I Love Mesa Day returns on Saturday, Feb. 25 with a full day of free, family friendly and outdoor events throughout downtown Mesa. The City of Mesa and Downtown Mesa Association are partnering to bring many activities downtown, free museum admission, movies and fireworks.
A free concert series on North Macdonald begins at 5 p.m. and features nationally known artists The Smithereens with special guest vocalist Marshall Crenshaw, Dishwalla, DREAMERS and benches. The night will end with a spectacular fireworks show over downtown Mesa starting at 9 p.m.
"Downtown Mesa is a rapidly changing part of our city, full of new and legacy businesses, great community events and several award-winning destinations for arts and culture," said Mayor John Giles. "I Love Mesa Day will be another great opportunity for people to visit, return to or discover Mesa for the first time."
I Love Mesa Day activities take place all day:
Downtown Mesa Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the Center Street side of the Mesa Arts Center
Free admission at the i.d.e.a. Museum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at the Arizona Museum of Natural History from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mesa Arts Center chalk artist along Pepper Street from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Main Street and downtown activations start at 11 a.m. and will include a petting zoo, carnival games and rides, community performances, roaming princess characters, a speed painter and a variety of food trucks
Roller skating demonstrations, open skating, a DJ skating party and the screening of Luca and An Extremely Goofy Movie at The Plaza at Mesa City Center
"We are thrilled that I Love Mesa Day will offer so many activities plus special offerings and discounts from our locally owned businesses in downtown Mesa," said Nancy Hormann, Downtown Mesa Association President and Executive Director. "The Downtown Mesa Association and City of Mesa have partnered to make this an annual event to showcase our vibrant downtown community."
Pepper Place will be closed from west of Macdonald to Centennial Way and Macdonald will be closed from north of Pepper Place to Main Street from Friday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. to Sunday, Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. for the event. The parking lot behind Milano's, located at the southeast corner of Pepper Place and Macdonald, will close Thursday, Feb. 23 at 10 p.m.
The much-anticipated daylong celebration started in September 2021 to support local businesses and introduce valley residents to the uniquely local offerings in downtown Mesa.
For a complete list of I Love Mesa Day activities, visit www.downtownmesa.com and www.mesaaz.gov.