Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will present the 43rd annual Scottsdale Arts Festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 8–10, in Scottsdale Civic Center Park.
Named one of the top arts festivals in the nation by the readers of AmericanStyle Magazine and “Best Arts Festival” by Phoenix New Times, the Scottsdale Arts Festival showcases nearly 200 jury-selected artists from throughout the United States and Canada who work in painting, sculpture, glass and ceramics, jewelry, photography and more. Works of art are available for purchase directly from the artists and through the Festival’s online art auction.
More than 20 Arizona bands and performers will provide continuous live music and entertainment on two stages throughout the weekend. Returning by popular demand, a dozen gourmet food trucks from the Phoenix Street Food Coalition will serve delicious world cuisine. Also on the menu will be tastings of fine wines, beers and spirits.
In collaboration with the Festival, Scottsdale Public Art will present Pink and Blue Dilemma: The Foam Incident by Baltimore artist Scott Pennington. Wildly fun for kids and adults, this interactive work of art invites visitors to play with imagined ‘industrial waste’ made from non-toxic, water-based soap suds as Pennington’s pink-and-blue-clad ‘technicians’ attempt to contain it. Thirty-minute-long ‘foam incidents’ will occur five times a day throughout the Festival.
Exploring the theme of “The Art of Being a Kid,” Imagine Nation, the Festival’s family area, will offer participants of all ages the opportunity to connect with their inner child and engage their creativity through free arts activities, storytelling, dancing and more.
Throughout the Festival’s three days, admission will be free to Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA).
One of the premier performing-arts halls in the western United States, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts showcases a diverse season of dance, jazz, classical and world music, theater and film from around the world.
Visit www.scottsdaleartsfestival.org for details.
For more information about top events in Arizona take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Arizona.