The Arts and Culture Fest will return to the city of Glendale for the new year, bringing a lineup of live art, entertainment and the popular Classic Car Competition. Arts and Culture Administrator Christopher Taylor said the festival is sure to attract an array of interests and tastes.
“We want to be able to provide something for everyone,” he said. “If you’re passionate about cars, if you love art, if you’re interested in music, dancing and mingling — or if you just want to get out for an afternoon in the beautiful Arizona sun when the weather’s starting to turn, we have something for you.”
The theme from the 2025 celebration will return for this year’s festivities — “Makers, Rhythms and Rides.” Scheduled for Jan. 31, the festival invites residents to the Civic Center Plaza and The Lot in downtown Glendale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The car show features 75 to 100 classic automobiles, vying for prizes across multiple categories. Various vehicle owners, enthusiasts and gearheads will be in attendance to share their passions and the care that goes into their respective car. According to Taylor, one of the fan-favorite entries was the iconic DeLorean, time machine car from “Back to the Future.”
One of the fan favorite entries to the Classic Car Competition is the DeLorean time machine car featured in “Back to the Future.”
(City of Glendale/Submitted)
The festival also includes various live art experiences, including chalk art, mural creation and plein-air painting — artists painting outdoors, in real time. In addition to the car show and art demonstrations, the event will feature a rotation of five live, local bands, various food, drink and dessert trucks. Lemonade stands, hot dogs, Cuban and Mexican food are common selections, but the local restaurants and eateries will still be open during the festival as well.
Fifteen to 20 vendor booths will be available, offering an array of wares and merchandise for customers to purchase. One of the vendors, Taylor said, transforms upholstery from cars into purses, jackets and wallets. Additionally, Andretti Indoor Karting and Games will be one of many businesses in attendance, sharing details of their establishment with the public.
For the younger festivalgoers, there will be interactive activities for children and a dedicated Kids’ Zone with bounce houses. The arts and culture administrator noted that the Cub Scouts engage in a Pinewood Derby during the event, giving the boys and girls the opportunity to earn a Bobcat Badge.
Arts and Culture Fest originated in 2023, when the city of Glendale hosted the Super Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Taylor explained that the overall success of the festival encouraged the city to continue hosting the event in the future.
“We can’t have the Super Bowl every year, but we wanted to maintain the arts and culture fest every year,” he said. “Since 2023, we have continued to work with Art State Arizona to sponsor the downtown Glendale arts and culture fest.
“It’s taken on a few different iterations over the past few years, but we’re very excited about the current concept and format that we have.”
Mayor Jerry Weiers echoed the sentiment, noting the traction the event has gained since its inception.
“I am proud of the statewide recognition our Arts & Culture Festival is receiving,” Weiers said in a statement. “This award reflects the hard work our city does each and every day to enhance the quality of life for our residents.
“We remain committed to promoting family-friendly entertainment that is accessible and affordable for everyone.”
Multiple vendors set up booths to sell their wares, including a crafter that transforms car upholstery into purses, jackets and wallets.
(City of Glendale/Submitted)
Each year, the Arts and Culture Fest attracts roughly 5,000 attendees, according to Taylor. Following six months of preparation and with the event date approaching, the arts and culture administrator said that he hopes that festivalgoers will be taken with the cultural variety of downtown Glendale.
“The cultural identity of downtown Glendale is so diversified — which is wonderful,” Taylor said. “One of our taglines for the City of Glendale is, ‘you belong here,’ and we want to make sure we provide opportunities for everyone to be able to come and enjoy Arts and Culture Fest.
“Not every single thing that we do will resonate with every single person, but there will be something here at the fest that everyone can find joy in.”
Glendale Arts and Culture Fest
WHERE: Civic Center Plaza,
5750 W. Glenn Drive, Glendale
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31
COST: Free admission
INFO: glendaleaz.gov