While Arizona is known for its dry desert vistas, Flagstaff experiences a full range of seasonal weather—that means blankets of snow in the winter, vibrant blooms in the spring, sunny days in the summer, and beautiful changing leaves in the fall. If you’re looking to take an autumnal retreat this fall season, Flagstaff is the perfect destination!
Add stargazing to your list of amazing things to do during your fall trip to Northern Arizona! On this page, you will find out how to get the best leaf-watching and stargazing out of your trip.
(Labor Day – Memorial Day)
Monday: Noon – 10pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Noon – 10pm
Thursday: Noon – 10pm
Friday: Noon – 10pm
Saturday: Noon – 10pm
Sunday: Noon – 10pm
Cassiopeia is a constellation in the northern sky named after the vain queen Cassiopeia in Greek mythology, who boasted about her unrivaled beauty. To spot her in the sky, look for a ‘W’ shape ascending in the northeast after nightfall.
The constellation Pisces is easiest to see in October and November, or on late evenings in September. Because its stars are relatively dim, Pisces is most visible in a dark country sky. The constellation Pisces is part of a larger grouping of Pegasus, Andromeda, Aries, and Triangulum. It is also near Aquarius.
Aquarius is best seen in the evening sky during a Northern Hemisphere autumn or Southern Hemisphere spring. It’s just to the east of another zodiacal constellation, Capricornus. You can also use the Great Square of Pegasus to guide you toward Aquarius.
To find Andromeda, first look for the W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia in the northern part of the sky. Andromeda is located directly next to Cassiopeia, and is also connected to a boxy shape of stars that make up the constellation Pegasus.
Aries is located in the Northern Hemisphere between Pisces to its west and Taurus to its east. The best view of Aries occurs on December nights around 9 p.m. local time. Alpha, Beta and Gamma Arietis are the three brightest stars within the Aries constellation.
To locate Perseus, look to the north, where Cassiopeia forms a bright “W” or “M” (depending on its orientation). If Cassiopeia resembles a “W,” Perseus will be the group of stars below the left part of the zig-zag. If Cassiopeia resembles an “M,” Perseus will be the group of stars below the right part of the zig-zag.
Look east just after dark for the Great Square of Pegasus around the time of the September equinox (which will occur on Thursday, Sept. 22 this year). Throughout late September and October evenings, the Great Square will be ascending in the eastern evening sky.
Cetus is easy to find as it is quite large and lies in a region of the sky lacking many stars. Cetus can be found most easily rising just above the eastern horizon in the fall and winter. The constellation is found just west of Taurus the Bull and East of Aquarius.
The constellation of Cepheus is bordered by the constellations Camelopardalis, Cassiopeia, Cygnus, Draco, Lacerta, and Ursa Minor. To find Cepheus, carry out a naked-eye search for its asterism. The five stars in the ‘house’ are Errai, Alfirk, Alderamin, Delta Cephei, and Iota Cephei.
Use Discover Flagstaff’s virtual LEAF-ometer to check on the changing fall colors around Flagstaff throughout the autumn season! Whether you’re planning a scenic hike or a seasonal photo session, the LEAF-ometer will keep you updated on what kinds of fall colors to expect.
You can also visit DiscoverFlagstaff.com to see beautiful photos taken in various locations around Flagstaff and surrounding areas for an accurate foliage forecast.
Every first Friday of the month, 5-9 PM
Heritage Square & Downtown Flagstaff
ArtWalk FLG brings Downtown Flagstaff to life every first Friday of the month. Art galleries and businesses open their doors to the community with special art exhibitions, performances, live music, treats, and more. From paintings and sculptures to live performances, such as the dancing grannies, the streets are filled with excitement as artists and art lovers mingle, listen and dance to music, and discover unique treasures. It’s a night of creativity, community, and endless inspiration—perfect for anyone looking to experience Flagstaff’s artistic heart!
Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2025
Saturday & Sunday 9:30am-5pm, Monday 9:30am-4pm
Wheeler Park
Flagstaff Art in the Park is an arts and crafts festival that features tightly juried one-of-a-kind fine art and fine crafts designed and shown by the artists. These shows take place over the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends in Wheeler Park in Downtown Flagstaff; a beautiful tree-shaded, grassy venue across the street from City Hall and on the main thoroughfare to the Grand Canyon. These shows feature nonstop live music throughout the three days of each event. So come and join us once again for another amazing season of art and music in the heart of Northern Arizona’s cool pines!
Sept. 6, 2025
11am-2pm
The Arboretum at Flagstaff
Enjoy free admission to The Arboretum and take home autumnal flowers at unbeatable deals! Support the local growers in Flagstaff by purchasing different plants and flowers during the Fall Plant Sale. With the pleasantly warm days and cool nights in Flagstaff, don’t miss taking home new garden plants that will thrive in the autumnal weather.
