[ad_1]
The holiday season really kicks into high gear at the end of November. If you are interested in shopping for gifts, supporting local artists, viewing holiday decorations or having a family experience, consider one of these local events.

Tempe Festival of the Arts
Street performers, visual artists, musicians and artisans all have shaped Arizona’s multifaceted arts scene.
During the Tempe Festival of the Arts, many art forms come together in downtown Tempe. The fall edition of the festival celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The festival will take place Nov. 30-Dec. 2.
The Mill Avenue Merchants Association started the festival in 1968. It originally had a sidewalk-sale vibe.
The event is now put on by the Downtown Tempe Authority, which also hosts street and boat parades in Tempe during the holidays.

The festival has grown into a nationally known juried art show. This year, it will showcase the work of more than 360 artists from more than 20 states.
Some of the artists have been part of the festival for about 40 years. Tempe Downtown Authority Executive Director Kate Borders said some of these artists have sold to multiple generations of collectors from the same families.
“It has become a sense of pride for the community, and the artists are affectionate about the event,” Borders said.
This year, 11 emerging artists will show for the first or second time. As part of a program for new artists, they received discounted booth fees and a workshop/Q&A session.
The event is one of the longest-running arts festivals in the state. Borders said the 50th anniversary has great significance to her staff because of what the festival has come to mean to the community.
“We feel like it’s an asset to the community, and it’s our job to keep it protected as that, to nurture this community asset,” Borders said.
“I think it started off really supporting artists in very close proximity, literally supporting the makers and artists on Mill Avenue,” Borders said. “Over time, it has grown to supporting artists nationwide, with a big emphasis on Arizona, California, Colorado, the West Coast. It’s an opportunity for people here locally to see what’s current in the art world, and I think that’s impactful to people.”

The event has also grown with the addition of a Saturday fashion show, hosted by fashion incubator FABRIC and featuring the works of local designers.
Another new addition, the Young Collectors program on Saturday, lets children ages 4-12 purchase a piece of artwork for $5 and seek out the artists. The money raised goes to a fund for local teachers in need of art supplies.
All weekend, festivalgoers can shop for gifts from local and out-of-state artists who represent mediums such as metal and wood working, jewelry, digital and mixed-media art, painting, sculpting and ceramics. Many of the artists reuse or upcycle items in their work.

