Community • Community Voices

2025 Playback: Moments that Moved Downtown Phoenix Inc.

By Haley Hoekstra • December 23, 2025

2025 has been a breakthrough year for Downtown Phoenix.

For Downtown Phoenix Inc. (DPI), it was a year that truly amplified our mission and affirmed what's possible when a community moves with intention. We introduced two new signature events, launched fresh and engaging DTPHX campaigns, welcomed a steady stream of new businesses into our growing neighborhood, and proudly debuted Downtown Phoenix's first-ever Community Resource Hub.

Our progress is powered by the dedication of our street teams—the DTPHX Ambassadors and Clean + Green Team—who maintain Downtown's sustainable and inviting environment, as well as by our Events, Marketing, Business Development, and Community Engagement teams, and our robust affiliate organizations, Phoenix Community Alliance and the Downtown Phoenix Community Development Corporation. Together, their community-driven momentum and shared vision move in sync with a city rising.

Let's take a look back at some of the memorable milestones and initiatives that Downtown Phoenix Inc. and its affiliates contributed to this year.

Each of the new DTPHX campaigns that launched this year incorporated intentional branding, featuring design elements inspired by the respective nature of each campaign.

Launched Brand-New DTPHX Campaigns

2025 marked the launch of several brand-new DTPHX campaigns, each rooted in storytelling and honoring the local voices and cultural depth of Downtown Phoenix. These initiatives quickly became a powerful platform for celebrating our community and its significant role in shaping Downtown's identity.

You Had to Be There

At the top of the year, we posed the question 'what does FOMO really look like?' in a campaign that took a bold approach to interpreting the ‘you had to be there’ moments that define Downtown’s lively spirit. Through compelling messaging, imagery, and testimonials, we aimed to generate awareness for what people love about being here and how to be a part of it.

Black History Month in DTPHX

As part of our celebration of Black History Month, DPI introduced a campaign that focused on spotlighting small business owners and amplifying Black leadership in Downtown Phoenix. The empowering nature of this initiative sparked inspiration and left a long-lasting impression on our community. Notably, over 30% of businesses in Downtown Phoenix that opened in 2024 were Black-owned, a trend that continued to grow throughout 2025.

Pride in the City

In June, we honored Pride Month with a month-long celebration of love and inclusivity. By turning to our local LGBTQ+ community, we initiated meaningful conversations that explored how our neighbors express and identify with Pride. The connections we formed with local LGBTQ+ leaders, business owners, and allies presented a unique opportunity for us to shine a light on their lived experiences and help create spaces where everyone feels seen.

Phoenix History Month

While on the surface, Downtown Phoenix may seem like a relatively young city, a rich history lies within our urban core. During Phoenix History Month in March, we partnered with Steve Schumacher, the Official Historian of the Mayor's Office, to gain a deeper understanding of Downtown's past. Together, we excavated the city’s archives and visited historic buildings that are still standing today.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month in Downtown Phoenix was rooted in a community-centered campaign dedicated to celebrating Hispanic and Latin leadership. Throughout the month, we collaborated with local entrepreneurs to learn more about the generations of traditions, culture, and heritage that influence them, and how they proudly weave these elements into their businesses.

Local Community Events

One of our favorite ways to watch Downtown Phoenix come together this year was through a full calendar of community-forward events. By producing 11 events and supporting more than 30 additional events through sponsorships and partnerships, DPI continued to elevate our investment in experiences that activate public spaces with inclusive, multicultural, and engaging programming for all ages and budgets.

Annual Celebrations of Heritage and History

CAN I KICK IT?

In February, we commemorated our Black History Month celebrations with a free movie in the park at CAN I KICK IT?, which featured live scoring by Shaolin Jazz in tune with the movie Men in Black. We also partnered with local market vendors and our friends at House of Patterns to kick off the evening with a fabulous fashion show.

Lotería

DTPHX Lotería is one of Downtown’s cherished events that continues to grow and evolve over time. This year, locals and enthusiasts of the traditional game of Lotería gathered at Renaissance Square Plaza to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a lively evening of dining, shopping, entertainment, and honoring la cultura. Over 10 locally-owned businesses participated in the event, sharing their crafts with the community through engaging activities and by taking the stage to announce each Lotería round.

DTPHX Signature Events

Wellness Fair

DPI invited the local community to embrace the fresh energy of Spring at the DTPHX Wellness Fair, an annual celebration of self-care and connection. Joined by an incredible lineup of local fitness and wellness businesses, we gathered on the lawn at Civic Space Park to enjoy free workouts and discover new ways to nourish the mind, body, and soul.

Urban Wine Walk

Widely popular among wine-sipping and city-strolling aficionados from across the Valley, DPI’s signature Urban Wine Walk returned to the city this past April for its 15th year. The urban core was transformed into an ‘Italian Beach Club’ setting, inviting the community to embody the theme by dressing head-to-toe in Amalfi Coast-chic attire while enjoying $5 wine pairings from participating local bars and restaurants.

