This year, make a resolution to discover some of Chandler’s best events, attractions, and things to do. To get you started, we've put together a list of 20 things to do in Chandler for the New Year!
1. Run with your girlfriends.
Designed to empower women, Arizona’s largest all-female running event, the SHE Power Half Marathon & 5K starts and finishes in Downtown Chandler on Sunday, January 22, 2023.
2. Explore the iconic Chandler Museum.
Offering engaging, community-focused programs as well as renowned traveling exhibits, the Chandler Museum is a unique, cultural destination. Admission is free.
3. Attend the 102.5 KNIX Barbeque and Beer Festival
Celebrating more than a decade of delicious fun, Arizona's largest BBQ event is happening this winter in Chandler at Tumbleweed Park. Featuring the very best in BBQ, craft beer and country music on two stages. The KNIX Barbeque and Beer Festival 2023 takes place at Tumbleweed Park on Saturday, March 25, 2023 featuring live music from Chris Janson, Craig Morgan, Hailey Whitters and Connor Smith.
4. Golf on Arizona’s first grass course.
Opened in 1913, the San Marcos Golf Course was the first grass (instead of sand) fairways in Arizona and is still a popular course with its open, tamarisk-lined fairways and easy access to Downtown Chandler restaurants and bars. Rental clubs are available.
5. Hear the best live music.
A hotbed for live music, Downtown Chandler features more than a dozen stages featuring live music at the various restaurants and bars that envelop the historic square for dinner with music, cocktails or late night jam sessions.
6. Tour Arizona’s largest brewery and distillery.
Located in Uptown Chandler, tour highlights include tours of the craft beer and spirits labs with tastings along the route. Enjoy a peek into the science and similarities behind the brewing and distilling process, and an intimate education about the history and future of SanTan Brewing Company. Purchase tickets online.
7. Discover Western American and American Indian Art.
One of Chandler’s hidden gems, The Eddie Basha Collection showcases more than 3,000 pieces of Western and native art from woven baskets and kachinas to oil paintings and stone carvings. The gallery is located in the corporate headquarters of the Bashas’ grocery store chain.
8. Attend the Ostrich Festival.
One of the nation’s most unique festivals, the Ostrich Festival is a one-of-a-kind event that happens each March at Tumbleweed Park. Make plans to celebrate the iconic ostrich, take a whirl on carnival rides, or catch a concert on the main stage. The Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival produces the annual event and details about the entertainment schedule and headliners is coming soon!
9. Take a desert hike.
The 113-acre Veterans Oasis Park offers 4.5 miles of varied trail experiences, including easy trails through Sonoran Desert landscape and a paved Solar System Walk with a scale representation of the sun and planets. Veterans Oasis is also one of the Valley’s premier birding destinations.
10. Raise a pint of craft beer.
Chandler brewers take their passion for brewing seriously and the community is home to some of the state’s best brews offering a great taste of Arizona.
11. Shop until you drop.
Chandler Fashion Center is the second largest mall in the state with storefronts ranging from Macy’s to Apple and the Chandler SCHEELS will open in fall 2023, brimming with attractions. For trendy, local boutiques head to The Shoppes at Casa Paloma or to Downtown Chandler for the perfect Arizona souvenir at d'Vine Gourmet.
12. Experience a day of hands-on family fun.
Find colorful family fun with 19 one-of-a-kind attractions at Crayola Experience, located at Chandler Fashion Center mall.
13. Board a vintage train.
The Arizona Railway Museum displays four rows of vintage trains, including a steam locomotive engine and a Santa Fe caboose. Admission of $5 per adult, $2 for children aged 2-12 ($15 per family) includes a self-guided tour, access to at least four passenger cars and the caboose, and artifact displays. Comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended.
14. Sip your way through Chandler’s thriving craft cocktail scene.
Chandler is home to many of the best cocktail bars in metro Phoenix and the community is bustling with places sourcing local ingredients, modern renditions and classic cocktails with a twist.
15. Horseback ride through the Sonoran Desert.
Koli Equestrian Center isn’t your typical stable. You’re free to ride side-by-side (no nose-to-tail here), and guides are members of the Gila River Indian Reservation who share stories of their people as you ride through their native lands. Watch for wild horses along the way.
16. Enjoy performing arts, concerts, and more.
The Chandler Center for the Arts entertains with engaging concerts to the vibrant and heart-pounding beat of Bollywood. It’s also the place to catch nationally-acclaimed acts like Marie Osmond (March 11th), Meow Meow (April 1), and more.
17. Drive a race car.
Radford Racing School satisfies your need for speed with courses ranging from advanced teen driving to Formula Mazda racing and high performance driving in a Dodge Challenger Hellcat. You can also kart race here and take a hot lap.
18. Savor globally inspired good eats.
From boozy brunch spots to classic hole in the wall eats, Chandler’s diverse and lively culinary scene offers a tasty array of eats.
19. Must-see murals in Chandler.
Commemorate your Chandler trip with a selfie or family photo in front of one of the many murals that dot the community providing a more personal look at Chandler’s unique civic identity.
20. Watch the Chandler Tumbleweed Tree lighting.
Chandler has one of the most unique holiday trees in the nation: a framework of 1,000 spray-painted tumbleweeds covered in 65 pounds of glitter and 1,200 lights. Be there the first night to see it in all its glory. The 2023 Chandler Tumbleweed Tree Lighting takes place in Dr. A.J. Chandler Park the first Saturday in December (December 2, 2023).
