Fortnite Esports Tournament Dec 11

Surprise Parks & Recreation and Bravous Esports are teaming up again to offer another Fortnite Esports Tournament on December 11 from 2-5 p.m.! Fortnite is a video game that pits up to 100-players against each other with the...

City of Surprise “Deck the Hock” holiday event Dec. 8

Join City of Surprise for the 5^th annual Deck the Hock holiday event! This free, family-friendly celebration will be held on Wednesday, December 8 from 5 - 7 p.m. at the Surprise Senior Center, 15832 N. Hollyhock Street. It includes performances by local ...

City encourages residents to “Shop Surprise, Shape Surprise”

As you search for the perfect gifts this holiday season, don’t forget that shopping locally helps to shape your community – so, “Shop Surprise, Shape Surprise!” 

Local sales tax makes up nearly 40 percent of the city’s General Fund revenues. That ...

Community invited to ribbon cutting ceremony for two Surprise fire stations completed in 2021

The community is invited to a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in celebration of two Surprise fire stations built in 2021 – Fire Station 304 in our northern area and Fire Station 308 in southeast Surprise!

The ceremony will be held:

Tuesday, December 14 at 3:30 p.m....

City of Surprise offers in person and virtual visits with Santa!

Have a long list for Santa this year? Don’t worry, there will be plenty of opportunity to visit Ol’ Saint Nick in his workshop or via Zoom! This year the City of Surprise Parks & Recreation Department invites you to visit Santa&...

City seeks entries for annual Gingerbread House Contest!

The City of Surprise Parks & Recreation Department is seeking entries for the 2021 Surprise Party Gingerbread House Contest! Gather your family and friends and create a one of a kind masterpiece.

Entry is free and all materials must be edible. Creation...

City of Surprise closures and trash collection schedule changes for Thanksgiving

City of Surprise administrative offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 25-26 due to Thanksgiving. 

Also due to the holiday, City of Surprise sanitation customers ONLY are reminded there will be a modified trash collection schedule th...

New ordinance bans feeding wildlife on city property

The Surprise City Council approved an ordinance that prohibits the feeding of wild animals on city-owned property, including city parks, at Tuesday evening’s Regular Council Meeting. 

In part, the ordinance aims to protect public health, as congre...

Parks & Recreation receives award for adaptive programming

City of Surprise Parks & Recreation has won the Outstanding Program - Adaptive Program Award through the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association. The Department was selected for the award based on the overwhelming success of Virtual Bingo pr...

New “Surprise Lately” Episode

Have you been searching for more places to play in Surprise? We have just what you're looking for in this episode of Surprise Lately. 

Nichole also tells us about an artisan market for your holiday shopping needs and shares the results of...

Winter Break Camp registration opens Nov 17

Winter Break Camp is right around the corner! The City of Surprise Parks and Recreation Department is offering a two-week Winter Break Camp that will run December 20-30. Camp registration will begin Wednesday, November 17 for Surprise residents and Wednes...

Join the City of Surprise for a Day of Service

Surprise is looking for volunteers for its Day of Service on Saturday, December 11, 2021. Volunteers will participate in various projects throughout the city including landscaping, painting, trimming of shrubs, debris removal and more.

The neighborhood rev...

Surprise debuts live web camera capturing City Center views

Watch a livestream view of Surprise City Center through a new web camera located on top of the Surprise City Hall Parking Garage.

The web camera allows the City to share the beauty and bustle of the Surprise Recreation Campus, which is set within City Cent...

Celebrate with us at the 20th Annual Surprise Party

Celebrate with the City of Surprise at the 20^th Annual Surprise Party on Dec. 3 and 4, at the Surprise Recreation Campus! 

This fun-filled event offers a variety of activities and entertainment experiences, and admission is free with a canned food...

Surprise trash collection schedule will change Jan. 3

Surprise trash collection zones will change beginning Monday, January 3, 2022, to balance the number of homes serviced on each collection day as the city continues to grow.

Not all residents will see changes to their trash collection schedule. These change...

Surprise Stadium to host Artisan Treasures Christmas Market

Surprise Stadium will captivate shoppers this holiday season as it welcomes the “Christmas Market” – a one-stop shop, creative market, produced by Artisan Treasures and sponsored by K-Love 89.1. 

The Artisan Treasures...

Surprise seeking sponsors, performers and art submissions for MLK events

The City of Surprise is excited to announce two events honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in January 2022. In preparation for the celebrations, the City is seeking sponsors, performers, art contest submissions and...

Surprise Voters Approve EPCOR Franchise Extension

The unofficial results of the November 2 election are in, and Surprise voters have approved an EPCOR franchise extension.

