Fall in Fountain Hills: Events to Love and How to Get Your Home Ready
There's nothing quite like fall in Fountain Hills. The triple-digit days finally start to fade, the patios come back to life, and our little corner of the desert turns into one big block party for a few glorious months. If you've been hiding indoors since June, this is your sign to come back outside.
Whether you're a longtime resident, a new neighbor, or thinking about making Fountain Hills home, here's what's on the calendar this fall and a few things worth doing around the house before the season gets away from you.
Fall Events to Add to Your Calendar
Fountain Hills Farmers Market: Saturdays in September The market returns for four Saturdays this September (the 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th) from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. at FH Tractor Supply. It's the easiest way to stock up on local produce and say hello to neighbors you haven't seen all summer. The final Saturday, September 26, doubles as a Children's Entrepreneur Market with more than 30 young vendors selling their own baked goods, crafts, and creations.
Fountain Hills Oktoberfest: October 2 and 3 Two nights of German food, beer, live music, and dancing take over the Community Center and Centennial Circle from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. both evenings. It's become one of the most fun weekends of the fall season here, so plan to grab friends and make an evening of it.
Fall Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts: November 13 through 15 This is the big one. Nearly 500 artists set up along Avenue of the Fountains for one of the largest arts and crafts shows in the Southwest, with sculpture, jewelry, painting, and handmade goods as far as you can see, plus food vendors and a beer garden with live music. Hours run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. If you're getting a jump on holiday shopping, this is the spot.
Thanksgiving Day Parade: November 26 Fountain Hills kicks off the holiday season with its Thanksgiving morning parade down Avenue of the Fountains from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., featuring local businesses, veterans' groups, classic cars, and marching bands, and wrapping up with Santa's first appearance of the season. It's free, family-friendly, and a genuinely sweet way to start the holidays.
Getting Your Home Ready for Fall
Fall is also when a lot of homeowners here start noticing everything that got put off during the summer heat. A few things worth doing now, while the weather actually makes it pleasant to be outside:
Check the roof and gutters after monsoon season. Summer storms are hard on roofs. Look for missing or broken tiles, water spots, or debris buildup in the gutters, and clear anything that's collected so water has somewhere to go when we do get rain.
Have your HVAC system serviced. Your AC just worked overtime for months. Fall is the ideal time for a tune-up so it's ready to handle next summer, and so your heating kicks on without a hitch on the cooler nights ahead.
Trim trees and desert landscaping. Fall is actually the best planting season in the Valley, so it's a great time to add trees, shrubs, or color while temperatures are mild enough for roots to establish before next summer. It's also smart to trim back anything that could catch wind or cause damage.
Give your pool a fall check. As you swim less and the nights cool off, make sure your pool heater and equipment are in good shape, and adjust your cleaning schedule as falling leaves and monsoon debris taper off.
Refresh your outdoor living space. This is the season Fountain Hills lives outside again. Clean off the patio furniture, check string lights and fire pits, and make sure your outdoor spaces are ready for the months when you'll actually want to use them.
Reset weatherstripping and caulking. It's a small job, but sealing gaps around doors and windows now keeps the house more comfortable and your energy bills lower once temperatures dip.
Enjoy the Season
Fall in Fountain Hills goes fast, so get outside, hit a few of these events, and knock out a home project or two while the weather is on your side. And if you're thinking about buying, selling, or just want to know what your home is worth heading into the fall market, I'm always happy to chat.
Talk soon, Jenn Stricker