The third PHOENIX ANNUAL PARADE of the ARTS is Saturday November 1. Festivities begins at 4pm. Parade starts at 7pm.
WEAR your most creative costume.
MAKE a super cool shopping cart float.
WALK in the parade with us.
DANCE yourself silly to the great bands that will grace our stage.
PREPARE to have the best time you have ever had.
(History of...)
The first Phoenix Annual Parade of the Arts (PAPA) was a three-day long festival celebrating the arts and culture of Downtown Phoenix. The Festivities kicked off on Thursday, September 28, 2006, at The Phoenix Convention Center with street entertainment before and after Mayor Phil Gordon's State of Downtown Address. Starting at 5pm on Friday, September 29, 2006, live performances that included Sonorous, Sweet bleeders and Copper Square "Performance Street" artists, dotted the beginning of the first official PAPA parade route. At 7pm the open-to-the-public art parade looped from the Civic Center at Monroe Street, to Jackson Street, and then back up to the Civic Center.
Following the parade, at various Downtown Phoenix venues, the Phoenix Annual Parade of the Arts Talent Showcase featured Portland's spectacular March Fourth Marching Band (www. marchfourthmarchingband. com). Saturday, September 30, 2006, on Monroe Street, in front of the Phoenix Civic Center, was Family Day with activities including workshops, arts and crafts vendors, face painting, carnival amusements, food and over 20 different performances, free of charge.
In its second year, PAPA continued with its FREE high-energy celebration of creativity. "The Worlds Only Parading Arts Fair," as it has become known, gave members of the community the opportunity to express themselves through costumes, art, and performance while marching together through the streets of Copper Square.
The festivities of PAPA 2007 occurred on Saturday, October 28, 2007 with main stage music by Sonorous and World Class Thugs, and street performances by local magicians, jugglers, poets, chalk art, face painting, clowns and dancers, and also featured other children's attractions, vending, community information, food tasting, and loft tour as part of the larger Happening at Copper Square. At 7pm, everybody was invited to participate in the open-to-the-public parade procession. Attendees not interested in parading lined the streets and cheered the procession. Parade leaders March Fourth Marching Band gave another magnificent performance as the main stage national headlining act following the procession. PAPA activities closed the night with the parade competition award ceremony and were followed by a Copper Square fireworks show and pub-crawl.
Over the course of the past few years, PAPA has seen the "World's Only Parading Art Fair" bloom into an artistic and social phenomenon. This year, PAPA will continue to break new ground by asking the community to unify under a single theme.
Entitled "Out of this World,"/>
PAPA 2008 will continue to inspire the creativity of downtown phoenix and will foster camaraderie for its participants and provide a fun challenge for the artists, craftsman, businesses, parents and community members involved.
While the nationally recognized main stage talent and local street performers will again be a main focus of the event, PAPA 2008 promises even more entertainment. PAPA 2008 will include more vending, a new, second stage variety arts show and will provide more activities for children and youth.
As always, the free, all community procession will highlight the evening with fanciful floats, whimsical costumes and competing parade teams. The evening will finale with an award ceremony for the parade contest winners and will again close with the Copper Square pub-crawl and fireworks display.
My boy Jimmy Jam is running a new site for Phoenix that hopefully will encourage people to want to see what's happening in Downtown Phx. He is adding our weekend adventures into the site as a blog, so if you want to see what we did over the weekend or you want to join us and be in the next story, just let me know what you think. xoxox - Ah, good times.
The Real "about me"
Current mood: enlightened
Category: Life
I guess I come off pretty serious and intimidate people, but I don't understand how that happens. I personally laugh at myself ALL the time..I'm pretty sure I use exclamation points far too often and I use three periods after everything because I'm not sure if I'm done with that topic and I'm afraid to complete it by giving it one period. One period is just soo final...
For the past 7 years I devoted my time and love to Alice Cooperstown. As of May 1st, I'm re-discovering what it is to take time for myself and love myself. I'm still
having breakdowns, but with every breakdown there is a break through. ....
Who am I Anyway????....
I LOVE JIFF peanut butter and will except nothing less, well except in a peanut butter cup… Although, I don't really eat them anymore, I've moved on to Dove Dark chocolate. YUMM!!....
I use 3 tooth brushes in rotation and Casey thinks I'm nuts because of it, well I'm sure others do too but he's the only one that called me on it. ....
I love fresh sheets and coming home to a made bed. .... and a nice cup of hot tea b-4 bed is PERFECT!
