Surprise's Fall Season Runs Down Bullard Avenue

What do a Surprise Saguaros game, a free fiesta, a pool party with pumpkins, a Veterans Day Parade and a December holiday celebration have in common? They all happen on one short run of Bullard Avenue. The addresses run from 15831 to 16089 N. Bullard Ave. Just off that stretch, in City Center, the Desert Fall Festival is open on Tierra Buena Lane until Nov. 1.

This fall, everything is stacked in one place, and that changes how you plan. Most of the big dates on the city calendar fall between Oct. 2 and Dec. 19, and several weekends put two or three events within walking distance of each other. The easiest way to plan is to pick a weekend, not a single event.

The addresses that make up the fall

The cluster is easy to see in the addresses:

The Veterans Day Parade connects the two ends of the map. It steps off at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and runs along Bullard Avenue between Paradise Lane and Tierra Buena Lane. That's the same Tierra Buena Lane where the festival sets up.

Surprise Stadium carries the most dates

No venue on the corridor hosts more days this fall than Surprise Stadium. The Arizona Fall League season runs from Saturday, Oct. 3, through Saturday, Nov. 14, and the Surprise Saguaros play their first home game at Surprise Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 4. The league's big showcase dates happen elsewhere in the Valley. The Fall Stars Game is Sunday, Nov. 8, at Salt River Fields, and the AFL Championship is Nov. 14 at Peoria Sports Complex. The Saguaros' last home date on the Surprise Stadium schedule is Tuesday, Nov. 10, against the Scottsdale Scorpions at 1:30 p.m.

Most games start at 1:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. Arizona time, with some exceptions. Prices are low next to most ticketed evenings in the Valley:

• Adult single game: $14
• Seniors 60+ and youth 11–17: $12
• Children 10 and under: free
• Jewel Event games: $25 adult, $20 senior or youth
• Season passes: $160 adult, $120 senior, $31 for the Kids Club for ages 10 and under

The $160 adult pass costs about the same as a dozen $14 single-game tickets. That math matters for anyone planning several afternoons at the ballpark over the six-week season. The two official sources describe ticket buying differently. The Surprise Stadium page says advance sales are for groups only, and MLB's ticket page lists individual tickets online. Check MLB's page before you go.

The Desert Fall Festival brackets October

The Desert Fall Festival opened Sept. 25 and runs through Nov. 1 at 14470 W. Tierra Buena Lane in City Center. It's closed Mondays and Tuesdays until the final two weeks, when it opens every day. Hours depend on the day. Weeknights run 5 to 10 p.m., Fridays 5 to 11 p.m., Saturdays 4 to 11 p.m. and Sundays 4 to 10 p.m. On Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, it closes at 10 p.m.

The 2026 attractions include the Desert Pumpkin Maze, the Big Dig excavator, a zipline, a roller rink, a 90-foot slide, axe throwing, hay-bale archery, live music, line-dancing lessons and the Apple Cannon Blaster. The apple cannon has fans at City Hall. Before the Sept. 1 council vote on city reimbursement money for the festival, which covers the next three years, Vice Mayor Earle Greenberg asked, "What do we get to shoot this year with the apple cannon?"

Everyone 3 and older needs a general admission ticket. The festival's site shows several prices: $17.95, $24.95 after the early-bird sale and $26.99 at the gate. Buying online before you go looks like the cheaper route.

Tennis weekends run alongside everything else

The Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex hosts USTA League championships almost every weekend from early October into November. These are easy to overlook if you don't play league tennis. The run starts with the USTA Southwest Adult 18 & Over Mixed and 40 & Over Mixed sectional championships, Oct. 2–5. National championships follow:

1. Adult 18 & Over 3.5, Oct. 9–11
2. Adult 40 & Over 4.0, Oct. 16–18
3. Adult 18 & Over 4.0, Oct. 23–25
4. Mixed 40 & Over 6.0/8.0, Oct. 30–Nov. 1
5. Mixed 18 & Over 6.0/8.0/10.0, Nov. 6–8

That's six straight weekends of tournament play, from Oct. 2 through Nov. 8, which covers most of the Saguaros' home schedule.

Oct. 16–18 is the busiest weekend of the season

Put all the calendars together and one weekend has more going on than any other.

Friday, Oct. 16. The Saguaros host the Peoria Javelinas at 1:30 p.m. for a Friday Freebie game at Surprise Stadium. Surprise Pumpkin Splash runs from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Surprise Aquatic Center. The city says registration details are still to come. One part of the listing labels the date "Saturday," but the event field says Friday, Oct. 16.

Saturday, Oct. 17. Jason Bishop's "Straight Up Magic" starts at 4 p.m. at The Vista Center for the Arts. G.A.I.N. Night follows from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Mark Coronado Park, with family activities, demonstrations and trick-or-treating.

All weekend. The USTA Adult 40 & Over 4.0 National Championships run Oct. 16–18. The Desert Fall Festival is open both Friday and Saturday nights, and the Fall League season is in its third week.

The weekend before is lighter but still has a main event. Surprise Fiesta Grande is Saturday, Oct. 10, from 5 to 10 p.m. at Mark Coronado Park, and admission is free. The city notes that schedules can change. The next weekend brings Ambrosia to The Vista Center on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.

After the festival closes, the calendar spreads out

November is quieter, and each week has one clear anchor. The Mixed 18 & Over nationals fill the Nov. 6–8 weekend, and the Saguaros host the Peoria Javelinas at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. The Saguaros' final home date comes Nov. 10, and the parade takes over Bullard the next morning. On Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Surprise Regional Library hosts "Reflecting America: A Semiquincentennial Living History," which carries the city's 250th-anniversary programming into November.

December has two dates. The Surprise Party is Friday, Dec. 4, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Surprise Recreation Campus. The city calls it a two-night celebration but has only posted the Friday date so far. Mariachi Herencia de México brings "A Mariachi Christmas" to The Vista Center on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.

What opened away from Bullard

The biggest new building in Surprise this fall is in the Original Town Site, not on the events corridor. The Surprise Community & Resource Center at 12641 W. Santa Fe Drive, at Hollyhock Street, held its ribbon cutting on Sept. 3. The 35,000-square-foot center brings the city's senior center, resource center and Hollyhock Library together under one roof. KTAR reported the opening celebration a few days later. Maricopa County put in $18 million of its federal ARPA money, and the city added $8 million. The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation pledged $450,000, and the dining area is named the Sprouts Dining Hall. Hollyhock Library is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and closed Sunday.

A few smaller openings round out the fall:

• CAVA is set to open Sept. 30 at 23350 N. 163rd Ave., Suite 120, with hours of 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
• Panda Express held a grand opening Sept. 25 at 14182 N. Litchfield Road. The Surprise Independent says it's the chain's third location in the city.
• The Retro Exchange, a toy store, opened Aug. 22 at 12851 W. Bell Road and held its city ribbon cutting Sept. 23.
• Spark Surprise, a business-development center at 14462 W. Elm St., Suite 143, holds its public grand opening Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It offers coworking, workshops and mentorship.

One more restaurant is confirmed but further out. The Cheesecake Factory is coming to Village at Prasada off Waddell Road, east of Loop 303. The city expects it to open in late 2027.

Planning your fall around Saguaros afternoons and festival nights is a good way to see how much of Surprise happens along one street. If you'd like to talk about how the neighborhoods near Bullard Avenue and City Center compare, Elizabeth Chionchio is glad to help. Get a Free Local Market Consultation.