FESTIVAL FEVER
October might just be the best month to be in Sedona. Warm days with bright blue skies and billowing clouds are followed by crisp, clear evenings studded with twinkling stars. The leaves are starting to turn brilliant shades of gold and orange. It’s also the month Sedona gets festival fever, and the range of events offered is staggering. Check out everything from art and film, to Native American culture and barbecue. Here’s your guide to the nine biggest and best fests taking place in northern Arizona this month. Mark your calendar because you’re going to be busy.
By Erika Ayn Finch
Dia de los Muertos
If Latin America’s macabre-sounding holiday, Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, makes you want to reach for the nearest crucifix and cry blasphemy, take a deep breath and calm down. The 3,000-year-old tradition is actually quite beautiful; on Nov. 1 and 2, families gather to remember loved ones who have passed away by creating colorful altars, or ofrendas, featuring photos of the deceased and other offerings such as candles, food and flowers. In recent years, northern Arizona has embraced the tradition. For the second year in a row, Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village will celebrate Dia de los Muertos Oct. 29 through Nov. 1.
The main event takes place Oct. 29 from 4 to 8 p.m. The creative geniuses behind Events by Show Stoppers, Ken Heflin and Jim Bullock, will once again create elaborate ofrendas, which will be on display in Patio del Norte and Patio de las Campanas. Everyone from the community is invited to add to these altars with photos or offerings for their own deceased friends, family members and pets. It is believed that by preparing an altar, the grief of death is transformed into acceptance. The free evening also includes flamenco music by guitarist and flautist Drew Bennett and guitarist Eric Miller. El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano will feature a special Day of the Dead-themed prix-fixe dinner (call 928-282-4648 for details). The altars will be on display through 5 p.m. Nov. 1.
“In Tucson, they celebrate with a big parade,” says Jim. “We aren’t there yet, but the response we received last year was very encouraging. We want to build this a little more every year until it becomes a weekend destination. It’s a charming holiday – it makes you feel in touch with those who you’ve lost. You really feel like they are there with you, and it’s comforting.”
For eight years now, Flagstaff’s Museum of Northern Arizona has also
celebrated Dia de los Muertos with Celebraciónes de la Gente: A Lively Celebration of the Day of the Dead. This year, it takes place Oct. 29-30. Flagstaff families create altars in the museum’s courtyard, and a large community altar is also on display. The weekend also includes mariachi music, lectures, storytelling and arts. Regular museum admission applies to the event.
Dia de los Muertos
Oct. 29-Nov. 1 @ Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, 336 SR 179. Free. For more info, call 928-282-4838 or visit www.tlaq.com.
8th Annual Celebraciónes de la Gente: A Lively Celebration of the Day of the Dead
Oct. 29-30 @ the Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $4 for children 7-17, and free for children 6 and younger. For more info, call 928-774-5213 or visit www.musnaz.org.
Festival of Native American Culture
It has been exciting to watch the evolution of the Festival of Native American Culture, now in its third year. The first two festivals were held in June at Tequa Festival Marketplace to raise funds to open new archaeological sites in the Verde Valley. The event has been such a success that the Verde Valley Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society formed the nonprofit Verde Valley Archaeology Center in 2010. The center curates private archaeological collections; provides educational programs and public exhibits; and offers public lectures and research opportunities.
Aside from the accolade, the center hosts this year’s Festival of Native American Culture, which takes place Sept. 30 through Oct. 4 at a new location: Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village. The two-day Native American Invitational Art Show begins Oct. 1 and features artists – primarily from Southwest tribes – proficient in a variety of mediums. The featured artist is Kathleen Wall, a clay sculptor from the Jemez pueblo. Two stages will showcase entertainment including the Yellow Bird Dancers, former Miss Indian World and Twin Rivers, a three-piece group that infuses reggae, rock, jazz and traditional Native vocals. The Yavapai-Apache Nation will also present the results of its storytelling project. There is no entrance fee for the art show.