This approval extends a previous 25-year agreement with EPCOR Water for an additional 25 years, allowing the company to construct, mai...

Register now for Winter Youth Sports!

The City of Surprise Parks & Recreation Department is now taking registrations for Winter Youth Sports, including Jr. Suns Basketball, Kickball and NFL Flag Football Leagues, as well as Camps, Classes, and Esports tournaments. Registration for our 202...

Surprise Schools Open Fields to Community

Dysart Unified School District has issued the following news release…

Dysart Unified School District is excited to open school fields in the City of Surprise to the community after school and on weekends. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on October 29 to...

Catch early registration for 4th Annual Surprise Spring Training 5K/1K

Get your Major League juices running at Surprise Stadium on Friday, March 4 with the 4th Annual Surprise Spring Training 5K and 1K Fun Run presented by Palm Valley Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics. This 5K & 1K fun run will begin at 7 p...

Poetry, art & more! Upcoming winter events in Surprise

As temperatures cool, the arts scene in Surprise is heating up. You can find amazing arts and cultural events – from theater performances, gallery tours, poetry readings and more! Check out what’s coming up, and mark your calendar to a...

Surprise offers multiple new sports classes & clinics featuring new & returning instructors

The City of Surprise Parks & Recreation Department is excited to offer new sports classes starting November 8, running through December 17, that include a wide variety of days and times, as well as both intermediate and beginner level options.

Baseball...

City breaks ground on community Xeriscape Demonstration Garden

The City of Surprise has broken ground on a Xeriscape Demonstration Garden on the Surprise City Hall campus, just west of West Valley Arts HQ, thanks to funding support from Arizona Department of Water Resources, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Ma...

Signature public art piece planned for City Center

A signature art piece is slated for the downtown City Center corridor, following approval by the Surprise City Council at Tuesday’s Regular Meeting. 

“Bloom Where You’re Planted,” by artist Brad Oldham, is d...

Call of Election 2022

Public Notice of the City of Surprise, Arizona.

Notice is hereby given that the City of Surprise, Arizona will hold elections as follows:

Primary Election: Tuesday, August 2, 2022General Election: Tuesday, November 8, 2022 (If Applicable)

Offices to be fille...

City of Surprise receives excellence awards from the International Economic Development Council

The City of Surprise Economic Development Department has been recognized with three Excellence in Economic Development Awards by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC):

• Silver Award - Surprise Virtual Spring Training Tent Event, a project in...

Council appoints Bob Wingenroth as next City Manager

At tonight’s Regular City Council Meeting, the Surprise City Council voted to appoint someone familiar to the community to serve as the next City Manager.

Bob Wingenroth will replace Michael Frazier, who previously announced plans to retire on January 7, 2...

Teen Rec Nights return with Fall Fiesta theme Oct 1

The City of Surprise Parks & Recreation Department is excited for the return of Rec Nights for “Fall Fiesta” on Friday, October 1 from 7-10 p.m. for youth grades 6-8 at Sierra Montana Recreation Center - 1481 N. Spring Ln. ...

City of Surprise wins two national video awards

The city of Surprise Marketing & Communications Department earned first and second place wins in the National Association of Telecommunications Officers & Advisors’ (NATOA) Annual Government Programming Awards.

Surprise took first place in the cate...

Council puts pause on City Manager recruitment

In coordination with their selected third-party recruiter, Surprise City Council is postponing the recruitment for the next city manager.

“Our current City Manager Mike Frazier is not retiring until after the new year, so our council has some tim...

Construction complete on Fire Station 308 at Litchfield & Cactus roads

Construction is complete on Fire Station 308, located on the south side of Cactus Road, east of Litchfield Road, and the station is operational as of today. 

This public safety project was completed as part of the voter-approved 2017 General Oblig...

Pickleball tournaments set to return to Surprise

Surprise will host a series of tournaments for the fast-growing sport of pickleball, welcoming over 1,900 participants to the city. 

The following tournaments will take place at the Surprise Pickleball Courts, located at 14534 W. Tierra ...

City continues work to secure water future with an update to Drought Preparedness Plan

Surprise, along with the other water providers operating within the city, recognize the necessity for protecting our water supply and are committed to providing quality water services to residents and businesses. At the September 7 City Council Meeting, c...

Critical home rehabilitation funds available for eligible Surprise residents

The City of Surprise is currently accepting applications from income-eligible, owner-occupied property owners in Surprise in need of assistance for critical home repairs to ensure the home is healthy and safe to occupy. These programs may also be availabl...

Surprise announces next steps in City Manager recruitment

The Surprise City Council has determined the next steps in the recruitment process for the next City Manager. 

