Scottsdale Arts Festival Celebrates All Things Creative March 14-16

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will present the 44th annual Scottsdale Arts Festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 14-16, in Scottsdale Civic Center Park.

Long recognized as one of the country's top art fairs and recently named "Best Arts Festival" by Phoenix New Times, the Scottsdale Arts Festival showcases 185 jury-selected artists from the United States and Canada who work in painting, sculpture, glass, ceramics, jewelry, photography and many other media. 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, including rock, R&B, folk, salsa, swing and much more. Among the musicians are Alan Jones Quintet, The Big Fellahs, Blues Review Band, Bossa Brazil, Carol Pacey & The Honey Shakers, Cold Shott & the Hurricane Horns, Holly Pyle Quartet, Jan Sandwich Band, Jovert, M&M Duo of The Sugar Thieves, Orquesta Salsarengue, Patrick Sassone, Pick and Holler, RC and The Blues Disciples, Str8Up Band, The Swing Tips, Teneia Sanders Band, Thatz That, Tommy Ash Band, Trailer Queen, The Upper Strata, West Hills Brothers and Zachary Scot Johnson.

An expanded roster of gourmet food trucks, including members of the Phoenix Street Food Coalition, will serve delicious world cuisine. Participating mobile eateries include 180Q, The Grilled Cheese Truck, Hey Joe! Filipino Street Food, Jamburritos Cajun Grill Express, Luncha Libre, The Maine Lobster Lady, Mamma Toledo's, Paletas Betty, Pizza People, Satay Hut, Short Leash Hot Dogs, Spice it Up, Taste Rite Gourmet, Tom's BBQ and Two Fat Guys Grilled Cheese. Also on the menu will be Barrie's Original Kettle Korn and Lu Lu's Italian Ice. A variety of fine wines, beers, cocktails and beverages will be offered, as well as tastings courtesy of Young's Market Company, Deep Eddy Vodka and Gold Miner Rum from Desert Diamond Distillery in Kingman, Ariz.

In collaboration with the Festival, Scottsdale Public Art will present the U.S. debut of Happy Rainbow by the Los Angeles-based artist duo FriendsWithYou. Previously exhibited in Hong Kong, this interactive outdoor installation of brightly colored sculptures includes a giant, 40-foot-wide inflatable 'bounce house' that inspires people of all ages to play and explore. (Happy Rainbow will make an encore appearance at Scottsdale Public Art's Canal Convergence/Spring Equinox event, March 20-23, at the Scottsdale Waterfront.)

Exploring the theme of "The Color of Fun - The Fun of Color," Imagine Nation, the Festival's family area, will offer participants of all ages the opportunity to engage their creativity through free arts activities, storytelling, dancing and more. Imagine Nation is made possible by signature sponsor Fruitsnackia.

During the Festival, admission will be free to Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), which features the exhibitions The Five Senses and Leslie Shows: Surfacing. The Scottsdale Artists' School and Arizona Clay Association also will offer free demonstrations at selected times.

Official Scottsdale Arts Festival merchandise will be available at the Stores at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and SMoCA, which also offer a unique selection of art-related merchandise, including artist-made jewelry, imaginative toys, decorative objects from around the world, well-designed furnishings for home and office, music, books, and greeting cards.

SPONSORS
The Scottsdale Arts Festival is made possible by presenting sponsor Intravest Title; signature sponsors SRP, Pita Jungle, Fruitsnackia and Cox; and supporting sponsor Sedona Pines Resort. Additional support is provided by the City of Scottsdale, Deep Eddy's Vodka, Hensley, Pepsi, Safeway, Trinchero Family Estates and Young's Market Company, and media sponsor The Arizona Republic/AZCentral.com.

ADMISSION AND INFORMATION
Admission to the Scottsdale Arts Festival is $8 for adults, $5 for students and free for children 12 and under and members of the Scottsdale Cultural Council. Parking and trolley service are free. A two-day pass is available for $12. Tickets may be purchased in advance through (480) 499-TKTS (8587) or at any Festival entrance on the day of the event. (Pets are not allowed, except for trained service animals.) Proceeds benefit the programs of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

LOCATION AND PARKING
The Scottsdale Arts Festival takes place downtown at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and Scottsdale Civic Center Park, located at 7380 E. Second St. in downtown Scottsdale, two blocks south of Indian School Road and three blocks east of Scottsdale Road. Free parking is available in the public parking garage located to the west of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Wells Fargo Avenue. Additional free parking is available at the Old Town Parking Corral at East Second Street and Brown Avenue and at the Civic Center Library parking garage located on Drinkwater Boulevard at East Second Street. Free shuttle service is available along the route of the Downtown Scottsdale Trolley.

SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
One of the premier performing-arts halls in the western United States, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts showcases a diverse season of dance, music, theater and film from around the world. More than 1,000 indoor and outdoor performances, educational programs, festivals and other events are presented and hosted at the Center each year serving approximately 250,000 participants and contributing substantially to Scottsdale's high quality of life and reputation as a vibrant arts destination. The Center's education and outreach programs reach nearly 20,000 children and adults each year. Most events take place in the state-of-the-art, 853-seat Virginia G. Piper Theater, recognized for its intimacy, acoustics and comfort. Additional venues include the 137-seat Stage 2 and neighboring 1,800-capacity Scottsdale Civic Center Amphitheater. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located on Scottsdale Civic Center Park, a 21-acre urban oasis next to the city's Old Town and gallery districts.

The nonprofit Scottsdale Cultural Council is contracted by the City of Scottsdale to manage the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and Scottsdale Public Art. The Cultural Council is funded in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, which receives support from the State of Arizona and National Endowment for the Arts.