Call Or Text Us Anytime 928-599-4456

What’s Happening in Sedona This Week: October 16 to October 22, 2026

Events in Sedona October 16 — Red Rock Country

Fall paint-outs, floating lanterns, and a full slate of live music make this one of the richest weeks on the calendar for events in Sedona October 16 has to offer. Add in a bartending-school tour, a bat walk at Jerome State Historic Park, and a haunted train rolling through the Verde Canyon, and there is reason to get out every single day. Here is everything confirmed for Friday, October 16 through Thursday, October 22, 2026, across Sedona and the Verde Valley.

Friday, October 16

22nd Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival Kickoff | All day | Sedona Arts Center, 15 Art Barn Rd, Sedona | Varies by event. Twenty-six artists from across the country descend on Sedona for nine days of painting on location, demonstrations, and a week of exhibitions. The festival formally opens today and runs through October 24, so check the gallery early if you want first pick of fresh canvases.

Oak Creek Arts and Craft Show | 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM | Tres Amigos West Sedona, 1655 W SR 89A | Free admission. Local and visiting artists set up an open-air show of paintings, photography, pottery, jewelry, and Native American art along with gourmet food vendors and live music. It runs Friday through Sunday, and parking fills up fastest midday, so arrive before 11 AM or after 3 PM.

30th Anniversary Fall Artist Shows | 4:00 to 8:00 PM | Exposures International Gallery of Fine Art, 561 SR 179 | Free, advance registration requested. The gallery marks 30 years in business with live artist demonstrations and a newly released collection, plus the chance to meet the artists in person. Call 928-282-1125 ahead if you want to reserve a spot for the demonstration.

BOSAYA: Live in Concert | 7:00 PM | Mary D. Fisher Theatre, 2030 W. SR 89A | $35. The four-octave vocalist, trained in choral conducting and pop-jazz, brings two decades of performing experience to this intimate theater show. Tickets include a post-show meet-and-greet in the lobby, and the Mary D. Fisher is small, so buy ahead rather than hoping for walk-up seats.

Yawanawa Concert | 7:00 PM | The Global Center for Christ Consciousness | Tickets from around $39. Members of the Yawanawa tribe from the Amazon Rainforest share traditional music and voices in this cultural concert at Sedona’s energy-vortex spiritual center. Dress in layers, as the venue is open-air in sections.

Dinosaurs After Dark | 5:00 to 9:00 PM | Timeless Earth Gallery, 2020 Contractors Rd. Ste 5 | Free. A Halloween-themed evening walk through the gallery’s mini museum of 340 million years of Sedona history, costumes welcome. Good option for families looking for something besides trick-or-treating this early in the season.

Sky Rock Sedona Live Music | 6:00 to 9:00 PM | Sky Rock Inn, 1200 SR 89A | Cover varies. Weekend live music with sunset red rock views on the patio, running every Friday and Saturday through mid-November. Reserve a patio table ahead of sunset, which is the busiest window.

‘The History of Concrete’ Film Premiere | 3:30 PM today | Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre, 2030 W. SR 89A | $12, $9 for Film Festival members. The Sedona International Film Festival’s Northern Arizona premiere of filmmaker John Wilson’s offbeat documentary about the world’s most common building material, running all week with showtimes shifting to 6:30 PM Monday through Wednesday. Buy tickets online since the theater is small and this one has buzz.

Haunted Train at Verde Canyon Railroad | 5:00 to 10:00 PM | Verde Canyon Railroad, 300 N Broadway, Clarkdale | Ticketed. A haunted-house railcar with a maze of clowns, snake dens, and ghostly scares, running Friday and Saturday nights through Halloween. Book online in advance, as Friday and Saturday slots sell out.

Saturday, October 17

Sedona Lantern Festival: 8th Annual World Peace Ceremony | 3:00 to 8:30 PM | Sedona Mago Retreat & Wellness, 3500 Bill Gray Rd | Registration required, see site for pricing. Set a lantern afloat on the Healing Lake carrying a personal wish, Korean-tradition style, with live percussion and dance performances through the evening. Organizers suggest staying over for the sunrise meditation the next morning, so consider booking a room if you want the full experience.

Oak Creek Arts and Craft Show, Day 2 | 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM | Tres Amigos West Sedona | Free admission. Same open-air show as Friday, with live music and fresh kettle corn going fast by early afternoon.

30th Anniversary Fall Artist Shows, Day 2 | 4:00 to 8:00 PM | Exposures International Gallery of Fine Art | Free. Final evening of the kickoff weekend for the gallery’s 30th anniversary collection and artist demonstrations.