The Kids Block will highlight work from more than 400 youth artists. Local students submitted their work as part of a juried competition. Inside the family-friendly area, there will be a musical instrument petting zoo, jingle-bell bracelet making and other activities.
Fourteen artists hailing from Canada and the United States will create intricate works fitting with the theme of “I inspire” in the Chalk-A-Lot Street area. The top two winners will receive Best Professional and People’s Choice awards. Attendees can create their own chalk murals or take part in a community art project led by local artist Kyllan Maney.
Local makers will sell homemade items such as salsas, sauces, soaps, botanical items, candles, essential oils and spices in the Cottage Edibles area.
Throughout the weekend, the Centerpoint and Hayden Station stages will have entertainment from local musicians, bands and dance groups, many of whom are new to the festival. Some mainstays, such as Tempe-based musician Walt Richardson, will return. The Unplugged Stage will be dedicated to acoustic music.
Dance groups, balloon artists, break dancers, a unicyclist and other street performers will roam throughout the festival.
At 2 p.m. Saturday, local recording artist Hans Olson and Long Wong’s, a supporter of groups such as the Gin Blossoms, will become the newest inductees into Tempe’s Music Walk.
In Food Truck Alley on Maple Avenue, visitors can purchase seafood, fry bread, old-fashioned sodas, samosas, noodle dishes, pie, kettle corn, lemonade and chocolates. The new Sweet Street area on Sixth Street will have desserts from local food trucks.
Wine and beer gardens will offer craft beer, wine and spirits from Arizona companies. Imbibers can take part in the Arizona Wine and Spirit Tasting in Centerpoint Plaza. For an extra fee, get six to 10 tasting tickets. The first 1,000 people at the tasting will receive a commemorative 50th anniversary wine glass.
Details: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Nov. 30-Dec. 2. Free. tempefestivalofthearts.com.
Arizona Asian Festival
The Arizona Asian Festival pays tribute to the many cultures of Asia with music and dance on two stages, authentic cuisine, cultural booths, a children’s area, civic-engagement and health-screening booths and a fashion show.
Put on by the Arizona Asian American Association, the event is at Scottsdale Civic Center Mall Dec. 1-2.
In the Avenue of Cultures, 19 booths will engage the public with displays, games and activities such as calligraphy and paper folding. Children who visit the booths will get stamps on their passports and chances to win prizes.
Along with local performers, there will be special guests from Thailand, Korea and Japan who will perform traditional music, dance and martial arts.
A new exhibit this year pays tribute to Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants and descendants who have served in the U.S. military.
On Dec. 2, Scottsdale Vice Mayor Guy Phillips will honor Asian-Americans who have served in the armed forces from World War II to the present day.
During the weekend, a tea garden will offer demonstrations of a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, classical music performances, talks on Chinese tea culture and the health benefits of tea and a costume show by a local dance group.
Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 1-2. Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. Free. aaaa-az.org.
Christmas Idea House Tour
For many people, the holiday season doesn’t start with decorating their own homes but by drawing inspiration from other houses. The Desert Club’s 61st annual Christmas Idea House in Gilbert lets visitors tour a fully decorated home to find ideas for their own holiday décor and shop for gifts.
A gala on Nov. 29 and brunch and lunch on Nov. 30 offer chances to tour the house, enjoy a catered meal and go shopping before the general public. Public tours take place on Nov. 30 in the late afternoon and evening and Dec. 1 throughout the day.
Members of the Desert Club have decorated a house in Gilbert, which a family has allowed them to use for a week. Each members is assigned a room to create an inspired look fitting the theme of “A Family Christmas.”
Attendees can purchase food, home décor, accessories and gift items ranging from $2 to $400. Proceeds go to scholarships for local Arizona college students and grants to charities.
Details: Holiday Soiree Gala ($65) is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29. Holiday Soiree Brunch ($45) is 9-11 a.m. Nov. 30. Holiday Soiree Lunch ($45) is noon-2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. Public tours ($12) are 4-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. The Idea House is near Lindsay and Pecos roads in Gilbert. Parking is at Central Christian Church, 965 E. Germann Road. christmasideahouse.org.
Surprise Party
In Surprise, the holiday season is more than just a festival time. The annual Surprise Party on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 is a time for residents to celebrate both the holiday season and the opening of the Surprise Recreation Campus over 15 years ago.

The campus is a focal point in the city, with a lake, an aquatics center, pickleball and tennis courts and a library. It is also home to Surprise Stadium, the spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.
New this year, the event will have a skating rink and a large inflatable slide.
There also will be a car show, pony and camel rides, an arts and crafts show with holiday items, a gingerbread house competition, a balloon glow, inflatable, a petting zoo, skydivers, entertainers and fireworks.

On Friday evening, take part in a tree-lighting ceremony with the mayor and city council. Santa’s workshop has expanded to be open from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5-7. Children can meet and take pictures with Santa during the birthday celebration.
On Friday, local alternative and classic rock band the Chadwicks will perform. The Saturday entertainment lineup will feature Smashed, a cover band dedicated to Top 40 dance, pop and hip hop music.

Attendees are encouraged to bring food and toy donations for Sanderson Ford’s Operation Santa Claus holiday drive.
Details: 5-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. Surprise Recreation Campus, 15850 N. Bullard Ave. Free admission with canned food or toy donation; additional costs for inflatables, food, beverages and skating. 623-222-2000, surpriseaz.gov/491/Special-Events.
READ MORE:
- The best and biggest holiday lights shows in metro Phoenix in 2018
- Our big guide to winter 2018 movies
- Here is your guide to 2018 holiday events in the metro Phoenix area
- 40 holiday gift card deals at Phoenix restaurants
[ad_2]
Source link