Sept. 12-14, 2025
Sept. 12, Friday: 9am-11pm | Sept. 13, Saturday: 9am-11pm | Sept. 14, Sunday: 9am-6pm
Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill Park
Experience three days of Bluegrass fun with camping, community dancing, family-friendly activities, and more. Held at the Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill Park, the Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass Music Festival is the ultimate outdoor music event, where guitar-jangling times meet a Flagstaff pines backdrop.
September 19 –28, 2025
The 36th annual Flagstaff Festival of Science announces “Harvesting Knowledge,” a theme that uncovers traditional food science and its relevance for the environment, community health and cultural significance. The Festival will take place Sept. 19-28.
To launch the free, 10-day adventure, the Festival will bring featured speaker Mariah Gladstone, Piikuni (Blackfeet) and Tsalagi (Cherokee), who was raised in Northwest Montana and holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from Columbia University. Gladstone is a nationally recognized advocate for food sovereignty and sustainability.
Sept. 20, 2025
12pm-10pm
Heritage Square in Downtown Flagstaff
Every year, the Flagstaff Music Festival imbues an animated energy into Downtown Flagstaff, where everyone will be rockin’ and rollin’ the whole day away. Featuring a variety of local musicians, this festival aims to generate proceeds and awareness for the Haven Walker Music Scholarship Fund.
September 25–27, 2025
The 2025 Flagstaff Star Party and Celebration of the Night returns with activities and events celebrating Flagstaff’s wonderful night skies, building to the Flagstaff Star Party at Buffalo Park September 25 through September 27! Celebration of the Night events include in-person and online presentations, music under the stars, and more, celebrating the beauty, wonder, and inspiration of Flagstaff’s night skies!
October 4, 2025
10 am-9 pm
Wheeler Park
Munich returns to downtown Flagstaff, AZ, with the annual Flagstaff Oktoberfest. Kick off the autumn season with bratwurst, pretzels and Plenty of Beer! Guests will enjoy many crowd favorites including polka music, brat eating contest, stein holding competition and much more. Lace up your dirndl, throw on your lederhosen and grab a stein because Flagstaff is celebrating 16 years of the Flagstaff Oktoberfest! The Flagstaff Oktoberfest has raised over $190,000 for local non-profits, join in the gift that keeps on giving when you attend this fun fall festival!
Visit flagstaffoktoberfest.com to purchase tickets and learn more.
(928) 779-1951
Arizona Snowbowl is well known as a skiing and snowboarding winter wonderland. However, every summer and autumn nature lovers can take to the skies on the Scenic Gondola. As you soar over the mountains, you will enjoy the glories of autumn’s crisp amber, with a bird’s eye view of the mixed fir and aspen tree canopy below. Located north of Flagstaff off Highway 180 on Snowbowl Road. Drive through scenic Aspen Corner to catch the leaves shimmering gold in the sun and stretch your legs on a trail along the way. Bonus: The Grand Canyon can be spotted from this panoramic spot.
Sundays through October 2025
Sundays 8 am-12 pm
(928) 853-2382
The freshest in regional fruits, vegetables, honey, baked goods, fresh flowers, tamales, jams, breads and more at City Hall on Sunday mornings and across from the Orpheum on Wednesdays. The Flagstaff Community Market aims to support small and medium sized independent growers and producers by providing folks with a local alternative to corporate and globalized food production in Northern Arizona. It’s definitely worth a stop to shop some fresh honey, spicy salsas and locally created crafts.
Oct. 17 – 19, 2025
7pm-8:45pm
The Beaver Street Theatre
Don’t miss the chance to see “In Real Life,” a play about an African-American woman who dreams about making it big on Broadway in the late ’70s. This one-actor show will feature the talents of star Racquel McKenzie as she plays each character in the show.
October 25, 2025
4pm – 8pm
The Arboretum at Flagstaff
As the Arboretum is seasonal and only open May through October, this will be their last event of 2025! Don’t miss out on fall pumpkin fun! Beer, food trucks, kids’ activities, music and hundreds of lit pumpkins will be waiting for you surrounded by ponderosa forest with spectacular views of the San Francisco Peaks.
October 25-26, 2025
October 25, Saturday: 10am-7:30pm | October 26, Sunday: 10am-4pm
The Museum of Northern Arizona
Enjoy the customs and culture of Flagstaff’s Mexican and Mexican-American communities at the Celebraciones de la Gente! Make your way to the Museum of Northern Arizona and witness a fall weekend that’s brimming with cultural dances, sugar skull decorating, colorful art displays, and more.
Take in the fall scenery on foot might by hiking some of Flagstaff’s most popular trails. There are many trails, ranging in difficulty, which will provide stunning views of the changing landscape. Try out Discover Flagstaff’s virtual Flagstaff Trails Passport to pick trails from an expertly procured list of hiking, biking, running and accessible opportunities. The passport promotes seasonal recommendations, so leaf-peepers have their research done for them when embarking on Fall adventures in Flagstaff.