Sedona’s Fest of Fall Pickleball Rally, Day 2 | 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM | Posse Ground Park, Posse Grounds Rd | Entry fee for players, free to watch. Mixed doubles play today alongside food trucks, vendors, and live music courtside. No DUPR rating is required, and spectators can wander the courts for free.

Jerome: Bat Walk at Jerome State Historic Park | 7:30 to 9:00 PM | Jerome State Historic Park, Jerome | Park admission applies. An evening guided walk to spot bats around the historic Douglas Mansion grounds as dusk settles over the Verde Valley. Bring a flashlight and a light jacket, since it cools off fast at elevation after dark.

Sugar Skull Workshop, Jerome | 5:30 PM | 240 Hull Ave, Jerome | $40. A hands-on Dia de los Muertos sugar skull decorating workshop in the heart of Jerome’s historic district. Space is limited in this small mining-town studio, so reserve ahead rather than walking in.

Live Music featuring Prima Materia, Cottonwood | 7:00 to 10:00 PM | 1012 N. Main Street, Old Town Cottonwood | Cover varies. Live band set in the heart of Old Town Cottonwood’s restaurant and gallery row. Pair it with dinner at one of the neighboring Main Street spots and walk to the show.

Forgotten Graves and Six Million Dead, Cottonwood | 8:00 to 11:30 PM | 102 E Pima St, Cottonwood | $13. A late-night metal show in Old Town Cottonwood for anyone looking for something heavier after dinner. This is a 21-plus crowd venue, so bring ID.

Free Bartending Lesson and School Tour, Cottonwood | All day | Northern Arizona Bartending School, Cottonwood | Free. Get behind the bar for a free hands-on lesson and tour of the bartending school, a fun low-key option if you are curious about the trade. Call ahead to confirm the exact session time since it runs by appointment.

Cottonwood Campfire | All day | Old Town Cottonwood | Free, donations welcome. A multi-day gathering of acoustic musicians running Friday through Sunday with a continuous bluegrass-style jam Saturday, plus traditional, Celtic, songwriter, and blues jam circles. Bring your own instrument if you want to sit in, or just pull up a chair and listen.

Ales on Rails, Clarkdale | 8:00 AM and 2:30 PM departures | Verde Canyon Railroad, 300 N Broadway, Clarkdale | $139 per person. Arizona craft beers on the depot pavilion before boarding, with a scratch-made lunch option at the Copper Spike Café. The Haunted Train railcar also runs tonight from 5 to 10 PM for anyone staying into the evening. Book the train portion in advance online, departures fill up on fall Saturdays.

Sunday, October 18

Sedona Community Farmers Market | 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM | Wells Fargo Bank parking lot, 2201 W State Route 89A, West Sedona | Free to attend. The market shifts to winter hours this week, running 11 to 3 instead of its summer morning slot. Local produce, baked goods, and crafts, and it is a reliable weekly stop through next May.

Flamenco in the Courtyard, Tlaquepaque | 5:30 to 7:30 PM | Patio de Las Campanas, Tlaquepaque, 336 SR 179 | Free. Master guitarist Gaetano and friends perform flamenco guitar in Tlaquepaque’s courtyard, running Sunday through Tuesday evenings through the end of October. Grab dinner at El Rincon first and walk over, seating in the courtyard is first come, first served.

Queen B Brunch Club featuring Dubxotica, Cottonwood | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM | Queen B Vinyl Café, Cottonwood | $45. A brunch and vinyl listening session in Old Town Cottonwood with DJ Dubxotica spinning. Reservations recommended since seating is limited at the café.

Dances of Universal Peace, Cottonwood | 3:00 to 4:30 PM | Studio B, 633 5th Street, Cottonwood | Donation based. A gentle, community circle dance practice drawing on multiple spiritual traditions, open to all experience levels. No partner or dance experience needed, just comfortable shoes.

‘The History of Concrete’ Film Premiere | 3:30 PM | Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre | $12, $9 for members. Second-to-last showing at this early time slot before the schedule shifts to evenings Monday through Wednesday.

Monday, October 19

Monday is the quietest day of the week on the events calendar, with the Plein Air Festival’s public paint-out at D.A. Ranch the one confirmed happening. If you want a full day, pair it with a hike: Fay Canyon or Boynton Canyon both offer shaded trails and fall-light views without the midday crowds other trailheads see on weekends.

