Viva Phoenix, Downtown’s favorite block party, is back.
Viva Phoenix is back after a seven-year hiatus, showcasing a variety of stalls and food from across the Valley in a one-day event. FOX 10’s Kenzie Beach has more.
Overview Viva Fenix’s rebirth took seven years. Co-director Matt Baquet sees the festival as a way to showcase what Phoenix has to offer, and envisions the festival becoming a tourist attraction in the future. Best 2024 James Beard Award Winners The event featured Southwest chef Rene Andrade and other local business owners.
PHOENIX – After seven years of waiting, Viva Fenix finally made its return on October 19th.
Fourth Avenue is closed between Van Buren and Washington streets.
More than 6,000 people were expected to attend the music, arts and culture festival that took downtown by storm.
Co-director Matt Baquet really wanted to showcase what Phoenix has to offer in terms of art, music and food scenes, as Phoenix is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. .
“A night for books, a legendary Phoenix night that will live on forever,” Baquet said.
After a 7-year lull, it’s all about rising from the ashes – Viva Phoenix is back!
“Oh, there’s a lot of fire here,” Chef Rene Andrade said.
“Phoenix has really come a long way. Downtown is booming. It’s one of the hottest places, literally and figuratively,” Baquet said.
10 venues, 70 artists, all within blocks of each other.
“Not every city has five world-class venues within a stone’s throw of each other,” Baquet says.
Beyond the music, the food scene also showcases the best of Phoenix’s cuisine, including Andrade, winner of the 2024 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southwest.
Viva Phoenix returns to downtown for a one-day event
After a seven-year hiatus, Viva PHX returns to downtown Phoenix with a one-day event featuring local artists and vendors and showcasing Phoenix culture. FOX 10’s Lindsay Lagasse has a preview.
“My specialty is everything over fire,” Andrade says.
What’s his secret? Sanoran El Pastor. Rotate manually over the flame for a smoky finish.
It’s a place of collaboration and connection with local artists like Sam Perry, whose theme is rising from the ashes.
Perry’s pieces are made from landfill in Arizona.
“We recycle everything. We take these clothes that would otherwise go to the landfill that have holes or stains, and we print over the stains or patch over the holes,” Perry said. he said.
Viva Phoenix’s resurgence is just the beginning.
“I think people travel every year, not just for the music, but just to experience this city, this desert, this community,” Baquet says.
He says it took a while to get it up and running again.
They were starting a new festival, and it was the history, culture, and community aspects of Viva Phoenix that got people talking.
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Viva Phoenix co-director Matt Baquet and other festival attendees provided information for this story.
