On the west side of Arizona Avenue, crews at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park are working on canopy steel, restroom buildings, and plaza pavers. On the east side, Stage Plaza is running the season. That split was planned. The city wrote it into a contract months before the first fall event. The city also hopes to have the west side open for the tumbleweed tree lighting in December.
This is the park's first renovation since 1986. The city says the park hosts more than 100 events a year. Phase one began in January 2026, with Willmeng Construction as contractor, Dibble Construction Management on oversight, and Dig Studio supporting the design. The work runs on both sides of Arizona Avenue between Buffalo and Boston streets, so for most of 2026 only one half of the park can host events at a time.
The Contract Clause That Moved the Festivals
The city's 2026–27 services agreement with the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership, effective July 1, 2026, spells out where events go during construction. The agreement reads:
"Due to Dr. A.J. Chandler Park renovations throughout the 2026 calendar year, the DCCP shall be granted use of the stage plaza area for programming historically held on the west side of the park."
The same clause names the events it covers: the Fine Art and Wine Festival, Corvettes in the Park, Chevy Cars, and Prancer's Pajama Party. Hourly park rental fees for those events are waived as long as DCCP sponsors them. The city also agreed to waive fees for up to six more Stage Plaza events during the year, with examples such as a Barbeque and Beer Festival, Octoberfest, the Reunion Truck Show, and the Pacific Islander Festival.
Under the waiver, moving to the east side doesn't add hourly rental fees for the named DCCP events. The city also says it worked with DCCP and downtown property and business owners to plan the timing and construction impacts before any work started.
The East-Side Calendar, October Through December
This fall's events largely follow that plan. The City of Chandler and DCCP have published these dates:
| Date | Event | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Oct. 15 | Third Thursday Fall Market | 5–9 p.m. | Downtown Chandler |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | Spirits of Mexico Festival | 4–10 p.m. | Stage Plaza |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Halloween Spooktacular | Evening | Stage Plaza |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Third Thursday Girls' Night Out | 5–9 p.m. | Downtown Chandler |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Tumbleweed Tree Lighting | 4:30–9 p.m. | Downtown Chandler, 3 S. Arizona Ave. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Parade of Lights | 6:45–8 p.m. | Arizona Ave., Frye Rd. north to Erie St. |
| Thu., Dec. 17 | Third Thursday Holiday Market | 5–9 p.m. | Downtown Chandler |
DCCP is running Third Thursday as eight free monthly markets from October 2026 through May 2027. After December, the dates are Jan. 21, Feb. 18, March 18, April 15, and May 20. The Spirits of Mexico Festival is billed with food, music, dance, and spirits tastings at the Stage Plaza.
The Saturday farmers market is the one schedule that doesn't line up yet. DCCP still lists the Downtown Chandler Farmers Market at the park's West and East Ramadas, 3 S. Arizona Ave., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., October through May. The city's construction page still describes active work on the west side, and neither source says how the market is set up around it. The listing doesn't say where the stalls are this month.
Parking Around a Half-Built Park
Construction has taken out some of the closest spaces. The city says parking along Arizona Avenue is limited and a few angled spaces on San Marcos and Arizona Place are unavailable. Downtown parking structures and street parking remain open.
The city's event pages point visitors to specific garages:
- Halloween Spooktacular, Oct. 30: The city directs visitors to the east-side City Hall, Jonathon, and Alexander garages.
- Tree Lighting, Dec. 5: The city lists the Overstreet, Oregon Street, City Hall, Alexander, and Jonathon garages. It marks the P2 street-parking lot closed due to construction.
- Parade of Lights, Dec. 5: The route runs north on Arizona Avenue from Frye Road to Erie Street. That puts the whole avenue past the park inside the parade window from 6:45 to 8 p.m.
The tree lighting plan also puts vendor booths on the east side of Arizona Avenue and the toy-drive truck north of Boston Street on that side. The city doesn't say whether construction is the reason for that layout.
