Children enjoying Free Arts of Arizona activities at the 2011 Herberger Festival of the Arts. Photo by Lynn Trimble.

Expect plenty of family-friendly activities as SRP and the Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix present the 3rd annual Herberger Festival of the Arts from noon to 5pm on Sat., Oct. 6. Tickets will be available at the gate and cost just $5 for attendees ages 13 and up. Children 12 and under can attend for free, and enjoy both a special children’s activity area and other festival activities. The children’s area will feature face painting, clowns, a play area, calligraphy and more — including hands-on experiences provided by Free Arts of Arizona and the Musical Instrument Museum.

Flash mob performing during last year's Herberger Festival of the Arts. Photo by Lynn Trimble.

The Herberger Festival of the Arts takes place both inside and outside. Those who attend can enjoy music by several local bands, food vendors, wine tastings, film shorts, vendor booths, a pet adoption area, works by local artists and diverse performance art. Many of the exhibitors offer art programs for children, so attending the festival is a good way to learn about various Valley art resources for youth. Theater exhibitors include Arizona Broadway Theatre, East Valley Children’s Theatre, Spotlight Youth Theatre and Valley Youth Theatre. Music exhibitors include Arizona Girlchoir, Phoenix Boys Choir and Phoenix Girls Chorus. Dance exhibitors include Center Dance Ensemble and Scorpius Dance Theatre.

A mother and daughter enjoying the 2011 Herberger Festival of the Arts together. Photo by Lynn Trimble.

The first 100 people to stop by the iTheatre Collaborative booth will receive a free ticket to a 5:30pm performance of “Underneath the Lintel,” a play by Glen Berger (co-writer for the Broadway musical “Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark”) that imagines the journey of a librarian in search of the person who anonymously returned a book more than 100 years overdue. During the festival, more than two dozen 20-minute performances will take place on one outdoor and three indoor stages. Performers include Ethington Dance Ensemble from Grand Canyon University, Scottsdale Musical Theater Company, Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ, Taylor Circus Stars, Desert Dance Theatre/Step’s Funk Junk, Arizona Opera, Phoenix Children’s Chorus and Korean Traditional Performing Arts.

The Herberger Festival of the Arts is an affordable way to explore a wide assortment of arts and culture in a fun, casual setting. It’s a convenient way to learn about Valley companies offering classes and performance opportunities for children and teens, and to enjoy performances by Valley youth. Learn more at herbergertheater.org.

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