This year, the festival is broken into two tracks. The art show follows the culture track, which also includes a tour of the Hopi Reservation (Oct. 1), a performance by Uqualla of the Havasupai Tribe (Oct. 1), a Navajo culture seminar followed by an optional Canyon de Chelly visit (Oct. 2), and a seminar on the significance of the Grand Canyon and San Francisco Peaks to local tribes (Oct. 3). Visit the festival’s website for prices.
The second track, which focuses on archaeology, provides some unique opportunities to learn about the ancient cultures of northern Arizona and beyond. On Oct. 1, enjoy an evening of French archaeology at the Sedona Creative Life Center. Tickets are $35. The fundraiser features French pastries along with a screening of Caves of Forgotten Dreams, Werner Herzog’s documentary on the 35,000-year-old rock art in the Chauvet caves in southern France. Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin, a professor at Northern Arizona University and one of the few people who’ve been allowed to visit the caves, will introduce the film. But we had to ask Ken Zoll, the festival’s director, what ancient rock art in France has to do with Native Americans.
“Archaeology is archaeology, and anything that adds to the public knowledge is beneficial,” he says. “And during this event, you’ll actually learn that some archaeologists believe some of the Native Americans migrated from southern France.”
The documentary will be screened again on Oct. 2 at the Camp Verde Unified School District Multi-Use Complex Theater. On Oct. 3 and 4, the Albuquerque-based Archaeological Conservancy will lead separate hikes to two pueblos in the Verde Valley that are not open to the public. Hikes begin at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day and are limited to 14 people. Tickets are $50 per hike.
Festival of Native American Culture
Sept. 30-Oct. 4 @ Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, 336 SR 179. Admission ranges from free to $240. For more info, call 928-284-4767 or visit www.festivalof
nativeamericanculture.org.
Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival
Back in 2002, two friends with a passion for documentary films started the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, which returns Oct. 13-16. But if the thought of another documentary about Wall Street or climate change makes you want to buy tickets for the next comic book sequel, put your debit card back in your wallet. This festival has balance, says spokeswoman Kristi Frazier. In addition to programs that focus on the environment, social justice and indigenous voices, there is also a program featuring extreme sports and adventure documentaries.
“This festival gives you an intimate window to the world that you wouldn’t get otherwise,” says Kristi. “But it’s not just about heavy movies. There are so many different types of documentaries, and our topics range from a truck turned into a garden, a scholarship program in Africa and the concept of happiness, to children of war in Uganda.”
Over the course of four days, 50 films from across the globe will be screened at venues in downtown Flagstaff, including the Orpheum Theater, The Green Room and Sundara. Receptions, after parties and panels that feature scholars and filmmakers are also on the schedule and take place at spots like the Hotel Monte Vista and the Flagstaff Photography Center. Kristi says the festival draws about 3,500 attendees. Ticket packages range from $60 (in advance) for VIPs to $10 for a block of films.
The festival, which is now under the helm of local doctors Ron Tuckman and John Tveten, also includes a student program for 1,000 high school and middle school students from northern Arizona. The program combines film screenings with classroom curriculum. For students who are really serious about a future in filmmaking, the festival’s Emerging Filmmaker Program provides a free, weekly after-school class that teaches high school students the essentials of documentary filmmaking. The students will ultimately submit their films to the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival.
Volunteers with the FMFF screen 130 films, says Kristi. The festival’s director, the aformentioned Ron Tuckman, has contacts with documentary filmmakers, which means he has the opportunity to solicit buzz-worthy docs, including some that have gone on to receive Academy Award nominations. “These are films that would not otherwise come to Flagstaff,” says Kristi.
Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival
Oct. 13-16 @ venues in downtown Flagstaff. Admission ranges from free to $60 for VIP passes. For more info, call 928-600-6572 or visit www.flagstaffmountain films.org.
