Desert Oasis: Summer at the Garden — A New Seasonal Experience Debuts

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Media Release

April 7, 2026

Cool nights, bright mornings and endless reasons to explore the desert’s most surprising season

Desert Botanical Garden is introducing a new way to experience summer in the Sonoran Desert.

Starting June 1, the Garden will launch Desert Oasis: Summer at the Garden, a bold seasonal experience designed to create simple and fun ways for visitors to step outside, reconnect with each other and shift outdoor life to the hours when it can be enjoyed most.

From quiet sunrise moments to vibrant nights under the stars, the Garden will transform into a place where summer isn’t just endured; it’s fully experienced.

Summer Schedule to Match the Desert
The Garden’s summer experience aligns hours to the coolest and most enjoyable parts of the day:

Summer Hours:

Now – Sept 30, 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Garden Closed for Enhancements June 29 – July 5
July and August All trails closed during peak heat (1-5 p.m.)

Garden After Dark Anchors the Season
At the center of Desert Oasis is Summer Garden After Dark, a nightly transformation of the Garden into a dynamic evening destination.

Featuring more than a dozen light installations with a new color palette inspired by the monsoon season and a rotating nightly music lineup, the summer edition of this new Garden staple creates a vibrant and social atmosphere.

Seasonal cocktails, ice cream, indoor cool zones with interactive moments and themed evenings ensure that each visit offers something new, encouraging guests to return throughout the summer. It’s a glowing escape under the stars.

Let the music guide your Garden After Dark adventure:

Experiences Designed for Repeat Visits
Desert Oasis is also structured as a season-long experience with weekly rhythms and signature events to give guests reasons to come back:

Wellness Wednesdays (Wednesdays) – Yoga and meditation to start and end the day
Sonoran Sippin’ (Fridays) – evenings with music, drinks and social energy
Flashlight Nights (Saturdays) – family-friendly, and date night nighttime exploration and activities
Dog Days of Summer (Saturdays) – early morning access for guests and their dogs
Monthly Pay What You Can Community Days – access for all guests

Season Kickoff and Signature Moments

The season begins with Desert Oasis Kickoff Weekend, June 5–7, a three-night celebration of music, light and desert evenings.

Guests can experience the reimagined Garden After Dark, enjoy Sonoran Sippin’ on Friday, Flashlight Nights on Saturday and explore the Garden in a new way under the stars.

The season concludes with Saguaro & Skate, September 4–6, a pop-up outdoor roller disco experience that brings music, movement and late-summer energy to the Garden.

Full Programming Lineup:

Summer Garden After Dark
June 1- Sept. 20 | Sunset to 10 p.m.| Included with membership or Garden admission
Extended through Sept. 20
Enjoy this made-for-summer Garden After Dark experience as more than 12 light installations take over the trails. This shimmering display creates a playful break from the summer heat with a cooling colors and designs inspired by the monsoon season.

Each evening brings a different soundtrack of familiar music alongside seasonal iced cocktails and one-of-a-kind moments along the Garden’s trails. It’s a glowing escape under the stars.

All new! Cool down in The RAF Exhibit Gallery and experience interactive and colorful light projections and activities.

Desert Oasis: Summer at the Garden Kickoff Weekend
June 5-7 | Included with membership or Garden admission
Summer starts here at the Garden’s very first Desert Oasis Opening Weekend. Three nights. Music. Lights. Desert vibes done right. At the Garden we don’t run from summer. We celebrate it. Explore a reimagined Garden After Dark, glowing with fresh colors and cool nighttime energy. Sip on icy signature cocktails, wander the trails, and enjoy the summer return of Sonoran Sippin’ (Friday) and Flashlight Nights (Saturday). This is your sneak peek at the Garden’s coolest summer hangout … and trust us, you’ll want to come back again and again.

Pay What You Can Community Days
May 12, June 9, July 14, Aug.11, Sept. 8
Your Garden, Your Way! We believe nature should be accessible to everyone. On Community Day Pay What You Can. Pay $5, $10, $15 or any amount that works for you. In return, your contribution nurtures the Garden’s research, conservation and protection of desert plants for generations to come. Join us each month.

May 12: Sustainability Expo, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Join us as we explore technologies and community-driven actions shaping a more sustainable future in the desert. Try a hands-on paper-making activity using invasive plant materials with AZ(LAND) and learn about their work in environmental justice. Explore other activities with Farm to Power, Keep Phoenix Beautiful and Ability360, and learn how these organizations are advancing local sustainability and accessibility efforts.

June 9: Juneteenth, 7-10 p.m.
Celebrate Juneteenth at the Garden with an exciting evening filled with a variety of family-friendly activities and a market featuring local Black-owned businesses. Immerse yourself in a collaboration of culture, entertainment and community as we honor our past and shape our future. Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and is a time for remembrance, resilience and joy. On June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, freedom reached Texas, marking the beginning of the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth, now a nationally recognized holiday, honors this pivotal moment in history. Programming subject to change.

Ballet Arizona, Ballet in Bloom
May 13-30, Tickets at balletaz.org
By popular demand, An Evening at Desert Botanical Garden is back and better than ever before! Surrounded by the magnificent desert landscape with the setting sun as its backdrop, this audience favorite now features two ballet experiences as a double-feature event. Choreography: Lar Lubovitch and Daniea Cardim Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Gabriel Prokofiev. Runtime: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

Dog Days of Summer
Saturdays, May 16-Sept. 26 | 6-10 a.m. | Included with membership or Garden admission
Beat the heat with your four-legged best friend. Early mornings are made for wagging tails and cool trails, and the Garden opens its paths for pups and their people to explore the desert together. Enjoy refreshing hydration stations, shady rest stops, and plenty of photo worthy moments.

