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Ultimate guide to fall in Scottsdale

It sure feels like fall in Scottsdale this week — even if we're not totally done with the 90s yet — so make the most of it.

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We survived summer. Now comes a glorious stretch of patio dinners, desert hikes and packed weekends.Why it matters: It sure feels like fall this week — even if we&#x27;re not totally done with the 90s yet — so make the most of it.

"Team Moms" takes over Scottsdale

The show, executive produced by Kim Kardashian, takes place in our backyard.

A new reality show about the bonkers world of professionalized <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="youth sports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/19/private-equity-youth-sports" data-vars-content-id="5032d974-a7bf-45b4-b7d3-b53ddfd33938" data-vars-headline="&quot;Team Moms&quot; takes over Scottsdale" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/19/private-equity-youth-sports" target="_self">youth sports</a> is premiering this week.Why it matters: &quot;Team Moms: Baseball,&quot; executive produced by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Kim Kardashian" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/12/26/kim-kardashian-private-equity-skky" data-vars-content-id="5032d974-a7bf-45b4-b7d3-b53ddfd33938" data-vars-headline="&quot;Team Moms&quot; takes over Scottsdale" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/12/26/kim-kardashian-private-equity-skky" target="_self">Kim Kardashian</a>, takes place in our backyard.

This new exhibit turns a model home into a look at Valley growth

The installation is designed to feel like a house caught mid-construction.

A new SMoCA installation displays photos and videos inside a large-scale model home rather than neat gallery walls. The big picture: The source material mostly comes from Buckeye and the West Valley, but the questions the work of artist Alejandro Acierto raises — about housing growth and preserving the desert — are familiar ones in Scottsdale.

Girls flag football is the fastest-growing high school sport

Tens of thousands take up a game that barely had a varsity footprint a few years ago.

Girls flag football has become the fastest-growing high school sport, as tens of thousands take up a game that barely had a varsity footprint a few years ago.Why it matters: Few girls high school sports have moved from niche to mainstream so quickly, broadening athletic opportunities in the process.

Arizona diners are average tippers

What Arizonans think of the tipping culture

<div><figure><div id="datawrapper-embed-LKnHg" data-datawrapper-id="LKnHg" data-datawrapper-version="2"></div><img src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/LKnHg/full.png" alt="A choropleth map of the United States shows the average tip among restaurants on the Toast platform as of Q2 2026. The national average tip is 18.7%. California has the lowest average tip, 17.1%, while Delaware has the highest, 21.4%."/><iframe alt="A choropleth map of the United States shows the average tip among restaurants on the Toast platform as of Q2 2026. The national average tip is 18.7%. California has the lowest average tip, 17.1%, while Delaware has the highest, 21.4%." hidden="" frameborder="0" height="520" id="datawrapper-chart-LKnHg" scrolling="no" data-src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/LKnHg/2/" title="Average restaurant tip, Q2 2026"></iframe><figcaption>Data: Toast; Map: Sami Sparber/Axios</figcaption></figure></div>Arizona diners rank near the middle of the nation for tipping, according to new Toast data shared first with Axios.Why it matters: Despite the so-called &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="tip fatigue" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2026/03/02/seattle-readers-takeout-tipping-tip-screens-minimum-wage-culture-debate" data-vars-content-id="a8db9cf1-abaf-4678-873d-d9a1096a87f0" data-vars-headline="Arizona diners are average tippers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2026/03/02/seattle-readers-takeout-tipping-tip-screens-minimum-wage-culture-debate" target="_self">tip fatigue</a>&quot; — which is fueling a broader rethink of tipping culture — diners&#x27; average tips have barely budged over the past two years.

Why the people of Scottsdale are happy

The city's year-round sunshine and accessibility to parks and trails are a couple of factors.

Scottsdale is the third-happiest city in the country, according to a recent survey. The big picture: Scottsdale&#x27;s year-round sunshine, accessibility to parks and trails, low crime rates and high household incomes are contributing factors to its top ranking.

Scottsdale's newest dog park has an artistic surprise

The $6 million Thompson Peak Park Dog Park pairs three off-leash areas with colorful public art.

The new Thompson Peak Park Dog Park may be paradise for dogs, and it&#x27;s great for art lovers, too.Why it matters: Did you expect anything less in our town?

Escape the heat by stepping inside the sunken Titanic ship

Walk through movie props, recreated cabins and a VR dive to the wreck.

Culture

&#x27;Titanic: An Immersive Voyage&quot; is docked <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="in Scottsdale" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/scottsdale/2026/08/19/celebrate-scottsdale-75th-anniversary-events-things-to-do" data-vars-content-id="8209d0f1-0f5a-4a7b-905f-afa7cd57ed2c" data-vars-headline="Escape the heat by stepping inside the sunken Titanic ship" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/scottsdale/2026/08/19/celebrate-scottsdale-75th-anniversary-events-things-to-do" target="_self">in Scottsdale</a>.The latest: From re-created cabins to the wreck site itself, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="this exhibit" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/04/03/charlotte-titanic-vr-dates-tickets-immersive-exhibits" data-vars-content-id="8209d0f1-0f5a-4a7b-905f-afa7cd57ed2c" data-vars-headline="Escape the heat by stepping inside the sunken Titanic ship" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/04/03/charlotte-titanic-vr-dates-tickets-immersive-exhibits" target="_self">this exhibit</a> allows you to explore what the inside of the ship looked like — and how it went down.

A map identifying the 24 U.S. states that offer girls flag football as a sanctioned high school varsity sport as of September 2026, as well as 16 states with pilot or independent high school competitions, and remaining states with no current high school programs. 

Culture

"Team Moms" takes over Scottsdale

This new exhibit turns a model home into a look at Valley growth

Girls flag football is the fastest-growing high school sport

The Valley went nuts over Pokemon cards on Wednesday

Arizona diners are average tippers