Sedona Plein Air Festival: Paint Out at D.A. Ranch | Daytime | D.A. Ranch, Cornville | Public viewing typically free. Watch festival artists set up easels and paint the working ranch’s cottonwoods and pastures in real time. Arrive early morning for the best light and least foot traffic around the artists.

Flamenco in the Courtyard, Tlaquepaque | 5:30 to 7:30 PM | Patio de Las Campanas, Tlaquepaque | Free. Night two of this week’s flamenco guitar run in the courtyard.

‘The History of Concrete’ Film Premiere | 6:30 PM | Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre | $12, $9 for members. Showtime shifts to evening for the Monday through Wednesday run.

Tuesday, October 20

Sedona Plein Air Festival: Artist Demos | Daytime | Sedona Arts Center, 15 Art Barn Rd | Free to watch. Festival artists demonstrate technique in the gallery, a good chance to ask questions directly between brushstrokes.

Flamenco in the Courtyard, Tlaquepaque | 5:30 to 7:30 PM | Patio de Las Campanas, Tlaquepaque | Free. Final night of this week’s flamenco run before it picks back up next weekend.

Drum Circle at The Oak Creek Brewery | 4:00 to 7:00 PM | Oak Creek Brewery, Sedona | Free. Held the first and third Tuesday of the month around the firepit, bring your own drum or just pull up a seat and listen. This is the third Tuesday, so it is on this week.

Live Music at Vino di Sedona | Starting around 6:00 PM | Vino di Sedona, 2575 AZ-89A, West Sedona | No cover, dinner and wine purchase expected. Nightly live music continues on the restaurant’s patio. Call 928-554-4682 for tonight’s lineup since performers rotate.

‘The History of Concrete’ Film Premiere | 6:30 PM | Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre | $12, $9 for members.

Wednesday, October 21

Sedona Plein Air Festival: Paint Out at a Private Residence | Daytime | Location shared with registered attendees | Check with Sedona Arts Center for access. Festival artists paint on a private property not normally open to the public, one of the more exclusive stops on the festival circuit.

Sedona Drum and Healing Circle | 5:00 to 8:00 PM | Posse Grounds Park, Sedona | Free. A weekly community drum and sound healing circle, bring your own drum, chair, acoustic instrument, or healing bowl if you have one. Newcomers are welcome without any instrument at all.

‘The History of Concrete’ Film Premiere | 6:30 PM | Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre | $12, $9 for members. Last evening showtime before the schedule shifts back to afternoon Thursday.

Thursday, October 22

Sedona Plein Air Festival: Artist Demos | Daytime | Sedona Arts Center, 15 Art Barn Rd | Free to watch. Second round of public artist demonstrations ahead of Friday’s awards ceremony.

‘The History of Concrete’ Film Premiere | 3:30 PM | Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre | $12, $9 for members. Final confirmed showing in this week’s run.

Open Mic Night at Vino di Sedona | Starting around 7:00 PM | Vino di Sedona, 2575 AZ-89A, West Sedona | No cover. The weekly open mic draws a mix of regulars and first-timers on guitar, vocals, and everything in between. Sign-up tends to open right at the start, so arrive early if you want to perform.

Wisdom Keepers Sound Bath, Cottonwood | 2:00 to 3:00 PM | 3360 E Hwy 89A, Suite A, Cottonwood | Pay what you can. A sound bath session for seniors 60 and up, a gentle midday option for anyone wanting to slow down. Bring a mat or cushion if you have one, though some are provided.

LA’s Abhoria with Velnias and Goya, Cottonwood | 7:30 to 11:30 PM | 102 E Pima St, Cottonwood | $18. A heavier live music bill to close out the week in Old Town Cottonwood’s small-venue scene. 21-plus, bring ID.

Camp Carpe Diem 2026 Verde Valley Begins, Camp Verde | Starts 10:00 AM, runs through Sunday | Verde River RV Resort & Cottages, Camp Verde | Early bird from $215 per person. The sixth annual gathering for travel-loving RVers and van-lifers kicks off today with an opening night party, with hikes, mountain biking, and craft beer tastings to follow through the weekend. Day passes and full-weekend passes are both available, so check the Eventbrite page for options if you just want to drop in.

Happening Every Week

Coming Up Soon

Planning your week in Sedona? Bookmark this page: a fresh guide to the best events, festivals, live music, and things to do in Sedona and the Verde Valley publishes every Thursday.

Never Miss a Weekend in Sedona

Subscribe to our weekly events newsletter and get the best things to do in Sedona and the Verde Valley delivered to your inbox every Friday morning.

Subscribe to Our Weekly Events Newsletter →

Picture of thesedonascene

thesedonascene