Centennial Signature Event: Arizona Best Fest Phoenix
March 15, 2012Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Kick off the New Year in style and celebrate Arizona’s 100 Years by making plans to be at Arizona Best Fest Phoenix, February 11 & 12, a FREE, historical ‘best of’ showcase and festival not to be missed!
Arizona turns 100 only once!
The historic downtown courthouse setting of Arizona Best Fest Prescott in September served as the perfect debut of this traveling Arizona roadshow of educational pavilions, Mainstage entertainment, cultural villages, Arizona wines, beers, and much more.
This time the Arizona State Capitol Copper Dome serves as the historic backdrop of this momentous celebration that bids residents and visitors alike to learn about the 48th state of the Union and have a great time doing it!
Arizona Best Fest Phoenix is Saturday, February 11, Noon – 10pm; and Sunday, February 12, Noon – 6pm.
The Best Fest experience means being completely surrounded by the sweet sounds of Arizona entertainers: solo acts, group acts, dancers, and nationally recognized entertainers. It’s also a great chance to raise a glass to Arizona’s 100th Birthday with an Arizona vintage or brew.
A key highlight of the Arizona Centennial Signature celebrations and Best Fest itself is the Arizona Centennial Ride – a once-in-a-lifetime motorcycle tour that begins at Mesa Riverview and culminates in the shadows of the Capitol Copper Dome Saturday, February 11. More than 2,000 avid bikers will ride into the footprint of Arizona Best Fest, sure to be a majestic site, led by Country Music Superstar and Arizona Native Dierks Bentley who is honorary chair of the ride; along with Arizona Centennial official mascot – the Copper Chopper – with Paul Yaffe on board, the man, the renowned bike designer who built what is literally an awesome chopper!
Perhaps among the best ways to experience Arizona is through the Arizona Storytellers Theatre presented by The Arizona Republic. This storytelling tradition is alive and well with many personal accounts of Arizona life, historic and present-day experiences that result in vivid, lively entertainment and simultaneously create a colorful record for the history books.
Arizona Best Fest delivers a prime opportunity to learn Arizona history in an interactive way. Walk through interactive and educational pavilions. Rub elbows with Arizona scientists and innovators at the Science and Future Pavilion presented by the University of Arizona. See an entire exhibit supported by solar energy in the Renewable Energy Pavilion, presented by APS. Come to the Natural Resources Pavilion, which celebrates the diversity of Arizona’s rich regional wonders – presented by Resolution Copper. See how sports have played an important part in our state history, through stories, trophies and more in the Sports Zone at Best Fest!
Take a trip back in time at the Arizona History Pavilion, which unfurls the last century through the prism of the people who lived in decades past. Look back at Arizona’s role in World War II, and discover General MacArthur’s ‘ace in the hole’ during his return to the Philippines — just one part of the vast Arizona Military History Pavilion.
Best Fest is simply a giant invitation to explore Arizona and its last 100 years through its culture – with food, dance, music, people and their traditions.
Dive into the rich culture of the American West thanks to Discount Tire as it presents the Western Town at Best Fest, featuring gunfights, saloons, cowboy paraphernalia, balladeers and all types of country western entertainment.
Take a walk through a lively Mexican Plaza in the Hispanic Village with its scrumptious food, entertainment by equestrian dancers and even the very recent Zumba craze.
Enter the inner sanctum of seven Indian pueblos in the American Indian Village presented by Giant, and experience their traditions through exploration of indigenous dwellings, tribal customs and dance and more.
Guests will taste, see, hear and experience a ‘day in the life’ of those who lived the last century within these cultures when Arizona was a territory and before it was named the last of the ‘lower 48.’
Of course, a perfect spot for kids and families is Shamrock Farms Family Fun Zone featuring an impressive array of activities and performances the whole family will enjoy. Learn to lasso like a real Arizona cowboy. Shake hands with Woody from Toy Story. Line-dance like a pro. Learn what it takes to be a rodeo clown. Take a spin on a carnival ride. Sit a spell, and solve an Arizona-themed puzzle, and more!
Arizona Best Fest Phoenix quite literally offers something for everyone and provides the chance to join in the celebration that surrounds Arizona’s 100 Years of Statehood. This event is one for the books. And it’s FREE!
Plan now to spend February 11 & 12 making history at Arizona Best Fest Phoenix.
For more information, visit AZ100Years.org
