# Event Details - **Event Name**: Once Upon a Carnival: A Bookish Night Under the Big Top - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 05 Nov, 2026 at 04:30 pm – Thu, 05 Nov, 2026 at 10:00 pm (-07:00) - **Event Description**: Step right up for an unforgettable bookish carnival with games, live performers, authors, shopping, food, photo ops & so much more!About this Event🎪 ONCE UPON A CARNIVAL 🎪Thursday, November 5, 2026 | 4:30–10:30 PMArizona Athletic Grounds | Mesa, Arizona18+ EventWhat if your favorite bookish world came to life for one unforgettable night?Welcome to Once Upon a Carnival, a massive immersive bookish carnival created by Not Your Average Book Club. For one night only, we're transforming the grounds into a vintage-inspired carnival filled with bookish games, live entertainment, authors, shopping, food, interactive experiences, photo opportunities and surprises around every corner.This isn't just a book market.It's an entire night built for readers.🎟️ WHAT AWAITS YOU UNDER THE BIG TOP📚 Meet & Shop AuthorsDiscover an incredible lineup of 70+ attending authors, meet the people behind the stories you love and find your next favorite read.🛍️ Shop Bookish VendorsWander through a huge marketplace filled with bookish goods, accessories, art, apparel, gifts and plenty of things your bookshelf probably doesn't need... but you're going to want anyway.🎪 Bookish Carnival GamesThis is where the carnival really comes to life. Test your luck and your skills with carnival-style games reimagined with a bookish twist throughout the event.✨ Interactive ExperiencesThere will be plenty to discover beyond the market, with activities, bookish freebies and unexpected surprises waiting for you throughout the night.🎭 Live Performers & EntertainmentExpect entertainment throughout the night with live performers bringing even more carnival magic to the grounds.🔥 House of HottiesStep inside the House of Hotties, an immersive experience celebrating the characters and tropes that have completely ruined our standards. From morally gray favorites to golden retrievers, villains, vampires, cowboys and so much more, there's a hottie for every reader. 👀🔮 Tarot Readings + Face PaintingLean all the way into the experience with tarot readings, face painting and other fun activations throughout the evening.📸 Photo OpportunitiesCome dressed for the occasion because there will be plenty of places to capture the night with your book besties.🍴 Food + DrinksCome hungry! Food and beverage options will be available throughout the event so you can grab something between shopping, games and exploring.And we're not telling you everything just yet. 👀Part of the fun of Once Upon a Carnival will be discovering what we've created once you're inside.🎟️ YOUR TICKET IS MORE THAN ADMISSIONYour Carnival experience doesn't have to end when you leave the grounds.We're partnering with local businesses to create special offers exclusively for Once Upon a Carnival ticket holders, giving you even more ways to make a weekend out of Carnival while supporting local businesses throughout the Valley.More details and participating businesses will be announced as we get closer to the event.✨ MAKE A NIGHT OF ITGrab your book besties. Plan the outfits. Charge your phone. Clear some room on your bookshelves.Whether you spend the night meeting authors, competing at the carnival games, shopping your way through the market, watching the performers, grabbing food or doing a little bit of everything, Once Upon a Carnival was created to be explored.Thousands of readers. One massive bookish carnival. One night only.We'll see you under the big top. 🎪 - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/mesa/once-upon-a-carnival-a-bookish-night-under-the-big-top/100001998996125222 - **Event Categories**: carnivals, art, literary-art, performances, entertainment, shopping, fine-arts, meetups - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 1 - **Event Highlights**: - Age Limit: 18+ - Doors Open At: 4:30 PM - Duration: 5 hours 30 minutes - Location: Arizona Athletic Grounds - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 30.75, max: 30.75, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Mesa - **state**: AZ - **country**: United States - **location**: Arizona Athletic Grounds - **lat**: 33.3009856 - **long**: -111.6277352 - **full address**: Arizona Athletic Grounds, 6321 South Ellsworth Road, Mesa, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Once Upon a Carnival: A Bookish Night Under the Big Top - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events10/banners/d4df37359bfa496ddb7fa522cd64f13a7ccb18b46e0a456dfbe7d7d09a1d7609-rimg-w1200-h600-dce8b878-gmir.jpg?v=1787944574 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Once Upon a Carnival: A Bookish Night Under the Big Top being held? - **A:** Once Upon a Carnival: A Bookish Night Under the Big Top takes place on Thu, 05 Nov, 2026 at 04:30 pm to Thu, 05 Nov, 2026 at 10:00 pm at Arizona Athletic Grounds, 6321 South Ellsworth Road, Mesa, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Once Upon a Carnival: A Bookish Night Under the Big Top? - **A:** Once Upon a Carnival: A Bookish Night Under the Big Top is organized by Not Your Average Book Club. - **Q**: What has been the experience of attendees at Not Your Average Book Club's events? - **A:** Attendees have given Not Your Average Book Club a rating of 4/5 based on reviews from early attendees on AllEvents. Not Your Average Book Club has a verified profile on AllEvents where you can read reviews and explore their upcoming events. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Once Upon a Carnival: A Bookish Night Under the Big Top is ideal for families, kids, and anyone looking for a fun-filled day of rides, games, and festive entertainment. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Mesa, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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We’re so excited you’re joining us!" } ] } ] ```