Tempe Festival of the Arts RV Rental Guide

The Tempe Festival of the Arts is held twice a year on Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe — a spring edition in late March/early April and a fall edition in early December. It's one of the most prestigious juried fine art festivals in the Southwest, consistently ranked in Sunshine Artist Magazine's top shows nationally. Around 225 exhibiting artists show original work across sculpture, painting, ceramics, jewelry, photography, and mixed media. Mill Avenue is closed to traffic for the festival and runs about 10 blocks along Tempe Town Lake. Admission is free. The spring edition benefits from ideal March/April weather and a large ASU student and young professional attendance that creates an energetic atmosphere.

VenueMill Avenue, Downtown Tempe, AZ 85281 (along Tempe Town Lake)
DatesSpring: late March or early April — typically the last weekend of March. Fall: first weekend of December. Both run Friday through Sunday. Verify at tempefestivalofthearts.com.
Book Your RVBook 4–6 weeks out for spring, 6–8 for fall (holiday travel season). Tempe Town Lake area has several nearby RV options.

RV Tips for Tempe Festival of the Arts

  1. Tempe is in the center of the Phoenix metro — use east Valley or south Tempe RV parks as a base and rideshare or use light rail to Mill Avenue
  2. The Tempe METRO Light Rail stops at Mill Avenue — a simple and effective way to avoid parking entirely; park at a station lot and ride in
  3. The festival runs concurrent with Tempe Marketplace events and ASU activities — weekend afternoons are the highest-attendance windows
  4. Tempe Town Lake and Papago Park are walkable from Mill Avenue — a morning kayak or bike rental at the lake followed by the festival afternoon is a natural combo
  5. The Phoenix Art Museum (15 minutes from Tempe) is complementary if you want to extend an art-focused trip
  6. The fall edition in December coincides with the coolest, most pleasant weather of the year in Phoenix (65–72°F) — excellent conditions for walking an outdoor art fair

Frequently Asked Questions

How prestigious is the Tempe Festival of the Arts?

The Tempe Festival of the Arts is consistently ranked among the top 20–30 fine art festivals nationally by Sunshine Artist Magazine. It's a juried show — artists apply and are selected by a jury panel, which filters out craft vendors and commercial reproductions. The 225 selected artists exhibit original work only. It's a legitimate art buying event, not a tourist craft market, which is why it draws serious collectors and the artist participation rate is high.

Is there anything else to do in Tempe during the festival weekend?

Tempe is one of the most walkable cities in the Phoenix metro. Tempe Town Lake (adjacent to Mill Avenue) has kayak and paddleboat rentals, a 5-mile lakeside trail, and several restaurants with waterfront patios. Papago Park (2 miles north) has the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden, and easy hiking at Hole in the Rock. Old Town Scottsdale is 5 miles northeast for dining and galleries. For RV travelers using it as an anchor, a spring Tempe trip pairs naturally with the Superstition Mountains to the east or a Sedona drive north.

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