I love drinking water but if I decided to have flavor its generally an Arnold Palmer. If libations are an option... Captn and sprite, Orange Juice or Diet all make me happy and generally Margaritas are great too.. Don't get me wrong, I'll pump the Keg with the best of them specially at ZOOMs place.. hehehe
I have a phenomenal 13yr old cat Charlie that sports the nicknames: puss, mama, sweet pea, and sugar pie. I gave her a theme song… stop me if you've heard it…. "I'm a Charlie girl, in a Charlie world, I play with plastic, it's fantastic…" – I think AQUA stole it from me.. ....
I LOVE MUSIC, I discovered early on that I'm not very good at playing it, but it doesn't stop me from listening to it every chance I get. I'm the worst at giving band stats and talking about the history of, but if you just want to listen and enjoy.. I'm great with that. ....
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our local bands – Dimonet , The Love Blisters and What Laura Says Thinks and Feels. I highly recommend checking them out.....
I think Birds are way cool, I may be a bird watcher when I retire.… (I don't know why)....
Vintage jewelry is the total way to go.. New or contemporary -not me at all, although my girl Sara has been letting me borrow a pretty nice piece of bling that I surely can't stop enjoying......
My parents are still together and the other night I sat with them on the back patio and listened to them share the story of how the met and how they ended up still together after all these years. It was a really nice memory for me to have. (I think I'm going to buy a video camera and make them say it all again) If your parents are still alive (they don't necessarily have to still be together) I recommend asking about how they met and listening… ....
Dancing.... there is no better joy than dancing around the living room... well there is one more joy, having a child in your arms and dancing around the living room... Sheryl Cooper says it best. "Promise me you will never stop dancing! You are never to old to start dancing." -Word!
Pensive Beauty - March 29th - Are you going? I’m Going!
Current mood: cultured
Category: Parties and Nightlife
On a personal note:
Jimmy and I have known each other from the Downtown Phoenix Partnership for at least 4 years now (I'm pretty sure longer but can't quote it) -We finally started to take each other up on the offer to go out on the town. In the mix of our adventures, he invited me out to Lee's place The PHiX. Who knew, but I've know Lee from random downtown encounters for sure over 6 years. Needless to say we have all had some fun moments getting to know each other, and each others friends. Between Jimmy, Lee and Candy they have placed their passions on the line to make this show come alive and I don't want to miss this awesome showcase of talent. Honestly, I'm hoping I can get enough people excited about this show that they have to make Pensive Beauty II. Soo… What do you think, are you free March 29th, do you want to check out the show with me?
On a side note, If you are not free March 29th, they do have other shows available, let me know I'll go with you then too.
Leslie
March, 29 2008 at PHiX Gallery 1113 NW Grand Ave., Phoenix, Arizona85003
A multi-media work featuring an innovative mix of modern dance, electronic music, paintings and videos. Local artists Candy Jimenez (Dulce Dance Company), James Cerracchio (electronic-rock band Azul), and Lee Berger (visual artist and PHiX gallery owner) have combined their efforts to create a one-of-a-kind performance experience, unlike anything the valley has seen before. Pensive Beauty's merging of live dance and music with video clips, painting, and unique set design pulls the audience into an artist's world of inspiration.
Old Friends New Memories part one...
Current mood: uncomfortable
Category: Friends
-2007 was a heartbreaking year of saying good bye to some old friends. We always said "Yea, let's get together some time" unfortunately, that time is no longer possible. So as a tribute to all our missed friends, every year on Valentines weekend, expect to see me along with all the friends you always say "you want to get together with," even if it's the co-worker you say "Ya, we should do Happy Hour!" Or the people on your Christmas Card List that you write "Let's not let another year pass b-4 we se each other again!" Get together with us and them over this one weekend a year and Celebrate! (If anything, at least you'll know that you can blow them off for another year! J hehehe)
I started this year off with my immediate friends that I knew would know each other and be able to reminisce the days of old with ease, so if you didn't get your invite, don't think you are not on my list, I just didn't want you to be a wall flower in a corner not having anyone to talk with. I expect to see you next year, so put in the schedule now and buy your plane ticket when they are cheap.
Thank you again to ALL who were able to make it out last night, I expect to see and meet all YOUR friends next year!
Brother Rob, Troy Toy, Troys Friend Chris ( I Believe) my Mom and Dad, Heather and her PIMP husband Patrick, Jimmy Jam, Weston and His lovely wife Lisa, Lori Jones, Dan Solomon, Casey Lyde, Alfonzo Chaves, Gary Boy, Danny Lopez and his Handsome man Ryan, Jody Snyder, Rick Ramero, Ritchie Graves, Mona's girl Erica, Joey Dickenson, And Of Course My Girls Monica Serrato and Sara Ward.
If you feel you were left out and want to see us, you have one more chance, this reunion is an all Weekend event, and We will be at The Big Bang on Mill Ave, Tomorrow night starting at 8:00pm.. Come out and Play with us!
chipper
strong
enlightened
excited
cultured
uncomfortable