RV Rentals at Italian Festival of Arizona
*Stay tuned for 2025 dates.
The Italian Festival of Arizona is an annual event celebrating the culture of the Italian people who live in the Grand Canyon State. Set up by the Italian Association of Arizona, the festival is a two-day event for anyone looking to have some fun while experiencing Italian culture up close and personal. With music, decorations, events, games, and, plenty of food of Italian origin, it's like stepping out into Europe's boot without leaving the United States. Stay tuned for 2024 updates.
ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT
Like any fair, the Italian Festival of Arizona is packed with fun. Your options for entertainment are vast and varied over the two-day event.
Food
No celebration of Italian culture would be complete without some amazing catering. Many local Italian restaurants sell their food at the festival. Make sure you show up with an appetite.
Souvenirs and Shops
There are many local Italian vendors who sell their wares during the festival. From jewelry to bottled wine to clothing and more, you'll have your pick of some great items to take home with you.
Live Music
Live music is a staple of the Italian Festival of Arizona. Plenty of talented artists, both well-known and local up-and-comers, frequently hold concerts at the fair. Some musicians from Italy even fly in each year to perform. As part of the tradition, D-Gala and the Phoenix Tenors always come to play a set.
Live Shows
Non-musical shows are also plentiful during the Italian Festival. Interactive events are also plentiful, including a delicious spaghetti-eating contest.
Museum
One of the attractions at the Italian Festival each year is a museum. Learn about the rich cultural history of Italy and the Italian people in Arizona.
LOCATION
You can attend the Italian Festival of Arizona by heading over to downtown Phoenix's Jackson Street where you'll find the festivities between 1st and 4th streets at the Talking Stick Resort Arena's south side.
Talking Stick Resort Arena
201 E. Jefferson St.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
RVING AT THE EVENT
There's nowhere to camp at the Talking Stick Resort Arena when you're in an RV, but that doesn't mean you don't have plenty of options for where to stay while on your trip. If you'd like to stay at a beautiful RV campground while you attend the Italian Festival, you can try the following:
• North Phoenix Campground
North Phoenix Campground is a scenic place to stay while on your trip. Roughly 15 miles from downtown, it offers a ton of amenities as well as a great location in relation to lots of other attractions in the area. It is pet-friendly and has a swimming pool.
• Desert Sands RV Park
Desert Sands RV Park is a fantastic place to camp. Its friendly atmosphere and neighborhood-like arrangements are matched only by its amenities, including things like free cable and Wi-Fi, shower facilities, a pool and more.
• Desert Shadows RV Resort
The Desert Shadows RV Resort stays true to its name by being both a shady place to get out of the sun and a resort in its own right. Enjoy the Jacuzzi and indoor heated pool among its many other amenities as you rest up in between festivities.
WHERE TO STAY
Finding a place to stay while attending the Italian Festival of Arizona is a simple matter. If you're an RVer renting space at one of the many campgrounds discussed earlier, you're already set. However, those who aren't RVing can still find lodging nearby.
• Hotels
There are tons of hotels all around Phoenix that you can book while you're attending the Italian Festival. Big names like Hampton, Sheraton, Holiday Inn and more are available all around the city. Given the local status of the Italian Festival, you might even have an easier time finding a room than at larger events.
• Bed-and-breakfast inns
Bed-and-breakfast inns abound in Phoenix. Enjoy a more intimate and often more affordable experience to a hotel that provides you many of the same comforts of home while you're away.
HOW TO GET THERE
It's simple to get to the Italian Festival of Arizona. In downtown coming from the north, you'll want to drive until you find a way onto East Jefferson Street. This likely means coming in from North Central, West Jefferson or South 1st Street.
From the south, you'll want to get onto East Jackson Street, most likely by driving from West Jackson or up from 1st, 2nd or 3rd Street.
Regardless of how you get there, you'll want to find a nearby parking garage. From there, simply follow the street signs until you're back at East Jackson. Walk until you reach the south doors of the venue located almost across the street from where South 2nd Street comes up.
Alternatively, you can use a taxi or ride-share service and ask your driver to let you out nearby, ideally at the intersection between East Jackson and South 2nd.
PARKING
There are several potential parking places near the Italian Festival of Arizona.
• Arena parking
The Talking Stick Resort Arena in which the Italian Festival is held has its own parking garage. It's located on the western side of the venue. As the closest parking area to the action, it's fairly likely that it will be the quickest to fill up.
• Chase Field garage
Chase Field is located across the street from the Talking Stick Resort Arena and has an associated parking garage just below that. You can get to the garage by traveling along South 4th Street, putting you a block or two away from the fair.
• Jefferson Street garage
Across the street to the east of the arena is the Jefferson Street garage. It's nestled into the Legends Entertainment District, and you can access it by traveling south along 3rd Street.
• 500-598 S 4th St parking
Located south of the Chase Field garage is the South 4th Street parking lot. You can get here by going down along 4th Street until it intersects with East Buchanan.
• East garage
Located north of Chase Field is another parking garage. This is the farthest walk from the Italian Festival but will likely have the most available spaces out of all your options.
TICKETS & PRICING
Keep an eye out for updates and ticket sales. If you purchased tickets already, please HOLD ON TO THEM. They will honor all tickets previously purchased.
WRAP UP
The Italian Festival of Arizona is a funfair full of food, family and culture. Make the trip and accommodations for the festival a little easier by exploring sunny Arizona in an RV rental. The convenience of an RV provides you with a safe, cool and affordable way to get around. Send some of your vacation pictures to [email protected] so everyone can see what you got up to. RVshare might even feature you in one of the site's blogs.
Remember to check out the Italian Festival of Arizona online by following @italianassociation on Facebook, @italianassociationofaz on Instagram and @ItalAssociation on Twitter. You can also find fun videos on the YouTube channel called The Italian Association of Arizona.
Please note, this is not the official source of the event information. While we try to be as comprehensive as possible, some details may have changed since the time this article was written. Please confirm final details with the official event page .
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