Chandler Ostrich Festival RV Rental Guide

The Chandler Ostrich Festival is exactly what it sounds like: a three-day outdoor festival built around ostrich racing, camel racing, and carnival entertainment in Chandler, AZ each mid-March. It's been running since 1989, draws 75,000+ visitors over the weekend, and is genuinely unique — professional ostrich jockeys, an absurd and entertaining race format, and a full carnival and concert lineup. Chandler is in the southeast Phoenix metro (about 25 miles from downtown Phoenix), which means it's easily accessible from the same east Valley or south Phoenix RV base used for other metro events. March weather is Arizona's best: 75–80°F days, mild nights.

VenueTumbleweed Park, 2250 S McQueen Rd, Chandler, AZ 85286
DatesThree days in mid-March — typically a Friday through Sunday. Verify at ostrichfestival.com each year.
Book Your RVBook 4–6 weeks out. March is peak Arizona RV season but Chandler-specific demand is lower than Scottsdale events — east Valley parks generally have availability.

RV Tips for Chandler Ostrich Festival

  1. Usery Mountain Regional Park (east Mesa, 15 miles from Tumbleweed Park) is the closest hookup camping — scenic desert setting and reservable sites
  2. The ostrich races run multiple heats throughout the day; arrive early for the first races when the crowd is smaller and you can get close to the starting area
  3. Camel races are part of the same bill — less famous but equally absurd and entertaining
  4. Chandler is 15 miles from Mesa's excellent Hohokam ruins (Casa Grande is 40 miles further) — a natural cultural add-on for history-minded RV travelers
  5. The festival has a significant carnival midway and vendor market in addition to the racing — budget a full day to see everything
  6. March is prime Superstition Mountains hiking season — combine with a day at Lost Dutchman State Park (20 miles north) for a full weekend

Frequently Asked Questions

What actually happens at the Chandler Ostrich Festival?

Ostrich racing is the anchor event: jockeys ride ostriches in competitive heats, which is as chaotic and entertaining as it sounds — ostriches don't exactly respond to steering. The same bill includes camel and zebra racing. Beyond the races, the festival has a large carnival midway, national music acts on multiple stages (included with admission), vendor and food markets, and family-oriented activities. It's a genuinely fun event even if animal racing isn't your primary interest.

Why does Chandler have an ostrich festival?

Chandler was historically an ostrich farming community. In the early 1900s, ostrich feathers were a fashionable accessory and Arizona's desert climate was ideal for farming the birds. Chandler's ostrich farms supplied feathers to fashion markets in New York and Europe. The industry declined after World War I when feathered hats fell out of fashion, but the town's ostrich heritage stuck — the Chandler Ostrich Festival, running since 1989, revives that history as a community celebration.

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