Brand-New Community Activations

Pride in the City Celebration

The love was all around at our Pride in the City Celebration, an event that we debuted this year to commemorate the Pride in the City campaign. In partnership with local entrepreneur and owner of dialog, Chad Campbell, we extended an open invitation to gather at the Ten-O-One building for a curated evening of artist talks, live music, raffle prizes, professional headshots, giveaways, and opportunities to connect with the local LGBTQ+ community and its allies.

DTPHX Hallows’ Eve

This year, the spooky vibes were omnipresent as fall crept into the city. We embraced the energy of the season by presenting DTPHX Hallows’ Eve: Downtown’s ultimate Halloween festival. The evening kicked off at the Arizona Center with a variety of ‘spooktacular’ family-friendly activities. Meanwhile, the adult crowd set off on a ‘spooky stroll’ through the city, exploring an assortment of themed treats from participating businesses.

The 'Holidays in DTPHX' passport featured custom stickers for each event included in the campaign. (Photo Credit: Haley Hoekstra)

Expanded Holiday Celebrations in DTPHX

This year’s holiday season was overflowing with cheer and merriment in Downtown Phoenix as we expanded upon DPI’s beloved signature events—PJs in the Park and Winter Wanderland—to bring a handful of other festive community activations under the ‘Holidays in DTPHX’ campaign umbrella.

Each holiday celebration on Downtown’s *Advent* calendar served as an opportunity to collect a custom sticker and fill out a ‘Holidays in DTPHX’ passport. Those who were able to get at least four stickers throughout the season redeemed a special prize at Winter Wanderland.

DPI enthusiastically welcomed a full lineup of new businesses to the urban core this year, each bringing a diverse profile of fresh flavors, creative experiences, sleek collaborative environments, stylish retail spaces, and more.

Major Downtown Developments and New Businesses

Whether you're new to the DTPHX neighborhood or have been calling it home your whole life, you may have heard buzz about—or experienced firsthand—the considerable growth that the city has experienced over the last decade. And it's true. One reason, in part, is due to the incredible business development that has transpired here (with more in the pipeline).

In 2025, Downtown Phoenix welcomed nearly 50 new businesses to the core, supplemented by 412 new residential units—37 of which are workforce housing. Additionally, major projects like Central Station and Sol Modern are currently underway, projected to add another 1,500 units.

Pick up your own map of Downtown Phoenix at various kiosks throughout the city, like the DPI office and the Phoenix Convention Center.

Community Collaborations

Behind the scenes of the milestones DPI proudly champions is a strong foundation of partnerships we’ve cultivated along the way. Together, we’re able to turn collaboration and innovation into activations that serve our communities.

Elevated Map of Downtown Phoenix

This year, we teamed up with Visit Phoenix to create a brand-new foldable map of Downtown Phoenix, designed to be comprehensive and convenient for taking on-the-go. The pocket-sized map is also accessible in a larger format, situated on kiosks throughout the city.

A New Way to Park in DTPHX

One of the most common questions we hear from visitors is as simple as: “Where do I park?”

Navigating parking in any urban area can feel overwhelming, especially for first-time visitors. In 2025, we helped ease that uncertainty by partnering with the City of Phoenix to spread the word about ParkPHX, a new web-based app that makes it easy to explore all parking options in Downtown Phoenix in one comprehensive platform.

The DTPHX community came out in full force to celebrate the official debut of the Valley Metro South Central Extension/Downtown Hub (left) and the DTPHX Community Resource Hub (right).

A Centralized Space for Support, Safety, and Visitor Resources

One of the major collaborations that DPI had a hand in activating made its official debut in November of this year. Now open on the ground floor of CityScape, right next to the (also new) Valley Metro South Central Extension/Downtown Hub, the DTPHX Community Resource Hub serves as a centralized, collaborative space designed to connect community members with essential services. In partnership with RED Development and Valley Metro and with support from the City of Phoenix’s Office of Homeless Solutions, the Hub acts as a coordinated base for outreach for the following organizations: dēhp Integrative Care’s Outreach Navigators, City of Phoenix’s Community Assistance Program (CAP), Phoenix Union High School District’s Upward and Onward program, and the Phoenix Police Department’s Downtown Operations Unit.

DPI's Street Teams and The Flock celebrated several remarkable accomplishments in 2025, reaffirming their commitment to maintaining a safe, inviting, and clean urban environment.

Success on the Street Level

DPI’s roving hospitality team welcomed eight fresh faces this year, adding even more dedication to maintaining an inviting Downtown. In 2025, the DTPHX Ambassadors achieved a total of 71,036 assists, including 1,079 walking escorts, 147 car battery jumps, and 148 vehicles recovered throughout the year.

Our small but mighty Clean + Green Team truly made Downtown Phoenix shine throughout 2025, rounding out the year with several notable wins. The team sustained the greenery and cleanliness on the street level by planting 12 trees, removing 3,943 graffiti tags, and removing an astonishing 107,594 pounds of trash and debris from the city streets.

DPI’s growing roster of volunteers that make up The Flock dedicated their time to beautifying the neighborhood this year. Together, their efforts contributed to a total of 45 completed serving dates, 888 completed volunteer hours, and a total economic impact of $28,201.

As we reflect on an impactful 2025, we thank our community and partners for helping us elevate Downtown Phoenix—and we’re excited to see what 2026 brings!