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Local First Arizona to Celebrate 10th Annual Certified Local Fall Festival
10th anniversary honors impact on local community and economy
Local First Arizona will host the 10th Annual Certified Local Fall Festival on Saturday, November 8, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Portland Parkway (10 W Portland St, Phoenix, AZ 85003) in the heart of Downtown Phoenix. The Certified Local Fall Festival is a free family-friendly event for all ages and an annual celebration of all things local to Arizona.
“There is no other festival or event like the Certified Local Fall Festival, it is a completely unique event to Arizona,” said Local First Arizona Director Kimber Lanning. “This festival highlights everything that Arizona has to offer, from one-of-a-kind local shops, boutiques, and restaurants to Arizona-made wine and beer. It really makes people proud to call Arizona home.”
The Certified Local Fall Festival has grown into one of Downtown Phoenix’s premier community events, having been named Best Free Festival of Phoenix by the Phoenix New Times in 2011. This year’s festival will feature more than 100 vendors with some of Arizona’s favorite local businesses:
- Food samples from some of the best Arizona restaurants and food trucks
- A beverage garden featuring Arizona-produced wine, beer, and spirits sponsored in part by Postino Winecafe, Phoenix Ale Brewery, Grand Canyon Cellars, Historic Brewing Company, Four Peaks Brewing Company, SanTan Brewing Company, and Dos Cabezas WineWorks
- Live entertainment from some of Arizona’s most talented musicians at the Bookmans Entertainment Stage
- Crafts and activities for kids and families provided by Kidstop Specialty Toys and Books
- A comics and superhero corner provided by Samurai Comics
- An inflatable baseball batting cage sponsored by the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Kids yoga at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m. presented by Desert Song Healing Arts Center
- A raffle with nearly 100 gift cards and prizes from local businesses
- An online silent auction featuring 100 items and experiences, along with staycation packages across the state; and much more.
“Ten years ago, we started out with about 30 local vendors and 1,500 attendees in the corner of a parking lot at The Duck and Decanter,” Lanning says about the first Certified Local Fall Festival. “Today, we’ve grown into a community event that draws thousands from across the state. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to turn this event into a real point of pride for the Valley and the community.”
According to Lanning, new studies show that when Arizonans support local and independently owned businesses, up to four times more money stays and circulates in the local economy to support local job creation, strong schools and local services, and vibrant and diverse communities. “The Certified Local Fall Festival is a fun way to engage the community with the local business community and remind them about the benefits of supporting local businesses,” said Lanning.
The Certified Local Fall Festival is presented by Local First Arizona and sponsored by APS, Pride Group, CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Company, Scott’s Marketplace, Wist Office Products, Pikfly, Carolyn Sechler CPA, Upward Projects, Brand X T-Shirts, Up Cycle T-Shirts, and AlaMari Media. Entrance to the Certified Local Fall Festival is free. Food and drink tickets will be available for purchase on site for $1 each. Food samples can be redeemed for one ticket and beverage samples can be redeemed for two tickets. Local business vendors will be selling a variety of unique gifts and products, prices will vary. The first 500 attendees to arrive at the festival will receive a handmade gift bag sponsored by Adobe Awning filled with goodies from participating local businesses. Public transportation is highly encouraged as the festival is easily accessible from the Valley Metro Light Rail station at Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street. Arizonans are invited to join the conversation on social media before and during the event by tagging #LFAFallFest in their comments and posts.
Images courtesy of Local First Arizona.
