design.
Food and Beverage Experiences
Festival-goers can explore 20-plus local food, snack and drink vendors scattered throughout the festival, serving everything from Asian island food and street eats to sweet treats and beverages. Three beer and wine gardens will feature craft beer from Four Peaks Brewing Company and Pedal Haus Brewery, along with canned Nomadica wine and Cutwater cocktails. In addition, the Arizona Wine and Spirits Tasting returns to Centerpoint Plaza on Saturday and Sunday, spotlighting seven Arizona wineries and distilleries. The tasting experience offers attendees the opportunity to sample locally crafted selections in a dedicated setting designed for relaxed sipping.
Live Entertainment
The Centerpoint Stage presented by Omni Hotel at Tempe ASU (located at Seventh Street and Mill Avenue in Centerpoint Plaza) will host nine live performances over the weekend, each in 90-minute sets. Situated next to a beer and wine garden, the Arizona Wine and Spirits Tasting and the festival food court, the stage offers a central gathering space where guests can enjoy live music alongside eats and beverages. Shaded seating in the plaza provides a comfortable place to relax and recharge between performances.
In a separate area of the festival, at the intersection of Fifth Street and Mill Avenue, the Lo-Fi Lounge will feature a different live DJ spinning throughout festival hours each day. Located near the center of the event footprint, the space offers shaded seating for guests who want to sit, relax and enjoy the music without stepping away from the action.
The entertainment lineup also extends beyond the stage with a specialty car showcase from Legendary Bombs, an Arizona car club known for meticulously restored and customized lowrider “bomb” cars from the 1930s through the 1950s.
Chalk-A-Lot Street
Chalk-A-Lot Street returns to Fourth Street west of Mill Avenue, where nine muralists will create large-scale works live on Saturday and Sunday of the festival. This spring’s theme invites artists to step back in time, drawing inspiration from the 1920s through the 1980s. Expect bold color palettes, retro patterns and nods to the music, fashion and design that shaped each decade. Visitors can watch the artwork come to life throughout the weekend and cast a vote for the People’s Choice Award, while a festival jury selects the Best Mural.
Kids Block
Presented by Medieval Times, Kids Block returns Saturday and Sunday with hands-on creativity and high-energy fun designed especially for young festival goers. Kids can take part in Junior Knights Training Sessions and create their own crowns during sessions from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.
Families can explore Upcycled City, build imaginative cityscapes from everyday recyclables or craft a one-of-a-kind hanging mobile using colorful toy pieces and household materials with local artist Shari Keith, also known as The Junk Lady. LEGOLAND Discovery Center will also host a special LEGO building activity, inviting kids to design and construct their own creative builds to take home. Meanwhile, new this spring, a live, kid-friendly DJ will keep the energy up from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Large outdoor games, LEGO bricks, sidewalk chalk and plenty of space to play round out the experience.
A dedicated Parents’ Lounge sponsored by Tempe Birth Center will be available for breastfeeding parents, diaper changing or anyone needing a quieter place to reset, with additional tables and seating throughout Kids Block so families can relax while kids create and play.
Youth Arts Features
Just across the street from Kids Block, the Young Artist Exhibition + Competition tent will be open Friday through Sunday, showcasing more than 300 works created by K–12 students from across the Valley, with many pieces available for purchase and opportunities for youth artists to win cash awards.
Inside Kids Block, the Young Collectors Gallery (open Saturday and Sunday only) offers children the chance to purchase a handcrafted piece donated by a festival artist for just $5-giving young visitors an exciting jump-start to their art-collecting journey.
Category: Community
Featured Artist
The spring 2026 Featured Artist Adam Gile will be exhibiting at Booth #1140, presenting his “Hardwood Anatomy” series - intricate laser-cut, stained wood works that highlight both precision and material depth - along with additional original pieces available for purchase. Trained as a mechanical engineer and now based in Tempe, Gile brings a distinctive structural perspective to his work, blending technical expertise with a refined sense of craftsmanship and design.
