Here’s everything you need to know about 2024 Chandler Ostrich Festival

PHOENIX – The Chandler Ostrich Festival has evolved from a quirky celebration of flightless bird ranching into one of the Valley’s biggest annual happenings.

The event no longer includes live ostrich racing, although visitors can see the big feathered creatures roaming within designated viewing areas.

The festival started in the late 1980s as a way to honor the East Valley suburb’s history of ostrich ranching. The Chandler Chamber of Commerce event now features a concert series with national acts, a carnival midway with thrill rides, a wide range of family-friendly activities and more.

Here’s everything you need to know about 2024 Chandler Ostrich Festival, which is expected draw more than 100,000 visitors over six days across two weekends in March:

Where and when is the 2024 Chandler Ostrich Festival?

This year’s Chandler Ostrich Festival runs Friday-Sunday on the second and third weekends of March (March 8-10 and March 15-17) at Tumbleweed Park at 2250 S. McQueen Road, between Germann and Ryan roads.

The hours are 2 p.m. to midnight Fridays, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays.

What is the parking situation at Tumbleweed Park?

Limited parking will be available at the event grounds off Hamilton Road or at McQueen Road and Celebration Drive. Drivers are encouraged to pre-purchase parking online at $10 per space.

Visitors can also get dropped off and picked up in the park-and-ride lot at Germann Road and Hamilton Street, on the northwest corner of Tumbleweed Park.

Free parking and shuttle services are available at the downtown Chandler parking garage (226 S. Washington St.) or Chandler-Gilbert Community College (2626 E. Pecos Road). Shuttles run every 15 minutes from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. to midnight Sundays.

How much do festival tickets cost?

Advanced festival tickets can be purchased online or at select Valley Bashas’ and Food City supermarkets.

General admission is $35 per day for adults and $20 for children ages 5-12. Kids 4 and under get in free. Concerts are included with the price of admission, but rides cost extra.

The cost of a VIP experience is $150 per day. That includes entry to the festival plus access to a VIP area and front-of-stage viewing section for the concerts. VIPs also get private bar and restroom access plus one catered meal, three alcoholic beverages (for guests 21 and older), water and soft drinks.

Three-day passes for either weekend cost $90 for adults, $45 for children and $400 for the VIP level.

The Bashas’ and Food City locations sell family packs for $160. The deal provides $20 in savings on single-day general admission for two adults and two children plus two unlimited ride wristbands.

Tickets are non-refundable. The festival will go on rain or shine.

How much does it cost to go on rides?

All-day wristbands for the 30-plus carnival midway rides can be purchased for $35. A limited number of fast passes will be available for $30 at the venue.

Attendees can also purchase ride tickets for $1 each. Rides range from three to 10 tickets, depending on the attraction.

What is the Chandler Ostrich Festival concert schedule?

This year’s main stage concert lineup is heavy on country performers, along with rap artists each weekend and one night of Mexican norteño music.

Here’s the full concert lineup:

• Friday, March 8: Paul Russell (8-9 p.m.); Shaggy (9:30-10:45 p.m.)
• Saturday, March 9: Big & Rich featuring Gretchen Wilson and Cowboy Troy (9-11 p.m.)
• Sunday, March 10: Los Tucanes De Tijuana (8:45-10 p.m.)
• Friday, March 15: Yung Gravy (9:15-10:30 p.m.)
• Saturday, March 16: Madeline Edwards (6:15 -7:15 p.m.); Lauren Alaina (7:45-8:45 p.m.); Chris Lane (9:15-10:30 p.m.)
• Sunday, March 17: Wynonna Judd (8:45-10 p.m.)

What else is there to do besides rides and concerts?

The festival has a wide range of family-friendly entertainment daily.

Although the ostrich races were discontinued a few years ago because of concerns about the birds’ welfare, animal lovers can enjoy crowd-pleasing pig races and trained dog shows multiple times a day.

Highly trained humans are the main attraction at the Off Axis Stunt Team shows, which feature an array of BMX bike, trampoline and parkour stunts and other high-energy feats.

Young guests can give their brains a workout at Professor Smart’s Science Shows and the Mind Work! science museum’s interactive activities.

What else should attendees know?

The festival has a clear-bag policy similar to concerts and sporting events. No outside food or drinks are allowed in except for one factory-sealed water bottle per person.

Cash is not accepted by food and commercial vendors or for parking. It can only be used at the ticket office, carnival kiosks and to load RFID wristbands that can be used for payments throughout the event.

Leave Fido home, because pets other than service animals aren’t permitted.

You can bring lawn chairs to take a load off during the concerts, but the venue doesn’t offer any storage options for personal property.

Visit the festival’s website the full list of attractions, food vendors and other information.

Follow @KTAR923