Anthem is welcoming a new holiday arts and crafts show to its calendar this year.
The First Art at Anthem show will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, to Sunday, Dec. 17, at Outlets North Phoenix. The free arts and crafts show will have a variety of artists, food and entertainment for families to enjoy.
“I saw the parking lot out front and I just thought that would be a great venue for an art show with entertainment and plenty of parking space,” Marlo Johnson, the owner of the Oak Creek Arts and Crafts show, said in regard to what gave her the idea for the event.
“Anthem doesn’t have another event, I don’t believe, such as this. So I thought Anthem is sort of a growing community, and just thought it’d be a nice community event.”
Johnson said there will be 60 artists, some of whom have small businesses, of a wide variety of mediums, including ceramic, glass, photography, Native American art as well as crafts and jewelry. Those who attend will have the chance to shop lots of handmade items.
“You name it, every medium will be displayed at this art show,” Johnson said.
Local musician Michael Peters and another local musician will be playing from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17. World renowned hoop dancer Moontee Sinqua will also be performing alongside his son, Sampson, who will play the drums and sing a native song while his father performs a traditional hoop dance of the Hopi culture.
There will also be activities for the kids. From noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, renowned drummer and percussionist Sabina Sandoval will be laying out 20 individual handmade drums for children to play as part of a “Free to Be Me” drum circle.
Free to Be Me is a nonprofit that helps kids aged K-12 (particularly those who are at risk), elders, prison inmates and people with mental disabilities. The group provides loving, educational, rhythmic drumming events that encourage crowd participation.
“The children get to sort of beat to their own drum and she sort of syncs everybody up, and it’s really an amazing experience,” Johnson said.
There will be a face painter at the event for kids to enjoy, as well.
Johnson emphasized that the show’s location also allows visitors easy access to the stores at the Anthem outlet mall.
“I am sort of trying to forge the way with the event that Anthem, the residents of Anthem and the Valley can look forward to year after year,” she said.
The process for putting the event together, Johnson noted, was smooth. She had no issue booking entertainment or artists and thinks that has to do with them seeing the value in the venue and paving the way for the event. She also said the Anthem outlet mall’s management was a great help.
Johnson feels it is incredibly important that Art at Anthem gives artists an opportunity to display their material.
She hopes to see a lot of local residents and families come out to enjoy the entertainment, shop the vendors, see the art and interact with the artists themselves.
“It’s nice to have one-on-one interactions with artists and I hope it’s embraced in such a way that we keep doing it year after year,” Johnson said.
First Annual Art at Anthem
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, to Sunday, Dec. 17
WHERE: Outlets North Phoenix, 4250 W. Anthem Way, Phoenix
COST: Free
INFO: www.oakcreekartsandcraftsshow.com
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