The Tree Lighting Is the Target the Schedule Works Toward
According to the city's project page, the west side of the park should be finished before the 2026 holiday season and the east side by early spring 2027. Kim Moyers, the city's cultural development director, gave a more specific target. She told the Chandler Arizonan that crews were prioritizing the west side so it would be open for the holidays and the Tumbleweed Christmas Tree lighting.
The article describes that ceremony as happening "in November." The city's own event page lists Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Go by the city's date for the ceremony. The city hasn't announced a reopening or ribbon-cutting date for the west side, so whether it opens in time for the ceremony is still a goal, not a confirmed date.
When the west side reopens, phase one's main changes will be visible for the first time. The city lists them:
- Removal of the park's outdated water features
- Two large shade canopies and shade-tree infrastructure, including soil improvements below ground
- Two restroom buildings with storage rooms
- Event lawns, seasonal plazas, two pavilions, and new seating
- New park lighting and power infrastructure for events
- A new crosswalk signal at the existing Arizona Avenue pedestrian crossing
The construction schedule shows the work in progress. It lists canopy roof coating and lighting, louvers and paint on the restroom building, pavers in the plaza, and shrubs and irrigation laterals on the west side. For the HAWK pedestrian crossing, crews are installing electrical on both sides of the avenue and building pole foundations on the west side. On the east side, the schedule also lists soil cells for future landscaping and new sidewalk in the park's north area.
The Ostrich Coming Home to Downtown
The other piece timed for the reopening is an ostrich. The Chandler Arizonan reports that the city's Arts Commission gave final approval to a sculpture by Seattle-based artist Matt Babcock: an adult ostrich watching over a cluster of chicks, in metal, about six feet tall on a low pedestal. The statue is planned for the spot where the tumbleweed tree is usually built.
The reason for an ostrich ties back to the festival. Chandler's Ostrich Festival began in 1988 and was held downtown until 2003, when it moved to Tumbleweed Park. As the city built out Tumbleweed and parking ran short, the festival moved again. In March 2026 it was held at Rawhide Western Town on Gila River Indian Community land, outside city limits. Councilmember Jane Poston, who started the push for the statue, told the Chandler Arizonan, "We heard from many residents who felt that we were losing a little of our identity when the Ostrich Festival outgrew its home."
The $50,000 cost is split three ways:
- $15,000 from city funds, which Poston proposed through the council amendments process
- $20,000 from the Arts Commission, which is funded by the 1% of city capital project costs set aside for public art
- $15,000 donated by Willmeng, the same contractor building the park
The article says the city hopes to have the statue ready for the reopening. It does not give a fabrication milestone or a confirmed installation date. Until the city confirms it, the statue's appearance at the Dec. 5 lighting is a goal.
The Blocks Around the Park Are Changing on a Similar Timeline
The restaurants around the park are changing over the same months. At 1 W. Chandler Blvd., Lomas Cocina de México opened this summer in the former LOOK Cinemas building on the southwest corner of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard. It shares the building with Padeland, and racquet players walk through the restaurant to reach the courts. Mouth By Southwest reports a full bar, Mexican seafood and grilled dishes, and breakfast service.
Three downtown spots closed at the end of business on Saturday, Aug. 29: Recreo Cantina, Tipsy Egg, and The Uncommon. Chris Purcell, who manages the concepts, told Mouth By Southwest that the closures clear space for new concepts. He said more downtown projects are planned for late 2026 and early 2027, with details to come.
Greenwood Brewing, a woman-owned Phoenix brewery founded by Megan Greenwood, announced a taproom at 55 N. Arizona Place in The AJ, next to the park. The plans include beer, wine, light bites, and picnic baskets. In February, Phoenix New Times reported a fall opening. As of mid-October, no opening date has been confirmed. The picnic baskets fit a park that, by the spring of 2027 target, should have event lawns and shade on both sides of the avenue.
A renewed park, a new crossing, and new restaurants are changing the blocks around Arizona Avenue through spring 2027. If you own near Dr. A.J. Chandler Park and want to know how the renovation fits into your sale timing, CITIEA Brokerage can walk you through our pricing and launch plan for Chandler. Sell for more, faster.
