Tempe Festival of the Arts this weekend

If it is spring time in Arizona that can only mean one thing, festivals. The 32nd annual Spring Tempe Festival of the Arts will be held this weekend off of Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe. Starting at 6 pm tonight, they will shut down Mill Avenue and the artists will start setting up their booths for the event. Admission is free, and the event is even dog friendly. The weather promises to be beautiful this weekend. Bring the whole family down to view and buy some original art!

SPRING FESTIVAL 2009 March 27-29/ 10am to Dusk

The Tempe Festival of the Arts consistently ranks among the Top 20 art festivals in the nation by Sunshine Artist and has received the Pinnacle Award from the International Festival and Events Association. The spring and fall events each attract nearly 250,000 visitors to the Mill Avenue District over the course of a 3-day weekend.

Quality artists are fundamental to the success of the event. Each year, the Festival receives more than 1,000 applications from artists across the country. From these applicants, a jury comprised of members of the local art community selects the top artisans in each category to participate in the Festival. During the Festival, a new jury then selects the best overall artist and the top artist in each category.

Participants are separated into 18 different artistic categories for judging, ranging from woodwork to photography to ceramics and even wearable art. More than 400 artist booths line Mill Avenue and the surrounding streets presenting unique, and hand-made artwork that offers visitors a distinctive shopping experience.