The contracted recruitment firm, CPS HR Consulting, received 59 applications for the position, which will become vacant following the im...

Major League Baseball announces 2022 Spring Training schedule

Major League Baseball, in conjunction with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers, have released the 2022 Cactus League Spring Training schedule. Opening Day in Surprise, Arizona is set for Saturday, February 26 with the Texas Rangers taking on the Kans...

Surprise residents won’t see shortage at the tap as BOR declares “Tier 1” Colorado River shortage

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation today announced a Tier 1 shortage for Colorado River operations for 2022, meaning less water supplies available to Arizona. See the announcement, here. Due to Arizona’s priority system, our city supplies will not experience ...

Donna Meuse to serve as Human Resources Director

City Manager Mike Frazier announced today that he has selected Donna Meuse to serve as the next Surprise Human Resources Director.

Meuse has 14 years of progressive experience in the field of Human Resources, 10 of those with the city of Surprise. She has ...

Surprise updates RideChoice transportation program to include veterans and raised income limit

Valley Metro’s RideChoice program, which offers discounted transportation options, has been expanded to allow more access for Surprise residents. All veterans with proof of eligibility will now qualify, and the FY2021 Income Limit Category has b...

Surprise Economic Development Director receives “Most Influential Women in AZ Business" honor

The city of Surprise applauds Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic on being named one of Arizona Business Magazine’s 2021 “Most Influential Women in Arizona Business.”

Jerkovic’s work as the city’s Director of Economic Development attracts busine...

Holly Osborn to serve as Parks & Recreation Director

City Manager Mike Frazier announced today that he has selected Holly Osborn to serve as the next Surprise Parks & Recreation Director.  

Osborn has 18 years of progressive experience with the city of Surprise, most recently as an Assistant Fin...

Council adopts FY2022 Budget focused on addressing city growth; adding personnel

The Surprise City Council approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 City Budget in a Special Meeting Tuesday night. The budget is focused on maintaining our current level of service as the city continues to see steady growth. The budget continues to focus on Cou...

City Hall reopens to public 4/12; City Council & public meetings open to in-person attendance

On Monday, April 12, Surprise City Hall and other city administrative buildings will open to the public, following a temporary closure due to COVID-19. Additionally, meetings of the City Council and all boards and commissions will open to in-person attend...

Governor Ducey Announces Next Phase of Business and Safety Protocols

Governor Doug Ducey today announced the next phase of COVID-19 mitigation.

The announcement follows 7 weeks of declining cases in Arizona, and the distribution of more than 2 million vaccines.

The following changes are reflected in a new Executive Order fro...

Say it, Surprise! National Community Survey coming soon

What do you love about living in Surprise? What services do you value most? What can the city do better to improve the quality of life in our hometown?

You can share your thoughts in the 2021 National Community Survey (NCS)!

What you tell us helps to identi...

City debuts anti-litter campaign, “Keep it Beautiful, Surprise!”

The city of Surprise takes pride in being a safe, clean and attractive city, where residents and businesses can thrive and visitors are impressed. In an effort to keep our city as clean as possible, we are releasing a campaign encouraging residents to &am...

DevelopNEXT: Council approves updates to city’s land development ordinances & design standards

The Surprise City Council approved the adoption of new Land Development Ordinances (LDO) and Planning and Engineering Design Standards (PEDS) at the December 15 City Council Meeting following a more than two-year process that engaged both residents and de...

Governor Ducey Shares Latest On COVID-19

Governor Doug Ducey today toured the vaccine distribution site at the Arizona State Fairgrounds and announced ten Arizona health care frontline workers who will be among the first Arizonans to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 

After the tour, the Gov...

Surprise breaks ground on Fire Station 308 at Litchfield & Cactus roads

Construction began December 7 on City of Surprise Fire Station 308 at the southeast corner of Litchfield Road and Cactus Road. This voter-approved project is being funded by the 2017 Decide Surprise General Obligation Bond.

The southeast portion of Surpris...

Governor Ducey Announces Latest Actions to Fight COVID-19, Increase Hospital Staffing

Governor Doug Ducey today announced a series of actions to fight the spread of COVID-19 in Arizona.

Today’s actions include: 

• Update on vaccine distribution plan
• Executive Order ensuring all Arizonans receive the vaccine without financial barriers
• Ex...

Greenway Rd improvement project begins, Cotton Ln to Sarival Ave

Construction of the voter-approved Greenway Road improvement project will begin Thursday, December 3.

The project will finish the south half of Greenway Road from 800 feet west of Loop 303 to 1600 feet east of Loop 303 (approximately Cotton Lane to Sarival...