Release Date: Monday, March 22nd 2010
Tempe Festival of the Arts Event Schedule
The Spring Tempe Festival of the Arts today announced its activity schedule for the upcoming March 26 – 28 annual event, now in its 33rd year. The Festival features more than 400 artists and crafts persons who will display and sell their original work amid a street festival atmosphere in Tempe’s Mill Avenue District.
Coming from throughout the 50 United States and Canada, participating artists’ original works cover the gamut of visual art in 16 categories including painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry, clay, glass, leather, metalwork, wearable art, woodwork, mixed media (2-dimensional and 3-dimensional), culinary and cottage arts, and more.
Only original art is permitted and each artist will be on-site personally to greet patrons. Works of art range from collector masterpieces to affordable art and craft for enthusiasts on small budgets. The Festival is a juried show with artists applying and proceeding through the selection process months before the Festival.
In addition to art and craft, there are fun and games for all ages throughout the Festival including caricature artists, jugglers, magicians, face painters, musicians, stilt walkers, the Festival Jazz Stage, Cottage Edibles & Crafts, the Festival Food Court, Kids Innovation Station, and the Arizona Wine Festival Garden.
2010 SPRING TEMPE FALL FESTIVAL OF ARTS (33rd Annual)
Friday, March 26 through Sunday, March 28
Mill Avenue District in Downtown Tempe, AZ
10:00 a.m. – Dusk, Daily
Free Admission
The Arizona Wine Festival Garden offers tastings and sales by the glass, bottle, or case (must be 21 to participate in tastings); located in Centerpoint On Mill Plaza, 1 block west of Mill Avenue on 7th Street. Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to dusk. $10 for six tastings and a commemorative wine glass.
Participating Wineries:
- Alcantara Vineyards – Cottonwood, AZ
- Caduceus Cellars – Cornville, AZ
- Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery – Cornville, AZ
- Jerome Winery – Gilbert, AZ
- Keeling-Schaefer Vineyards – Pearce, AZ
- Kief-Joshua Vineyards – Elgin, AZ
- Kokopelli Winery – Chandler, AZ
- Oak Creek Vineyards – Cornville, AZ
- Page Springs Cellars – Cornville, AZ
- Pillsbury Wine Co. – Phoenix, AZ
- Su Vino Winery – Scottsdale,
- AZ Wilhelm Family Vineyards – Elgin, AZ
Festival Jazz Stage – for the best in Blues and Jazz in the Valley, don’t miss the Festival Jazz Stage located at Centerpoint Plaza on 7th Street west of Mill Avenue. The Festival Jazz Stage presents performances of local, regional and national artists, backed by Joel Robin’s Jazz Alive.
FRIDAY, MARCH 26
11:00 - 12:45 Delphine Cortez - embodies the influences of Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and her idol, Nancy Wilson, evoking warmth and passion with remarkable range.
1:00 - 2:45 Sherry Petta – two-time LA Music Awards “Jazz Artist of the Year”
3:00 - 5:15 Nancy Gee – her velvety vocals entertained diners at the Phoenician for nearly 20 years
SATURDAY, MARCH 27 -
11:00 - 12:45 Renee Patrick - this pop/gospel/jazz artist shares her shockingly honest and emotionally charged music
1:00 - 2:45 Margo Reed – voted Top Jazz Singer in Phoenix
3:00 - 5:15 Delphine Cortez - embodies the influences of Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and her idol, Nancy Wilson, evoking warmth and passion with remarkable range.
SUNDAY, MARCH 28 -
11:00 - 12:45 Blaise Lantana – vocalist, guitarist, keyboard and organ artist, she’s the KJZZ music director and host of “9 O’Clock Special”
1:00 - 2:45 Dennis Rowland – according to The New York Times’ Peter Watrous, vocalist Dennis Rowland is “…at once honest and liberating. What Mr. Rowland dispenses should be dispensed and sold at drugstores.”
3:00 - 5:15 Hope Morgan – Full of life and aggressiveness, her renditions of jazz standards are memorable to all who hear her
Kids Innovation Station provides hands-on visual arts activities; located in 6th Street Park, one block east of Mill Avenue on 6th Street
Cottage Edibles & Crafts Area is a a perennial favorite of festival goers, offering the best in packaged gourmet foods, seasonings, products for the home and remedies, located on Maple between 5th and 6th Street.
Street Entertainment provides fun and games for all ages, stationed throughout the Festival including caricature artists, jugglers, magicians, stilt walkers, face painters, musicians, and other street “buskers” on hand to delight the audience.