Rhythm & Ribs
Barbecue ribs are synonymous with the South and Midwest, and with an influx of residents who have relocated from those regions, the City of Cottonwood recognized some locals might be starving for a taste of home. In 2007, the city started Rhythm & Ribs, a full day of barbecue competitions and live music. But we’re not talking about the usual local bands. In the past, headliners have included the Gin Blossoms, Blue Oyster Cult and the Marshall Tucker Band. This year, organizers decided country music pairs well with barbecue – Troy Olsen and Shooter Jennings both perform during the event. Opening acts include the Jed Morrison Band and Los Guys with 4-Wheels Down. Rhythm & Ribs takes place Oct. 1 at the Cottonwood Kids Park. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the fun lasts until 9 p.m.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the gate. What does that get you? Aside from a day of concerts, about six restaurants from Arizona will be serving up rib samples. Admission includes three samples; additional samples can be purchased for $1. The Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce will sell beer, and you’ll also find local wine vendors, shaved-ice stands and games for the kids. Could this possibly be one of the best deals in the Verde Valley? Apparently that’s the sentiment among residents from all over the state. Hezekiah Allen, event organizer, says past festivals have attracted anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 attendees.
“It’s a family atmosphere,” he says. “You have this incredible view of Mingus Mountain at the base of this large grassy park featuring what we’ve been told is the largest mobile stage on the West Coast [courtesy of Cliff Castle Casino Hotel]. It’s like Cricket Pavilion [ed. now Ashley Homestore Pavilion] in Cottonwood. You have the chance to see major headlining acts for a reasonable price.”
But don’t forget about the ribs, either. Throughout the day, chefs will compete for trophies and cash prizes. Of course, eating ribs isn’t a graceful venture, so you can expect wash stations and shaded sitting areas. Ticket holders are also encouraged to bring blankets and chairs, but outside food is not allowed. Parking costs $1 per car, with the proceeds benefiting a local charity.
6th Annual Cottonwood Rhythm & Ribs
Oct. 1, 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. @ Cottonwood Kids Park, 12th Street next to the Verde Valley Fairgrounds. Admission is $10 in advance, $12 at the gate, $5 for children 7 to 12, and free for children 6 and younger. For more info, call 928-639-3200 or visit www.ci.cottonwood.az.us.
Sedona Arts Festival
Since its first event back in 1989, not only has the Sedona Arts Festival raised $250,000 for scholarships and arts education, it has also grown to be much more than an arts-and-crafts fair. Over the past four years, the nonprofit organization has worked hard to attract fine art to the festival, which takes place Oct. 8-9 on the baseball field at Sedona Red Rock High School. “The majority of our artists are fine artists,” says Lori Reinhart, executive director. “That being said, we do encourage all of the artists to bring a variety of price points to the show.”
Approximately 150 artists from across the U.S. will exhibit and sell their work to 4,500 attendees during the two-day event. This is a juried show; an average of 300 artists submit applications January through April. In May, a group of professional Sedona artists rate the applicants and the festival artists are chosen. Mediums represented include ceramics, mixed media, fiber art, glass, photography, drawing, sculpture, jewelry, wood, metal and painting.
In addition to shopping, the festival includes KidZone, sponsored by the Verde Food Council. With its theme of “healthy eating,” children will have the chance to paint a mural reflecting healthy habits, create T-shirts, and enjoy balloon art, face painting and a yo-yo demo.
Last year, the arts festival debuted its Gourmet Gallery, spotlighting locally produced and packaged foods. The gallery has expanded this year and will include a dozen vendors selling items such as honey, olive oil, pasta and sauces. Food and drink vendors will be on hand to keep shoppers satiated. You will also have the opportunity to purchase $5 raffle tickets. The proceeds directly benefit SAF’s scholarship fund.
General admission to the festival is $10 for adults and $9 for seniors at the gate (children 12 and younger are free). If you purchase your ticket online, admission is $8 for adults and seniors. Organizers have also brought back the popular smART shoppers program. For $99, shoppers receive early festival admission on Saturday; unlimited entry on both days; $50 in art dollars to spend at the festival; $15 in food dollars; premium restrooms; preferred parking; a shaded tent for relaxing; and complimentary water.
