Scottsdale Arts Festival Returns Next Month

For 49 years, the Scottsdale Arts Festival has brought world-class art, live music and tasty eats to the heart of Old Town Scottsdale and is recognized as one of the top art fairs in America. Single day admission for this world-class, multi-disciplinary festival is $10, if purchased prior to Feb. 1, and $12 starting February 2. Attracting nearly 25,000 loyal visitors annually, guests will enjoy the best in visual, culinary, cultural and performing arts throughout the beautiful, 20-acre Scottsdale Civic Center Mall (Park).

"The Festival has been a part of Scottsdale's DNA for many years and is poised to remain a mainstay in the arts and culture calendar. Its long running history and reputation in the community is showcased with local, national and international awards and recognition," said Jamie Prins, Scottsdale Arts Festival director.

The festival showcases more than 170 jury-selected artists from the United States and Canada. This year's featured artist, Michelle McDowell Smith, strives to create art that has a familiar narrative, yet is unique and true to herself. She works on canvas with several layers of acrylic paint and a plethora of mixed media materials (including handcrafted papers, sewing patterns, maps, old letters, pages from vintage books and other ephemera). Smith's current body of work, titled "of land and sky, whimsical and free," began in 2014 and focuses on storytelling, nostalgia and a hope for the future. The work has been shown in more than 60 juried art shows around the country. She has won best in show or best in category seven times, while taking home other awards and plaudits on 17 additional occasions.

In addition to Smith's work, attendees can experience and purchase works ranging from painting, sculpture, glass, ceramics, jewelry, photography and other media.

Festivalgoers will enjoy live music and entertainment under the sun as a central part of the Scottsdale Arts Festival, and this year's lineup has tunes for everyone from indie to Cuban to alt-rock to jazz. It will kick off on March 8 with national indie artist Cale Tyson at 4:30-6 p.m. Other headliners include Mexican-Canadian Latin singer-songwriter QuiQue Escamilla on Saturday, March 9, 4:30-6 p.m. And don't miss The Smokey Brights as they make a stop to our Amphitheater stage on Saturday, March 9, 2-3:30 p.m. Closing out the Festival is local folk artist Brian Chartrand on Sunday, March 10, 3:30-5 p.m.

Explore and cultivate creativity at the Scottsdale Arts Festival with hands-on activities, giant yard games (from Corn Hole to Jenga to Connect 4), museum visits and more. The popular Community Art Studio returns with fun for all ages, in addition to the Marble Mountain Installation with artist and Scottsdale Public Art's Kayla Newnam, Cut + Paste Collaborative Collage, and a Positive Place designed in partnership with BGC and The Walter Hive.

Food lovers rejoice; the Festival brings culinary eats directly to you with a lineup of exceptional Valley gourmet food trucks and eateries, including Eur Haus, Be Crepeful, Hibachibot, Barrie's Original Kettle Korn, Mustache Pretzels, Lu Lu's Italian Ice, Que Sazon, Arcadia Farms, The Maine Lobster Lady, Untamed Confections, Paletas Betty, Local Lunchbox, Riley's Spice of Life, Satay Hut, Tom's BBQ and Short Leash Hot Dogs. A variety of fine wines, beers, cocktails and other beverages will be for sale, including The Deep Eddy Dive-In Bar at the Fountain Stage and the Milagro Tequila Pop-up Art Bar at the Amphitheater Stage with a live artist activation that will be donated to the Festival and included in the silent auction. Additionally, patrons can bring their reusable water bottles and use the City of Scottsdale's water trailer for an easy refill to stay hydarated.

During the Festival weekend, admission will be free to Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), which will showcase the new spring exhibition "Now Playing: Video 1999-2019," on view Feb. 16 - April 28, 2019. On view at Young@Art Gallery inside Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is "Violins of Hope" Feb. 26 - March 24.

The Festival is a major fundraiser for Scottsdale Arts and proceeds support the dynamic and diverse performances, exhibitions, installations and arts education and outreach programs presented by Scottsdale Arts.

Through Feb. 1 pre-sale single-day ticket is $10 (available online only)
After Feb. 1, single-day ticket is $12, two-day pass is $20
$6 for students (student pricing not available online)
Free admission for children 12 and under

Free admission for members with a ONE MEMBERSHIP
Friday, March 8, $3 off single ticket price for patrons 65 and older, and for veterans/military. This discount only available at Festival entrances and not valid off of $10 advance ticket price. The $3 discount for seniors and vets cannot be combined with any other discounts.

Parking and trolley service are free. No pets are allowed, except for service animals. Additional information is available through www.ScottsdaleArtsFestival.org or at 480-499-8587.