I arrived early and met up with fellow Elites Andrew and Meagan. The weather couldn't have been any…read morebetter. This festival was smaller than I anticipated, but still have plenty drink samples all around. Nice set up with the wood-fired pizza trucks/booths and tables in middle of Southbridge. Got to eat more pizzas to soak up the alcohol. How quickly an average person is likely to get drunk? Curious, the Uber station got a great breathalyzer. I am not telling who made way over the midpoint.=P Excellent craft selections in one festival. So many great local distillers & wineries too. Live band music, giveaways, photo booth/bombs, and After Party at W Hotel! It was a blast! Absolutely will be back next year. Hopefully, you'll find me in the VIP section. So lucky to be part of this exclusive club. Thanks so much to Hailey, Yelp, and CrushBrew Craft for the ticket!

From OHSO's breakfast brew to Coronado Brewing Company's Stingray IPA I scavenged the festival from…read morebeginning to end. The vendors were all extremely nice and knowledgeable. They did not rush anyone or bat an eye to a hard question. They even knew of local groceries that carried their products. This festival had more options than any other that I've been to! The pizza throw down was a nice touch. It was also the perfect padding for all of that beer and wine! After a couple sips of wine we dipped over to the uber station, where they had a breathalyzer. I found this to be very interesting because I wasn't feeling too crazy of a buzz, but it informed me after the blow that I would have to wait 4 hours before driving. It's great that they are spreading awareness with that! Of course we ubered home! I will definitely make this a yearly event. We had a fantastic time!

This is becoming an annual tradition. Yes the tickets are a little pricey, but in my mind, it's…read morewell worth a beautiful evening among the candlelight botanical gardens. It's beautiful- there are a lot of different music options too. Last night included handbell choirs, classic choirs singing a cappella, as well as these two amazing brothers playing Guitars and they were fabulous! As you stand in the middle of the garden, you can hear all the different types of music playing just follow the path to what you want to listen to. lol As far as food options, what we found was a food truck in one area which I've posted their menu as well as the patio restaurant had an ordering encounter. Bars are plentiful throughout as well as they have a margarita station. I know they had hot chocolate somewhere, but we did not find it They had s'more's kits as well and plenty of kids were lining up for that If you wanted to go high-end, you could make a reservation at Gertrude's but we really didn't enjoy their food last year With as many people that attend, it never felt claustrophobic either, just take one of the candlelight paths and explore to your hearts content. They did have people stationed throughout, helping you in case you felt lost. Make sure to go back and see the owls, that was pretty cool too.

As a visitor to Scottsdale (another so-called short-term snowbird), I wanted to check out the…read moreDesert Botanical Garden since it is so highly rated. I figured I could hit two birds with one stone by getting a Las Noches ticket so I could see the garden with the nighttime lights. I was partially right. The place is clearly popular--even the overflow parking lot was almost full. I did the main loop and some of the smaller loops. There were performances, art installations, and food and drinks for sale. The issue is that the garden just does not show very well at night. I stood in reverence of the giant cacti but really wished I could see them in the daytime. While the administration has put up signage and maps to make things easier, I still found the whole place confusing to navigate. Save your money (it is almost $50 for entry) and visit the garden during the day.

Great festival with great bands. Good food too. Located by the canal in Tempe, it's actually quite…read morea cool area. I wouldn't waste money on VIP tickets, however. The only shade provided in the VIP section was on the far end of a huge, long bar where you could stand and fit about 6 people. Also available was a shaded pop-up lounge area for $1,500 bottle service, which didn't even really fit in to the surroundings.

Such an amazing event! We parked in the parking garage 3 minutes away from the venue for $20 and…read morewas so convenient. I like how the check-in was separate from the entrance to keep the flow of traffic! It was my first time at Reggae Rose Up and I went with my family and it was a great time! Great music, vibes, great food. One thing that I would differently is bring mask or something to cover my face. There was sooo much dust and smoke and my allergies at the end of the night were done for! But all in all great time will recommend to everyone, can't wait for next year's line up.

