Things to Do in Sedona in October 2026: A Weekend-by-Weekend Events Guide
October is the month we'd pick if someone told us we only got one month a year in Sedona.
Highs in the seventies. Cool mornings that make you want to be outside at seven. Monsoon season wrapped up, summer crowds gone, and the canyons starting to turn gold. And on top of all that, this is the most packed events calendar of the entire year.
Here's everything happening in October 2026, organized by weekend, so you can pick your dates around the things you actually want to see. We live here, so we've also flagged which weekends get busy enough that you'll want a plan for parking and dinner reservations.
Before you plan: two October updates
West Fork and Slide Rock are scheduled to reopen October 1. Both were closed this summer after the Pocket Fire. The Forest Service lifted most of the Oak Creek closure in mid-September, and the West Fork watershed (the most-damaged area) is set to follow on October 1. Check current conditions before you go, and see our Guide for backup spots.
Some trails were washed out by monsoon storms. Most of Sedona's major trails are open and in great shape, but a few backcountry routes near the burn area shifted over the summer. Stick to well-traveled trails or ask us for current recommendations when you check in.
Weekend 1: October 1 to 4
Yoga, dogs, and gemstones
Sedona Yoga Festival (October 1 to 4). A four-day wellness conference with classes, workshops, and speakers. If you've ever wanted to do yoga with actual red rock as your backdrop, this is the weekend.
WagFest & Fair (Saturday, October 3). The City of Sedona's seventh annual celebration for dogs and their people, with local vendors, a costume contest, games, and a talent show. Bring the dog. Obviously.
Sedona Rock, Gem & Jewelry Show (October 3 and 4). At Sedona Red Rock High School in West Sedona. Saturday 10 to 5, Sunday 10 to 4. Admission is $5, cash only, and there's an hourly raffle. Given how many crystal shops are in this town, the gem show is somehow still the best place to find something good.
Jerome Ghost Walk (early October, dates TBC). The Jerome Historical Society runs costumed walking tours through the old mining town, with actors telling stories from Jerome's very colorful past at each stop. Reservations are highly recommended and they sell out.
Good for: couples, wellness trips, anyone bringing a dog
Weekend 2: October 10 and 11
⭐ The big one: Arts Festival + Wings and Wheels
This is the busiest weekend of the month. Book early.
Sedona Arts Festival (October 10 and 11). The 33rd annual fine arts festival, with over 100 juried artists from around the country, live music, food, and wine. One admission covers both days, and kids 12 and under get in free. This is the one Sedona event that people plan entire trips around, and it's worth it: this is serious, museum-caliber work, not a craft fair.
Wings and Wheels (Saturday, October 10, from 9 AM). Classic cars and vintage aircraft on top of Tabletop Mesa at the Sedona Airport. Even if you're not a car or plane person, the view from up there is one of the best in town, and it's a great family morning.
Local tip for this weekend
Both events are on the same Saturday. Do Wings and Wheels early (the light is better and it's cooler), then hit the Arts Festival after lunch. Book dinner reservations now if you want to eat anywhere in Uptown on Saturday night, or skip the scramble entirely and book a private chef to come to the house.
Good for: couples, families, art lovers, multigenerational groups
Weekend 3: October 16 to 18
Plein air painters, a fall festival, and floating pumpkins
Sedona Plein Air Festival (October 16 to 24). The 22nd annual festival brings accomplished landscape painters from across the country to paint outdoors, on location, all week. The whole idea is watching the painting happen in real time. Public events run October 19 to 24, with paint-outs, artist demos at the Sedona Arts Center, and an awards night. If you're wandering Sedona this week and see someone at an easel on a trail, that's why.
Fest of Fall (Saturday, October 17). The City of Sedona's fall festival at Posse Grounds Park: food trucks, local beer, live music, games, and kids' activities. Free admission.
Pumpkin Splash (Saturday, October 17, 11 AM to 1 PM). Kids jump into the community pool to fish out their own floating pumpkin. It is exactly as delightful as it sounds.
Red Rocks of Sedona Trail Races (Saturday, October 17). Marathon, 20-miler, 10-miler, and a 2.5-miler, all running the Hi-Line Trail on Sedona's south side. If you're a runner, register. If you're not, know that some south-side trails will be busy that morning.
Good for: families, runners, art lovers
Weekend 4: October 23 to 25
Final sale day and holiday shopping
Plein Air Festival Final Day (Saturday, October 24). Pumpkin painting, a community paint-out, and the final sale day, when you can buy the work painted during the week. A real piece of Sedona to take home.
Fall Arts & Crafts Show (Saturday, October 24, 9 AM to 3 PM). An old-fashioned arts and crafts show: handmade goods, homemade treats, and a head start on holiday shopping.
This is also peak fall color. Late October is typically when Oak Creek Canyon hits its best. If you're coming for the leaves, this is your weekend.
Good for: couples, fall color chasers, holiday shoppers
Halloween week: October 29 to 31
Marigolds, ghosts, and Uptown trick-or-treating
Marigold Mural Project (Thursday, October 29, 11 AM to 5 PM). Part of Tlaquepaque's Día de los Muertos celebration. Guests are invited to paint tributes to loved ones on Calle Independencia. Quietly one of the most moving things that happens in Sedona all year.
Uptown Trick or Treat (Saturday, October 31, 5 to 8 PM). Safe, walkable trick-or-treating through Uptown, with shops handing out candy. If you've got kids and you're in Sedona for Halloween, this is the move.
Jerome on Halloween. Jerome calls itself the most haunted town in Arizona, and it leans all the way into it in October. Jerome State Historic Park also runs its Flash Fright Night tours through the dark halls of the Douglas Mansion (date TBC). Grab dinner at The Haunted Hamburger for the view or The Asylum inside the Jerome Grand Hotel, which used to be a hospital. Choose accordingly.
Good for: families with kids, anyone who loves a ghost story
Your October trip checklist
Book the house now. October is the strongest month of the year in Sedona and weekends go first.
Pick your weekend by event. Arts lovers: October 10 and 11. Families: October 17. Fall color: October 24. Halloween: October 31.
Pack layers. Mornings can be in the forties and afternoons in the seventies.
Make dinner reservations before you arrive, especially Saturday nights.
Get your Red Rock Pass for trailhead parking, and remember West Fork uses a separate fee.
Start hikes early. Trailheads still fill by mid-morning in October.
Check trail and canyon closures the week of your trip.
Line up a driver if the plan involves Arts Festival wine or a Page Springs tasting.
What October looks like by group
Couples: Arts Festival Sunday (quieter than Saturday), sunset from a west-facing patio, dinner at Elote or Mariposa, and a slow Monday morning with nowhere to be.
Friend trips and bridal parties: Fest of Fall for beer and live music, a Page Springs wine afternoon, and one night with a private chef at the house instead of trying to seat ten people at a restaurant on the busiest weekend of the year.
Families and multigenerational groups: Wings and Wheels, Pumpkin Splash, Uptown Trick or Treat, and Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde. Plus a house with a real kitchen, because feeding eleven people at restaurants three times a day for a week is a special kind of exhausting.
October books first, every year. We manage 9+ homes across Sedona and the Verde Valley, from cozy places for two to houses big enough for the whole family, and every guest gets our full local list at check-in.