Desert Discovery Summer Camps
June 1-26
$295 Members, $345 General Public
Join us for Desert Discovery Camps, where campers explore nature and learn about the beauty of the desert. This year’s camps feature outdoor skills, nature-inspired art, sustainability and science. All summer camps include hands-on activities, guest speakers and exploration of the Garden trails. Camps are available for ages 6-8 and 9-12.

602 Day
June 2 | 6 a.m.-10 p.m. | $6.02 admission
Desert Botanical Garden is excited to participate in 602 Day in partnership with the City of Phoenix to promote community spirit! On June 2, you can visit the Garden for only $6.02 per ticket. Wander the trails, enjoy a docent tour and experience Garden After Dark. Area Code Day is celebrated in communities around the country, as cities embrace their local flair and uniqueness on the calendar date that corresponds with their local area code.

Wellness Wednesdays
Sunrise Yoga (Outdoors)
June 3, 10, 17, 24; July 8, 15, 22, 29; August 5, 12, 19, 26; September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 7-8 a.m.
Members: $14.95 | General Public: $19.95
Begin your morning connecting with nature during this memorable Sunrise Yoga session, led by Metta Yoga. Together, in a Sonoran Desert oasis, breathe, stretch and embrace the cooler morning air whilst enjoying Garden views. This is an all-levels class. Weather permitting, classes are held in a shaded outdoor pavilion. Enjoy a morning stroll in the Garden before or after class.

Wellness Wednesdays
Sunset Sound Meditation (Indoors)
June 3, 10, 17, 24; July 8, 15, 22, 29; August 5, 12, 19, 26; September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 6-7 p.m.
Members: $14.95 | General Public: $19.95

Let the soothing melodies of singing bowls and gongs transport you to a state of pure relaxation and meditation. Participants can be seated or lying down for the entirety of the class. After class, enjoy a sunset stroll in the Garden.

Flashlight Nights
Select Saturdays, June 6- Sept. 26, 7-9:30 p.m. | Included with membership or Garden admission
Whether you’re planning a date night or a family adventure, discover the magic of Flashlight Nights. As the sun sets, the desert transforms—revealing new sights, sounds, and surprises after dark. Wander the trails with a flashlight in hand, gaze at the stars through telescopes, and get up close with fascinating desert animals. Each visit offers something new, with themed activities that change weekly. Visit dbg.org to explore upcoming themes and plan your night under the desert sky.

Sonoran Sippin’
June 5, 12, 19, 26, 6-9p.m.| Included with membership or Garden admission
Celebrate Fri-YAY at the Garden. Kick-start your weekend themed Friday nights with a welcome cocktail or mocktail and an evening in nature plus enjoy live music, pop-up activities and more.

Father’s Day at the Garden
June 20, 7-10 p.m.
Dads are free with paid child, use promo code DADS26 at checkout.
Celebrate Father’s Day after dark at the Garden during a special Flashlight Nights edition filled with adventure, creativity and connection. Explore glowing desert trails, enjoy hands-on activity stations, sip local craft beers and create a heartfelt card for dad’s and father-figures. Don’t miss the Garden-wide scavenger hunt, a perfect family friendly competition.

Seedlings
September 2, 9, 16, 23
Members: $9.95 per class or $14.95 for general admission

Invite your 3–5-year-old to explore the outdoors alongside you through hands-on nature adventures that spark curiosity and creativity. Dive into fresh weekly themes, sing engaging songs and take part in immersive outdoor activities together.

Saguaro and Skate as Desert Oasis Season Finale
Sept. 4-6
Roll into the last days of summer with Saguaro & Skate, a three‑day outdoor roller‑disco celebration at the Garden. We’re turning up the glow, the music and the desert views for one unforgettable sendoff to the season.
Saguaro & Skate | 6–10 p.m. Sept. 4 (21+), Sept. 5–6 (Ages 5+) Tickets on sale July 11. Prices TBA.
Lace up and hit the pop‑up roller rink with the Zoni Girls, dance under the lights, and soak in the energy of a desert night done right. Enjoy live music, grab delicious treats, and don’t miss the chance to explore Garden After Dark, glowing with late‑summer color and nighttime ambiance. Friday, Sept. 4 is an adults‑only skate night. Saturday–Sunday, Sept. 5–6 welcome guests ages 5+. (Children under 5 are not permitted to skate.)

Mark Klett: Desert Citizens
Now- Sept. 7 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Included with membership or Garden admission
Experience the Sonoran Desert through the lens of award-winning Arizona landscape photographer Mark Klett. With a career spanning more than four decades, Klett reframes the notions of time, cultural memory and the land around us.

Adult Education Classes | Summer classes on sale now.
Take learning into your own hands and enjoy specialized one-time classes located at Desert Botanical Garden. Get inspired and learn new skills through one of our programs in landscape and gardening, photography, art, cooking and wellness.

Shopping
The Garden Shop will be open June 1-28, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., July 6 – Aug. 31 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. and Sept. 1-30 from 8 a.m., to 9 p.m.

Dining
Starting June 1, Gertrude’s by Tarbell’s opens bright and early at 6 a.m., serving fresh coffee, warm pastries, and a can’t‑miss brunch—perfect for enjoying the Garden’s coolest, most beautiful hours. Sip, stroll and savor your visit.

Gertrude’s by Tarbell’s Summer Hours

June 1–28: 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Last seating at 8 p.m.
July 6–August 31: 6 a.m.–1 p.m. and 5–9 p.m.
September 1–30: 6 a.m.–9 p.m.

Note: The Patio Café is closed for the summer.

Summer Pricing
June 1 – September 30

Adults: $18.95 – $21.95
Children: $14.95 – $16.95

Tickets are available now at dbg.org.