So why does it cost money to gain entry to shop for art? “The Sedona Arts Festival is a 501(c)3 organization, and this is our only fundraiser of the year,” says Lori. “Last year, we raised $20,000 for scholarships and grants given to art programs.”
Early holiday shopping, anyone?
Sedona Arts Festival
Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (preview shopping for smART shoppers begins at 9 a.m.), and Oct. 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. @ the baseball field at Sedona Red Rock High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road. Admission is $10 for adults and $9 for seniors at the gate. No admission for children 12 and younger. Advance tickets can be purchased online for $8. SmART shopper tickets are $99. For more info, call 928-204-9456 or visit www.sedonaartsfestival.org.
Sedona Book Festival
Rumors of the demise of the book have been greatly exaggerated. Just ask Joe Neri, co-owner of The Well Red Coyote bookstore and founder of the Sedona Book Festival, which celebrates its third year Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Joe estimates 70 to 75 authors from across Arizona will attend this year’s festival. The writers (both self-published and traditionally published) represent a wide range of genres including children’s, young adult and adult fiction and nonfiction; spirituality; memoir; history; and regional topics. The festival once again takes place at Yavapai College: Sedona Center for Arts & Technology, and there are no entrance fees.
“The Well Red Coyote just moved to a new, nicer space, and we’re hosting our third annual festival,” says Joe. “I wouldn’t be doing that and putting my livelihood on the line if I didn’t have faith that the physical book is alive, well and here to stay. People aren’t coming to the book festival to download books.”
Last year, an estimated 700 to 800 bookworms attended the event, and most walked away with at least one tome. This year, four writers will offer one-hour presentations throughout the festival. In addition to the authors, musicians with the Sedona Performers Guild will perform near the college’s reflecting pond throughout the day. Arts-and-crafts vendors will set up shop on the patio, and attendees can nosh and discuss books at an indoor café.
Proceeds from the festival will benefit the Yavapai College Foundation – Greater Verde Valley Chapter. Last year, Sedona Book Fest raised nearly $6,000. According to Joe, there are only two other book festivals in the state of Arizona – in Tucson and Flagstaff – and each one has a very different flavor. And though the Sedona event originated in The Well Red Coyote’s parking lot and has grown considerably since its inception, Joe doesn’t expect it to rival the New York Book Festival anytime soon. “We’re not trying to grow every year – we’re physically limited to where we can hold the festival,” says Joe. “The idea is to make it better in quality, not bigger in size.”
Sedona Book Festival
Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. @ Yavapai College: Sedona Center for Arts & Technology, 4215 Arts Center Drive in West Sedona; parking is available at the college or at the nearby Sedona Cultural Park. Admission is free.
Sedona Jazz on the Rocks
Sedona Jazz on the Rocks celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and like many 30-year-olds, it has decided to make some changes. The Oct. 7 and 8 music festival moves from Poco Diablo Resort to the Sedona Golf Resort in the Village of Oak Creek, offers six admission packages with tickets as low as $30 and has expanded its lineup to include reggae, Latin music and even several fusion bands. It’s true, not all diehard festival supporters are happy about this, but in a world where jazz festivals are going the way of compact discs and major record labels, organizers believe this new approach will expose a younger demographic to the genre of jazz.
That’s not to say SJOR didn’t listen to the concerns, says Ben Miller, president of the nonprofit’s board of directors. “We actually met with the folks who expressed disappointment, and we asked them for suggestions as to who they’d like to see at the festival. They told us Billy Mitchell, and as a result, we reached out to Billy, and he’s performing at our Thursday gala as well as opening the show on Friday.”
Aside from Billy Mitchell, who takes the stage at 4:30 p.m., the Friday evening concert includes David Koz and The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman. On Saturday, the music starts at noon with the Sahnas Brothers. Other acts include Hiroshima, Soulive and Mindi Abair with special guest Jeff Golub. The festival ends with perhaps the two most surprising acts on the bill: Los Lobos and Maxi Priest.
