Barrett-Jackson, Tempe Blooms, Phoenix Food Fest, & more!

PHOENIX — The weekend is here! Check out these fun events happening around the Valley on January 23-25.

Friday, January 23

Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction

When: Friday – Sunday
Where: WestWorld of Scottsdale
Cost: Tickets start around $28

For more than five decades, enthusiasts from all over the world have flocked to Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions in Scottsdale. Widely regarded as a barometer of the collector car industry and hobby, the Scottsdale Auction is a world-class automotive lifestyle event where thousands of the world’s most sought-after, unique, and valuable automobiles are on display and will cross the block in front of a global audience ‒ in-person, on live television and streaming.

Barrett-Jackson Auction Company

Taiyou Con: Arizona’s Anime Convention

When: Friday – Sunday
Where: Mesa Convention Center
Cost: Tickets start at $34

Taiyou Con is a family-friendly 3-day anime convention and Japanese festival at the Mesa Convention Center! We are an introduction to all things Asian pop culture – anime, cosplay, video games, K-Pop, Asian food trucks, and much more with over 300 hours of interactive activities.

Chris Tucker

When: Friday & Saturday at 7 p.m.
Where: Wild Horse Pass, Chandler
Cost: Click here for ticket information

He’s back – and he’s funnier than ever! Catch the legendary Chris Tucker live at The Showroom for two unforgettable nights! From “Rush Hour” to “Friday,” this global superstar’s lightning-fast wit and iconic storytelling have made him one of the most magnetic performers on stage.

Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Drai’s Nightclub with appearance by 50 Cent

When: 10:30 p.m.
Where: Wild Horse Pass, Chandler
Cost: Click here for ticket information

Get ready as legendary Las Vegas hotspot Drai’s Nightclub brings its unmistakable sound, style, and swagger to Arizona, transforming the Wild Horse Pass Showroom into a full-scale, immersive nightlife spectacle.

Asatur Yesayants / Shutterstock.com

Saturday, January 24

Tempe Blooms

When: Saturday & Sunday
Where: Downtown Tempe
Cost: Free event

Tempe Blooms is an award-winning, free floral and arts showcase that transforms Downtown Tempe into a blooming wonderland. Expect 20 large-scale floral installations crafted by valley designers, live mural painting, rotating live music, a flower‑inspired market, and “flowerful specials” from local businesses!

Tempe Blooms

Phoenix Food Fair: Lunar New Year Edition

When: Saturday & Sunday
Where: Kiwanis Park, Tempe
Cost: $15 admission

The Phoenix Food Fair: Lunar New Year Edition returns Jan. 24–25, transforming Tempe’s Kiwanis Park into a two-night celebration of food, culture and tradition. The event features a dragon parade, water lantern release, live performances, vendors and family-friendly activities marking the Lunar New Year.

Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market

When: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: Downtown Phoenix
Cost: Free event

Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market

Scottsdale Book Festival

When: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Scottsdale Civic Center
Cost: Free event

The Scottsdale Book Festival is set to fill the Scottsdale Civic Center lawn on Saturday with over 150 authors, family-friendly activities, food vendors, live entertainment, author talks and book signings — all free and open to the public. This outdoor celebration of literacy and community invites readers of all ages to discover new stories, meet writers face-to-face, and enjoy a full day of creativity and fun in downtown Scottsdale.

Scottsdale Book Festival

Step Afrika! – The Migration

When: 7 p.m.
Where: ASU Gammage, Tempe
Cost: General admission is $30

Step Afrika!’s signature work The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence is based on Lawrence’s iconic painting series that chart the story of African Americans moving from the South to the North in the early 1900s. Each piece uses the images, color palette, and motifs in the painting series to tell this astonishing story through pulsating rhythms and visually stunning movement.

MBB: Cincinnati vs. Arizona State

When: 8 p.m.
Where: Desert Financial Arena, Tempe
Cost: Tickets start at $27.25

ASU will take on Cincinnati at Desert Financial Arena on Saturday night at 8 p.m.

Michael Wyke/AP

Sunday, January 25

Arizona Soup Festival

When: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Warehouse 215, Phoenix
Cost: $45 admission

Soup is the great international food. Whether it’s chili, minestrone, pho, pozole, French onion, you name it, soup warms our hearts and reminds us of home. Join us for the inaugural Arizona Soup Festival, where you’ll get to try soups from Arizona’s best restaurants and chefs, all in one place.

Miami Heat vs. Phoenix Suns

When: 6 p.m.
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix
Cost: Tickets start around $35

The Phoenix Suns will host the Miami Heat on Sunday at Mortgage Matchup Center. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.

Matt Slocum/AP