Sip your Phoestivus Ale, dance around the Phoestivus Pole and peruse 130 local vendors at the Phoestivus Open-Air Market Wednesday, Dec. 10 and Wednesday, Dec. 17 from 4-9 p.m.
Back for its fifth year, the Phoenix Public Market expands the weekly Wednesday night market for two weeks in December featuring more local vendors, more food trucks, lots of live entertainment and enough beer to stay cheerful the whole night through.
For the first time ever, Phoestivus organizers ditched the beer garden concept in favor of enclosing the entire market. You can actually purchase a delicious Phoestivus Ale – made seasonally by Phoenix Ale Brewery – and wander around the entire event, shopping to your heart’s content.
You can’t do that in a mall.
In line with the secular, noncommercial theme of “Festivus,” which originated in a 1997 “Seinfeld” episode, Phoestivus creates an alternative to the mass consumerism often associated with the holidays.
Buying something directly from the person who created it is a pretty rare and special experience and Phoestivus really celebrates that relationship.
It not only showcases the amazing things being handcrafted and produced locally, but it creates a platform for small micro-businesses to sell and promote their wares in a truly festive and fun environment.
With a tongue-in-cheek salute to its Seinfeldian origins, you can arm wrestle your friends at Pheats of Strength, complain about your family in front of the whole market at the Airing of Grievances, and of course, visit the unadorned aluminum Phoestivus Pole, supposedly the world’s largest.
Proceeds from the event benefit Community Food Connections, a nonprofit organization supporting local and small businesses.
*Photo courtesy of Brandi Porter