- Michael “Crow” Lewis, Juggler
- The Sahnas Brothers, Guitar
- Nancy “Kartoon,” Face Painter
- Dave Riggs – Caricatures
- Patrick Ki, Guitar
- Joanna Lockyear, Henna
- Scott Schaefer, Flute
- Dana Smith, Juggler
- Leo A. Gosselin, Grand Stick Touchboard
- Melissa Kuhns, Face Painter
- Tony Putrino, Accordion
- GradyMusic (Grady Soine), Keyboard
- Mark Maxwell, Saxophone
- Gypsy Soul, Adult Contemporary
- Jessica Hirmer, Henna
- John Munson, Caricatures
- Mrs. Rita, Tarot & Palmistry
- Shawn Greer, Magician
- Andean Nation (Andrew Taher) World Music
- Festival Jazz Stage
- Taylor Circus Stars (Saturday & Sunday) - Roaming
Festival Food Court on 6th Street east of Mill Avenue offers fast festival food from eight on-site vendors, and comfortable seating will be available.
- Blue Banjo – Tri-tip steak sandwiches, grilled bratwurst, veggie sandwiches
- Chan’s Concessions – Teriyaki chicken, eggroll, shrimp, fried rice
- Dave’s Dog House – Hot dogs, bratwurst sausage
- Island Noodles – Vegetarian noodles
- Maile & Son, Inc. Fry Bread – Indian fry bread with chili, meat, cheese, or sugar and honey
- Mr. Fish n’ Chips – Fish and chips
- Paradise Hawaii’an BBQ – Chicken teriyaki, Hawaii’an noodles
- Sally’s BBQ – Pulled pork & beef brisket sandwiches, bbq ribs, roasted corn, and curly fries
- Festival Snack Vendors will be stationed throughout the venue offer their tasty morsels.
- DGP Restaurant Group – Frybread, mini-donuts
- Jerry’s Fresh Lemonade – Lemonade, shaved ice
- Schindel’s Kettle Corn – Traditional kettle corn
- Little Jimmy’s Italian Ice – Non-dairy scooped Italian ice
- Ma & Pa Kettle Corn – Traditional kettle corn
- Miss Hannah’s Gourmet Popcorn – Flavored popcorns
- Nutz About Nuts – Glazed almonds, pecans, cashews
- Orange Place – Fresh lemonades
- San Francisco Chocolate Factory – Chocolate dipped bananas, strawberries, cheesecake, caramel apples & fudge
- Shishkaberrys – Fresh strawberries, bananas, pineapple and other fruit dipped in chocolate
In addition, Mill Avenue District restaurants also offer special menus of quick and easy food and drink, and are ready to serve patrons with more than 60 restaurants located in Downtown Tempe.
Mother’s Comfort Station is for families with toddlers and infants, the providing a spot to change diapers or even nurse babies discreetly. Mothers’ Comfort Station is located in the parking lot located on the south side of 5th Street, just west of City Hall, near the entrance to Sixth Street Park.
Large Art Delivery Program again offers its unique service designed to aid customers who purchase large items. This program provides volunteer help to transport cumbersome art to the buyer’s vehicle, and help load it. A simple call from the artist to the festival’s hospitality phone will summon assistance.
Commemorative Posters for the 2010 Spring Tempe Festival of the Arts, and featuring the work of Featured Artist and plein air painter Bill Cramer from Prescott, AZ, will be available for purchase in advance at participating FASTFRAME stores throughout the Valley and in their on-site booth, along with the entire line of previous years’ posters. Visit www.tempefestivalofthearts.com for a complete listing of participating stores. FASTFRAME is the official picture-framer of the Tempe Festival of the Arts and the exclusive commemorative poster vendor.
Special thanks to the sponsors of the Tempe Festival of the Arts, who make presentation of the event possible: The Arizona Republic, Casino Arizona, the City of Tempe, Coca-Cola, Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce, FASTFRAME, First Impression Security Doors, KMLE 107.9, KOOL 94.5, News-Talk 92.3 KTAR, METRO light rail, Mill Avenue District, 98.7 The Peak KPKX, SRP EarthWise Energy, Pacific Monarch, Small Planet Foods/Muir Glen, SPIKE Distributors, Verde Canyon Railroad, Renewal by Andersen, DIRECTV, and Tree Pros.
The Tempe Festival of the Arts is produced by the Downtown Tempe Foundation, Inc., a charitable 501-c-3 nonprofit organization that is a partner of Downtown Tempe Community, Inc, which is responsible for the vibrancy and excellence of the cultural, lifestyle, and commerce experience in the Mill Avenue District.
The Festival is a RAIN OR SHINE event, so rest easy if it rains---just bring your umbrella! Event times are tentative and may change. For Tempe Festival of the Arts details, go to www.tempefestivalofthearts.com.