I'm so glad Tempe Blooms returned for another year. The people behind it have created such a…read moreunique, fun event to bring locals and tourists to downtown Tempe and blend them with beautiful floral art, music, and local businesses. There are a couple of parking garages/lots in DT that give you a discounted rate during the event- we paid $10 for the 201 Ash garage, off the light rail. How it works - you meander around DT and look at, experience all the beautiful floral artworks. Downtown Tempe has a couple of stations with staff peppered about DT that provide a map of where things are located. You can go about at your own pace or route. Be aware that people can be a little vicious with trying to get "the shot" #ForTheGram. There are a couple of specific areas with small businesses posted up. We were hoping to make a bouquet at the fresh flower market but by the time we arrived - the line was super long and looked like flowers were picked over. So if that's your priority, go early. We were there no more than 2 hours and had a great afternoon taking in all the sights and sounds (there's live music peppered around too) of Downtown Tempe.

This was a nice event and the weather was perfect! It was a…read morelittle too spread out, but I understand that they want to showcase different businesses. The vendors were well chosen and had some really cool stuff. We did not go to the food area, but nothing beats food trucks!

Really gays? What has happened to us? We've become so serious. So mainstream. So. Oh dear. How do I…read moresay this...so, so heterosexual! GASP! Strollers. Parents. Pets. Lacoste shirts. Topsiders. Soccer moms. Soccer dads. And in my best Sarah Palin voice, "Joe 6 packs". Just normal folks don't ya know. You betcha. Where are the inappropriately dressed men in Speedos, glitter and nipple tassels? Dykes on bikes? Minors tripping on E? What has happened to our luster people? Have we become....um, boring? Well, I"m not sure. But the Rainbows Festival is darn fun. A small town feel, in a lovely urban setting, filled with the usual food vendors, t-shirts booths and local organizations hawking their wares and services. But overall, the genuine feeling of fun, love and celebration permeated this event. Lots of smiles, hugs and waves. And yes, lots of families of all types. And, really, that is what it's all about right. We noshed on turkey legs, tacos and swilled Bud and fruity vodka drinks. Ten bucks to park, but free to get in. How cute and small town is that? Well, not the parking maybe. But who doesn't love a free party? Rickie and I had a blast and at the end of our Rainbow, we found a bag full of condoms, lube and free minutes for a gay sex site. Ahhh, my people! Girls and gays just wanna have fun! See ya next year. And don't forget the nipple clamps!

A smaller version of the Pride Festival, Rainbows is a good way to introduce someone who has never…read moreattended a Pride event before. I find it interesting that a previous reviewer took issue with the "strollers, walkers and kids" and called the gays "mainstream" and "boring." It's unfortunate that someone from our community would actually begrudge others in the community the chance to show off their families in a safe and (supposedly) accepting place. Yes, there are kids. There are dogs. There are babies. There are families. It's a very family friendly event, and not as overwhelming as the big Pride Festival in April. There's entertainment by local drag queens and drag kings, dancers, singers and DJs. There are informational booths and food booths. And, unlike Pride in April, you can actually bring your dog with you to Rainbows. So pack up the kids, the strollers, the diaper bags and the family dog and get down to Rainbows Festival and celebrate your fabulocity!

Love this! The beauty of Asian cultures is so great! I LOVE the drumming! The vibration goes…read moreright through me and gives me an unequivocal experience!!!!

What a wonderful event. Beautiful culture! Lots of entertainment, food, vendors…read more Watched the ceremony awards. Perfect weather.

Cocktails B*tches!…read more #twowordreview #tshirtshoutout In case you need to know more, I'm happy to help: 1. Kicks off annually in mid-February 2. Their website http://arizonacocktailweek.com lists a whole host of events (most at the Hotel Valley Ho.) Photos are from the Monday vendor event (you may purchase your "Cocktail Week" wristband at any BevMo or at the door at this event (even if you missed Sat and Sun which, regrettably , we did) ...2015 wristbands were $10. This wristband also gives you cocktail specials at participating Valley (Flag, Sedona too) bars and restaurants throughout the week. Other events held on the weekend vary in price and tickets are sold separately. 3. The Monday event was a feast of tasting and a wealth of knowledge. I cannot recommend it highly enough if you want to mingle with vendors, sample, and ask questions about their products. In addition, there were excellent promo items. My fave was St Germain's measuring beaker and coincidently, it's now my "2015 Summer cocktail." It's 2 parts sparkling water, 2 parts bubbly or dry white wine and 1.5 parts St. Germain. I'd recently become interested again in champagne and I delighted in the light taste when you add sparkling water and this elderflower liquer to some bubbly. Definitely poolside material! I was also re-introduced to Vermont's "Barr Hill" honey-based gin and vodka (by Caledonia Spirits) and an Iowa bourbon from Cedar Ridge. The former was prepared as a gin and tonic with a gorgeous natural garnish and I know it was fabulous because I'm not that much of a gin lover. The latter was prepared as a bourbon old-fashioned snow-cone. Excellent vendor tables and enthusiasm, I must say. I loved it that Tito's was there too and they were conjuring up some lavender lemonade. I've seen them around at Yelp events and I do enjoy Tito's. (Formerly a "Grey Goose" enthusiast was I.) There were so many more that I encourage you to check it out for yourselves next year. 4. 2015 was Arizona Cocktail Week's fourth consecutive year. #wherehaveibeen This is one of my new favorite events in the Valley.