This year, SJOR hired BTW Concerts, a Phoenix concert promoter, to attract popular performers. And the move to the Sedona Golf Resort’s driving range opens up a whole new world of possibilities, too. Music lovers now have the choice of purchasing plush skybox seats, front-of-the-stage pit seats, executive deck seating or chairs at the Vortex Lounge, something Ben is particularly excited about. “That’s going to be a really, really fun spot,” he says. “We’re going to have bands performing on the deck between our national acts, so if you’re in the lounge, it will be nonstop music.”
Reserved seating and general admission tickets are also available (no outside chairs will be allowed). Whereas the position of the sun caused some discomfort at previous festivals, the stage will be set so that the sun is always behind the audience and not shining in anyone’s eyes. And Ben promises everyone will be wowed by the unobstructed red rock views from the field. “This is a much different experience than anyone has ever had at Jazz on the Rocks,” he says. We don’t doubt that.
Sedona Jazz on the Rocks
Oct. 7, 4:30 to 9 p.m. and Oct. 8, 10:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. @ the Sedona Golf Resort, 35 Ridge Trail Drive in the Village of Oak Creek. Ticket packages range from $30 for a general admission ticket to $350 per person for a Skybox seat. For more information, call 602-244-8444 or visit www.sedonajazz.com.
Sedona Plein Air Festival
Art and artists have always played a major role in shaping Sedona’s culture, so there’s something about seeing artists setting up easels on Sedona’s streets and trails that just feels right. We’re referring to the Sedona Arts Center’s seventh annual Sedona Plein Air Festival on Oct. 21-29. The juried event attracts 32 of the top plein air (French for “open air”) artists from across the country; at least half of the artists are new to this year’s festival, says Vince Fazio, SAC’s director of the School of Arts.
This year, the festival kicks off on Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. with an opening exhibition, Reflections on a Pond, featuring 198 paintings from artist Kevin Macpherson of New Mexico. The exhibit will be on display at SAC through Oct. 26. Vince says the concept of the one-man special exhibition is new to this year’s festival. “We could not have had a better choice than Kevin Macpherson,” he says. “He is the quintessential plein-air painter but so much more. Reflections on a Pond played a role in inspiring an entire movement in art. There are painters who emulate his method of creating a painting each day. Our school has a number of these ‘painting a day’ artists on the faculty. This will be a very engaging exhibit.”
On Oct. 22 from 1:30 to 4 p.m., the artists gather for a paint-out in Uptown Sedona followed by a sidewalk art sale in front of SAC from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Starting Oct. 23 and running through Oct. 27, the plein-air painters can be found creating their works of art throughout Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon – you never know who you’re going to stumble upon and where. The artists are happy to talk about their inspiration and the painting process, so don’t be shy.
“People should get out and walk the areas where we are having the paint-outs,” Vince says. “Seeing the work as it is being made gives the sense of how intense an activity painting is, and this informs your experience at the final exhibitions of finished works.”
The fest schedule also includes guest speakers Kevin Macpherson (Oct. 25) and Arturo Chavez (Oct. 26); an artist’s day in Jerome (Oct. 26); and a quick draw at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village (Oct. 27). The festival culminates in the Art Lovers Wine Gala on Oct. 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Sedona Arts Center. The only ticketed event of the festival ($100 per person) includes wine and hors d’oeuvres as well as the chance to purchase festival art before it goes on sale to the public on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Funds raised from the gala benefit SAC’s art education programs. The Plein Air Festival and SAC’s spring art auction are the nonprofit’s two major fundraisers. •
Sedona Plein Air Festival
Oct. 21-29 @ the Sedona Arts Center, 15 Art Barn Road in Uptown Sedona; events also take place in Jerome and at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, 336 SR 179. All events are free of charge with the exception of the Art Lovers Wine Gala, which is $100 per person. For more info, call 928-282-3809 or visit www.sedonapleinairfestival.com.
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