DPI Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with 3rd Annual Loteria

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Downtown Phoenix Inc. is bringing back DTPHX Lotería, which will take place Friday, Oct. 6-Sunday, Oct. 15. The community-wide activation will incorporate a variety of businesses located Downtown.

Lotería has been played throughout Mexico for hundreds of years and is similar in concept to American Bingo. It uses 54 widely varied characters and symbols of Mexican culture on a “tabla” with a corresponding deck of cards. In order to win, a player must get four symbols, in any pattern, in a row. Downtown Phoenix Inc. does this with symbols that represent local businesses and encourages participants to visit those businesses in order to check off symbols on their tabla.

To create the symbols, Downtown Phoenix Inc. is partnering with Xico, Inc., one of the oldest ethnic arts organizations in the United States, to curate this year’s selection of local artists. This year’s artist line-up includes Cora Quiroz, Jonathan Ortiz, Chroma, Hyde Groat, Julian “Miraj” Miranda Jr., Veronica Verdugo, Stephanie Guillermina Castro, Jon Garza, Jacinda Rousseve-Vidrio, Blanca Garcia, Cassandra Ledezma, Laura “Laurie|LaLa Blue,” Muta Santiago, Jordan Hazekamp, José Maciel, Ana Isabel Villareal, Carlos Valencia, Jeanette Aguilar Rocha (Lady Rise), Maria Madrid Reed, and Agustin Vargas.

Through this creative partnership, artists have the opportunity to connect with local businesses to create a unique design that speaks to what that business provides; from restaurants to retail, hotels, and cultural institutions, over 40 Downtown businesses are participating in this year’s game.

“This is an amazing opportunity for both emerging and experienced artists to work hand-in-hand with local businesses and develop designs that speak to the meaning and history of Lotería, said Esai Calles, community, exhibition, and workshop liaison for Xico Inc. We have an excellent line-up of artists this year who are looking forward to participating in a community-wide game by showcasing their artistic expressions.

To play DTPHX Lotería, participants pick up a tabla at one of the participating Downtown businesses or from a DTPHX Ambassador. Each tabla will feature 16 ground-floor businesses depicted in Lotería style — a colorfully illustrated card symbolizing the location with a map of all the participating locations on the backside.

Once players find the card that corresponds with the business, they can go inside and get a DTPHX Lotería bean sticker. Winners will receive prizes ranging from Lotería branded pins to a custom DTPHX Lotería game that can be played at home. Prizes can be picked up at Downtown Phoenix Inc. at 1 E. Washington St., Suite 230, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting October 9 while supplies last.

DTPHX Lotería is fun to play and serves as a connective thread to showcase everything we love about Downtown: emerging artists, a hyper-local sidewalk experience featuring a wide array of small businesses, and a walkable neighborhood that is authentic, inclusive, and family-friendly, said Devney Majerle, president and CEO of Downtown Phoenix Inc.

A kick-off celebration will take place at Xico Inc. on Friday, Oct. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. that will include an opportunity to meet the artists, sip on agave spirits at Barcoa next door, nosh on tacos from Provecho, and get a headstart playing the game.