Food and Beverage Experiences
Festival-goers can explore 20-plus local food, snack and drink vendors scattered throughout the festival, serving everything from Asian island food and street eats to sweet treats and beverages. Three beer and wine gardens will feature craft beer from Four Peaks Brewing Company and Pedal Haus Brewery, along with canned Nomadica wine and Cutwater cocktails. In addition, the Arizona Wine and Spirits Tasting returns to Centerpoint Plaza on Saturday and Sunday, spotlighting seven Arizona wineries and distilleries. The tasting experience offers attendees the opportunity to sample locally crafted selections in a dedicated setting designed for relaxed sipping.
Live Entertainment
The Centerpoint Stage presented by Omni Hotel at Tempe ASU (located at Seventh Street and Mill Avenue in Centerpoint Plaza) will host nine live performances over the weekend, each in 90-minute sets. Situated next to a beer and wine garden, the Arizona Wine and Spirits Tasting and the festival food court, the stage offers a central gathering space where guests can enjoy live music alongside eats and beverages. Shaded seating in the plaza provides a comfortable place to relax and recharge between performances.
In a separate area of the festival, at the intersection of Fifth Street and Mill Avenue, the Lo-Fi Lounge will feature a different live DJ spinning throughout festival hours each day. Located near the center of the event footprint, the space offers shaded seating for guests who want to sit, relax and enjoy the music without stepping away from the action.
The entertainment lineup also extends beyond the stage with a specialty car showcase from Legendary Bombs, an Arizona car club known for meticulously restored and customized lowrider “bomb” cars from the 1930s through the 1950s.
Chalk-A-Lot Street
Chalk-A-Lot Street returns to Fourth Street west of Mill Avenue, where nine muralists will create large-scale works live on Saturday and Sunday of the festival. This spring’s theme invites artists to step back in time, drawing inspiration from the 1920s through the 1980s. Expect bold color palettes, retro patterns and nods to the music, fashion and design that shaped each decade. Visitors can watch the artwork come to life throughout the weekend and cast a vote for the People’s Choice Award, while a festival jury selects the Best Mural.
Kids Block
Presented by Medieval Times, Kids Block returns Saturday and Sunday with hands-on creativity and high-energy fun designed especially for young festival goers. Kids can take part in Junior Knights Training Sessions and create their own crowns during sessions from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.
Families can explore Upcycled City, build imaginative cityscapes from everyday recyclables or craft a one-of-a-kind hanging mobile using colorful toy pieces and household materials with local artist Shari Keith, also known as The Junk Lady. LEGOLAND Discovery Center will also host a special LEGO building activity, inviting kids to design and construct their own creative builds to take home. Meanwhile, new this spring, a live, kid-friendly DJ will keep the energy up from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Large outdoor games, LEGO bricks, sidewalk chalk and plenty of space to play round out the experience.
A dedicated Parents’ Lounge sponsored by Tempe Birth Center will be available for breastfeeding parents, diaper changing or anyone needing a quieter place to reset, with additional tables and seating throughout Kids Block so families can relax while kids create and play.
Youth Arts Features
Just across the street from Kids Block, the Young Artist Exhibition + Competition tent will be open Friday through Sunday, showcasing more than 300 works created by K–12 students from across the Valley, with many pieces available for purchase and opportunities for youth artists to win cash awards.
Inside Kids Block, the Young Collectors Gallery (open Saturday and Sunday only) offers children the chance to purchase a handcrafted piece donated by a festival artist for just $5-giving young visitors an exciting jump-start to their art-collecting journey.
Category: Community
Starting Price Per Person
Free
Other Information
Where
Downtown Tempe USA
Mill Avenue and surrounding streets in in Downtown Tempe
Tempe Arizona 85281
United States
( Multi-Purpose Events Venue )
Mill Avenue and surrounding streets in in Downtown Tempe
Tempe Arizona 85281
United States
( Multi-Purpose Events Venue )
Event Organizer Contact:
More Events
Event ID: 266618
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