This is for the This was a very well organized event. I loved the atmosphere. Although, it could…read morehave had a little more carnival atmosphere to it, in my opinion. My favorite cocktail of the night was the St George Spirits company's cocktail in the pickle. I'm not sure of the name, but that was a great drink. I did get the recipe... Yea for me. Visited the Yelp/Don Julio Suite. Great Cocktails there as well. I loved the Sangrita the best. I have to try that at other restaurants too.

We always have fun at Phoenix Fan Fusion, a/k/a comicon. I only go one day each year, and that's…read moreenough for me--it is exhausting. There are so many things to do. First, this place is a shoppers dream for someone who likes collectibles. The hall is huge and has stall after stall if tshirts, books, collectible figures, and art. There are samples of beer and liquor (with I.D. if course), and meet and greets with celebrities--this year John Cena was a biggie, but I personally was happy to see Like and Kirk from Gilmore Girls and Steve from the original Blues Clues. Elsewhere in the convention center was a Hall with some STEM exhibits, a cool insect exciting, a Lego display, and a medieval area with fencing. There are video games spread throughout, and a huge room for Pokemon Go. There are so many breakout sessions going on all day--anything from "Mr. Rodger's Art of Kindness" to "How to Create Cosplay Pieces with EV Foam" to Improv. Of course the panels with celebrities and comic book creators are super popular. Of course there is food available at Fan Fusion, but we choose to eat outside if the convention center. My favorite things (besides the plethora of Labubus) is the cosplay. If it's fun to see all the effort people have put in! Parking is, as you'd expect, difficult. It looked like many people, like us, took the light rail.

I've been going to Phoenix Fan Fusion (ComiCon before they changed names) for about the last 15…read moreyears, and the steady decline has been sad to see. This trip was likely my last. First, whatever genius had the bright idea to eliminate the possibility of purchasing a ticket the day of at the event, without a phone, should be immediately fired. My phone died about 30 minutes before getting there (not a battery charge issue, it literally bricked on me) so I went to the table and asked to purchase tickets on site. These bafoons have absolutely NO WAY to sell you a ticket using a credit card unless you have a phone. How is that even possible? Not a single hand held payment device anywhere to sell a ticket, in 2026? So my only option was to use a strangers phone to input my credit card, because they wouldn't accept cash. Absolutely mind blowing. Second, crowd management was a joke. No strucutre, no line management, just pure chaos. We got there around 1 PM, it's 100 degrees, and we had to wait probably 20 minutes just to get through the security entrance outside because they have NO IDEA how to run this event. Then as we proceeded to enter the west entrance, they turned us all away and said we have to go across the street to enter. These people have no idea how to run a venue this size. So completely disjointed and unorganized. You could barely walk the exhibitor hall it was so crowded and it was easily a 25 minute wait just to buy a bottle of water (which by the way cost $6.00). They were completely unprepared to serve the needs of the fans; sad and pathetic. And by the way, how about scheduling your event for a weekend when the Diamondbacks don't play at home, what a mess. Third, Fan Fusion used to be a place where the focus was on sharing and experiencing creativity and fandom with other fans. Now it's turned into nothing more than a money gouging cash grab, which is evident by how they only care about getting as many people in as possible, despite their crews not being able to handle that type of event. $250 for three of us, and that gets you nothing but through the door and maybe a chance to sit on one of the panels that most people could care less about. The on-site vendors and the celebrities with their signing prices gouge you. What they charge you just to get through the door is criminal. There was nothing pleasant about this experience. I use to look forward to this, but it's not what it use to be. The spirit of creativity and entertainment is no longer the essence of this event; it's turned into nothing more than an opportunity to exploit loyal fans.